LOGINI get picked up by the cops in the middle of the night for street vending. While questioning me, they pull up my file. One officer eyes me suspiciously through my mask and asks, "What's a Clairefield University graduate like you doing selling stuff on the street at midnight?" I freeze and lean over to look at the file. The ID number matches mine, but the photo has been replaced with one of Madison Bass. That's when it hits me—20 years ago, I was the one who got accepted to Clairefield University! Dazed and numb, I stumble home only to hear my husband, Joseph Gunther, speaking on the phone. "Madison, don't worry. I won't let Lucy interfere with your life. Just go abroad in peace." It's him! Joseph helped Madison steal my identity and my future. My stomach twists. I turn to confront him, to expose the truth. But before I can, he strangles me to death with a belt. "I'm sorry, Lucy. You can't ruin Madison's future…" When I open my eyes again, I'm back in the classroom. Our homeroom teacher is handing out university application forms. This time, I'm taking my life back.
View More"Ahh... Ahh... Ahh..."
Langkahku terhenti saat mendengar suara kenikmatan. Tepat berada di depan pintu kamar ibuku. Aku yang terbangun tengah malam karena merasa ingin buang air kecil, mengurungkan niatku sejenak untuk mendengar lebih jelas. Perlahan, aku mendekatkan telinga ke pintu. Ternyata benar, suara itu memang berasal dari dalam kamar Mama Jessica, ibu tiriku. Rasa buang air kecil yang tadinya nyaris tak tertahankan, menghilang seketika. Aku mengatur napas sebaik mungkin, sembari mencoba berpikir apa yang sedang berlangsung di dalam sana. Bagaimana mungkin? Tidak, ini tidak mungkin! Batinku bergejolak, pikiranku melayang-layang. Apa mungkin ibu tiriku memasukkan pria lain ke dalam kamar? Atau jangan-jangan... Pikiranku semakin beterbangan, membayangkan apa yang dapat memicu munculnya suara desahan itu. Ayah belum pulang karena lembur malam ini. Jadi, tidak mungkin desahan itu muncul dengan sendirinya. "Loh, Radit? Ngapain di sini?" tanya Mama Jessica yang tiba-tiba saja membuka pintu. "Eh, anu, bukan, enggak Ma..." Aku gelagapan. Jantungku berdegup kencang, bukan semata karena Mama Jessica menemukanku di depan kamarnya. Melainkan, karena setelan pakaian yang ia kenakan. Mama Jessica mengenakan piyama rok bewarna pink yang terlihat seperti baju dinas malam. Sehingga bayang-bayang isi di dalamnya tergambar jelas di kepalaku. "Hihi, lucu banget deh kamu. Kenapa jadi gugup kayak gitu?" Mama Jessica melirik sambil menyilangkan tangan di dada, wajahnya tampak penasaran. "Enggak kok, Ma. Kebelet buang air kecil, mau ke kamar mandi dulu." Aku merapatkan kedua pahaku, telapak tanganku dingin karena grogi. "Oh... mau ke kamar mandi rupanya. Mau Mama temenin?" Mama Jessica mengangkat alis, seolah bercanda, tapi langkahnya ikut maju setengah langkah ke arahku. "Gak usah Ma. Aku sendiri aja." Aku tersenyum kaku sambil mengusap tengkukku. Detak jantungku terdengar jelas di telinga sendiri. "Beneran nih gak mau ditemenin? Malem kemarin Mama denger suara aneh dari halaman belakang." Ia berkata sambil melirik ke jendela, lalu berjalan pelan ke dekatku. Tangannya menyentuh bahuku sebentar, lembut tapi membuatku refleks menelan ludah. Tiba-tiba saja listrik padam. Seluruh ruangan berubah menjadi gelap gulita. "Tuh kan, lampunya mati. Yuk, Mama temenin aja." Mama Jessica menyalakan ponselnya sebagai penerangan. "Soal yang tadi, beneran Ma?" "Iya," jawabnya pelan, hampir seperti gumaman. "Tapi Mama nggak mau ngecek, takut soalnya." Seketika bulu kudukku meremang. Mulai ragu-ragu untuk melangsungkan hajatku ke kamar mandi. Tapi, jika aku menahannya, khawatir celanaku akan segera basah kuyup. "Udah, ayuk. Jangan banyak mikir. Ntar malah keluar di celana lagi." Mama Jessica segera menggandeng lenganku dengan lembut. Entah ini terlihat normal antara ibu dengan anak, aku tidak tahu. Yang jelas, ada perasaan deg-degan saat beberapa kali lenganku tersentuh sesuatu yang lembut. "Aku buang air kecil dulu ya, Ma?" ucapku pelan ketika kami berhenti di depan pintu kamar mandi. Pintu itu sedikit terbuka, gelap di dalamnya membuatku merinding. "Berani, kan?" Mama Jessica menyipitkan mata, menyorot ke arahku dan pintu dengan cahaya ponselnya. Suaranya terdengar setengah menggoda, setengah menguji. "Maksudnya, Ma?" Aku mengerutkan kening. Jantungku berdetak lebih cepat, bukan karena takut, tapi karena tatapannya terasa aneh. "Emang kamu berani di dalem sendirian?" "Berani dong, Ma. Gak mungkin juga kan Mama masuk ke dalem buat nemenin aku?" Aku tertawa kering, mencoba mencairkan suasana yang makin tegang. "Loh, kenapa enggak?" "Hah?" Aku spontan mundur setengah langkah, bingung. Mama Jessica langsung mengerjap, menyadari ucapannya sendiri. "Eh, salah," katanya sambil tersenyum canggung. Ia mengusap rambut yang jatuh ke pipinya, lalu berdeham halus. Aku bergegas masuk untuk menyegerakan hajatku. Tapi kata-kata Mama Jessica yang menawarkan diri untuk menemaniku ke dalam sini, cukup mengganggu pikiranku. "Makasih ya, Ma. Mama baik banget," ucapku ketika melihat Mama Jessica senantiasa menunggu di depan pintu. "Gak perlu makasih segala. Kan Mama harus jagain kamu. Kayak amanahnya Papa." Aku mengerutkan kening, "Emang Papa bilang gitu?" "Iya, Papa bilang Mama harus benar-benar jagain kamu. Papa sayang banget dan gak mau kamu kenapa-napa." Aku cukup tersentuh mendengarnya. Karena belum pernah aku melihat Ayah mengatakan hal demikian di hadapanku. Tapi terkadang juga aku merasa bahwa ini berlebihan, seperti dimanjakan. Kurang pantas saja di usiaku yang sudah menyandang gelar sarjana. "Oh ya Ma, Papa emang belum pulang, ya?" "Belum," jawabnya lembut. Ia merapikan rambutnya yang jatuh ke bahu. "Kan malem ini ada lembur. Mungkin sekitar satu jam lagi pulangnya." "Oh..." Kami berdua kembali menuju ke arah kamar. Kamarku berada tepat di samping kamarnya. "Mau Mama temenin tidur?" tanyanya lembut saat kami tiba di depan pintu kamarku.During the summer break, I found myself a part-time job to earn some extra cash to pay for my living expenses. I wasn't sure if I was imagining it, but I constantly felt like someone was watching me. Yet every time I looked back, no one was there, so I dismissed it as nothing.My salary was paid to me on a bi-monthly basis, and I realized that I had received a thousand dollars more than what was promised. A thousand dollars was a large sum of money during those days.My boss, Jerry Little, explained, "Business has been going great recently. It's your bonus."I happily accepted the extra cash upon hearing his words.When I finished my shift, I further rewarded myself by purchasing a fried chicken drumstick. When I stopped by the shop, I noticed that they were running a promotion where if one purchased one drumstick, the buyer would receive another three for free.Lady Luck must have been smiling down on me that day.However, the thought had barely finished forming in my mind when
The Gunther family's reputation was in shambles after the media reports were released. They received a verbal lashing from the public every day. The internet had been invented by then, so they were constantly subjected to an endless stream of criticisms.Frank's and Madison's sentences had not been decided yet.As I watched everything unfold, I sighed in relief. I assumed that the dust would settle soon. What I did not expect was for Joseph to seek me out again.I had left the house to go grocery shopping when he blocked my path forward. He looked incredibly anxious. He kept his head lowered, continuing to block me without saying a single word.I clutched my pocket knife as I warily asked him, "What the hell do you want?"He raised his head to look at me. He had a complicated emotion swirling in his eyes, and his voice was hoarse when he called out my name.I didn't say a single word in response. I wondered if he was going to beg me to empathize with Frank and Madison again."Yo
After I had completed all the necessary procedures, I exited the police station. Joseph trailed behind me, his condition rather unstable. He then called out to me. "Lucy Charon."I turned around to look at him."I'm sorry. Are you satisfied now?" He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.I gazed at Joseph, who was very much still alive and breathing. I shook my head. "No. I'll only be satisfied when you're dead."Hurt was written all across his face. I didn't understand why he looked so pained. The situation had reached this point, so why was he still pretending?"Lucy, I had feelings for you once. I've always been keeping an eye on you since our first school year."His words repulsed me as I relentlessly exposed the cracks in his weak lie. "It's because you decided I was the perfect target for your scheme, right?"Joseph shook his head vigorously. Tears dripped from his face as he explained, "It's not like that. I really did like you. I know that you enjoy eating our cantee
Madison and Joseph stepped out of the house. When Joseph's gaze landed on me, he turned visibly panicked.I raised my voice and yelled, "Madison! Where is your university acceptance letter?"After noticing that there were police officers with me, Madison began to realize that something was amiss. "My acceptance letter? I haven't received it yet.""That's impossible," I declared while glaring at her.The female officer patted my back to comfort me. "Don't worry, Lucy. We'll get to the bottom of this."Frank stood up to his full height. "Lucy, you must have evidence if you suspect me of stealing your university spot."I rubbed the tears from my eyes and said, "The acceptance letter is the evidence."After all, the acceptance letter would have my ID number on it. I had traveled back 20 years. The student information website didn't exist yet. If it did, Frank wouldn't have been able to exchange my information for Madison's on the application form.Madison's complexion turned pallid






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