Se connecterDante and I have been married for three years. But he never knew my real name. We’d had countless arguments over the past three years—over the petty details of everyday life. I can no longer tolerate such a ridiculous life like a puppet today. Calliope, that’s what he called me, but it was actually my twin sister’s name. My husband may never know that the woman who married him three years ago was a substitute bride. Three years ago, my sister abandoned us and left before the wedding with her lover. To prevent the anger of the Laurent’s, my family had no choice but to let me marry Dante instead of my sister. My phone rang again and again, I finally picked it up. "Throwing another tantrum, are you? Calliope, tell me what you are capable to do if you can not even be merely a housewife?" I knew Calliope could always get her way through her sweet voice and innocent smiles. She can be an obedient and perfect wife—something I could never manage. "Dante. I’m not joking.” I didn't know if my voice sounded a little sad. "You can’t be serious—" For the first time, I heard a tremor in the man's words. He doesn't love me. He likes to be in control. When he realized that his puppet was losing control, he began to panic. It's time for this farce to end. I clenched my phone and spoke to the man on the other end in the calmest voice of my life. "Dante, let's get a divorce." But what shocked me more than hearing Dante's answer was the person who suddenly appeared in front of me. Calliope, my twin sister, who disappeared for the whole three years. “Are you crazy? Why on earth would you want a divorce? That's Dante Laurent, a billionaire heir, every woman's dream!” “Calliope? Our parents and I all thought you would never show up again. I entered this wrong marriage because of your escape. Dante... he’s not that a husband out of your dreams.” “Seraphina, put away your ridiculous niceness and compassion. I have returned this time to take back what is MINE and my place.” She lifted my hand with a sneer and removed the wedding ring from my finger.
Voir plus“Four ...!”
“Three ...!”
“Two ...!”
Semua bersorak. Teriak serentak. Menghitung mundur dengan penuh penantian kala si pengantin wanita berdiri membelakangi stage, bersiap melempar buket bunga pengantinnya. Terutama bridesmaids sudah mulai saling sikut, tak sabar untuk saling rebut.
Namun tidak dengan Mei. Meski bibir wanita itu tersenyum, tetapi senyum itu tak mencapai matanya yang menyorot suasana itu dengan sendu. Meski begitu dia tetap bergabung dalam barisan besties yang berseragam kebaya merah terang.
“Gooo!”
Semua tanganpun melambai-lambai ke atas, siap menangkap disertai pekikan heboh. Tetapi. Semua kemudian terdiam. Semuanya bengong. Si pengantin wanita justru berbalik badan, mengulurkan buket bunga pengantin yang ditunggu-tunggu banyak orang itu kepada seorang lelaki yang berlari-lari kecil menghampiri untuk mengambilnya. Menciptakan berbagai tanya yang menggantung dalam pikiran semua orang yang melihatnya.
Dan ... tiba-tiba saja, lelaki itu dengan gentle membungkuk di depan Mei seraya berkata, “Meilani, will you marry me?” sambil mengulurkan buket bunga itu padanya.
Mei terperangah. Tak mengira Juna bakal bertindak sampai seperti ini.
Lelaki bernama Juna itupun menyeringai kecil dengan salah satu alis terangkat. Masih membungkuk dan menyodorkan bunga. Menantinya.
Seketika ballroom hotel diriuhkan teriakan orang-orang dalam satu ketukan irama komando.
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Tepukan meriah dan siulan orang-orangpun saling bersahutan ramai kala tangan Mei akhirnya terulur jua, menerima buket bunga itu. Juna pun berdiri. Mengeluarkan sesuatu dari saku celananya dan meraih tangan kiri Mei. Lalu memasang cincin belah rotan bermata berlian yang berkilau cantik di jari manis wanita itu.
Mei berkedip-kedip, tatapannya beralih dari cincin itu ke wajah Juna yang tiba-tiba saja bergerak mendekat secepat kilat. Dan mendelik saat bibirnya terasa hangat di bawah kecupan Juna yang sedang mencuri ciumannya.
“Fans service,” bisik Juna di tengah jeritan ramai orang-orang yang menyoraki mereka.
Mei menelan ludah dan memalingkan wajah. Tatapannya pun membentur si pengantin pria yang berdiri di atas pelaminan sana, yang tak lain adalah Kevin. Pria itu tengah menatapnya setajam elang. Mengoyak perasaan Mei dengan ketidaknyamanan. Secepat kilat Mei pun mengalihkan tatapannya kepada Juna.
Juna justru menertawakan wajah Mei yang semerah tomat. “Jangan bilang kalau ... ini first kiss elu?” bisik cowok itu terdengar begitu meledek.
“Shut up,” desis Mei seraya berjinjit dan merangkul leher Juna. Membuat pria itu mematung kala sekonyong-konyong Mei melumat bibirnya yang menganga kaget.
Sekilas Juna melirik ke arah pelaminan, menangkap ekspresi sang pengantin wanita, yang tak lain mantan kekasihnya. Di sana, Raya terbelalak tak percaya sambil mencengkeram lengan Kevin yang juga terlihat jengah memalingkan wajah. Membuat Juna bersorak menang dalam hatinya, kemudian dia berbisik disela-sela ciumannya, “Good job, Mei.”
***
Dua jam sebelumnya,
Mei berbaur dalam suasana pesta yang sudah selayaknya dipenuhi dengan kegembiraan dan kebahagiaan. Namun tidak dengan perasaannya kini. Entah sudah yang keberapa kali Mei mencuri tatap ke pelaminan dengan sorot sendu. Memandangi Kevin. Pria itu tampak begitu menawan dan gagah dalam balutan jas mahalnya. Bersisian dengan Raya yang begitu cantik, secantik gaun pengantinnya saat ini.
“Mereka cocok banget ya? Serasi,” celetuk Sarah yang diamini teman-temannya. Lalu keempat bridesmaid berseragam kebaya merah terang itu mulai membicarakan tekad mereka untuk saling rebut buket bunga pengantin dari Raya nanti, biar yang mendapatkan bisa lekas menyusul kawin. ‘Siapa tahu mitos itu jadi kenyataan?’ Begitu harapan mereka.
Mei ikut tertawa palsu bersama teman-temannya yang lain meski perasaannya berantakan. Kevin adalah cinta satu-satunya, yang sampai kini bertahta di hatinya. Namun, bukan salah pria itu yang pilih melabuhkan hatinya kepada Raya, sebab tiada komitmen apa-apa antara Kevin dengan Mei. Bahkan mungkin Kevin tak peduli bagaimana jantung Mei berdebar dalam setiap momen kebersamaan mereka.
Mei masih ingat rasanya. Saat Raya melempar bom itu padanya di sebuah acara reuni 2 minggu yang lalu. “Mei, ini undangan buat elu. Gue sama Kevin mo merit, lu wajib datang. Elu mau kan jadi bridesmaid gue?” ucap Raya dengan ceria, berbanding terbalik dengan Mei yang seketika memucat.
Tak ada angin, tak ada hujan. Lalu. Dari manakah badai ini datang?
“M-memangnya ...,” Mei menelan ludah pahit, “sejak kapan elu sama Kevin jadian?”
Raya tersenyum simpul. “Actually, kami tunangan setahun lalu di Amrik. Kami mulai dekat sejak kuliah bareng di kampus yang sama di sana.”
Pengakuan Raya terasa mencekik Mei hingga sulit berkata-kata. Komunikasinya dengan Raya memang tersendat sejak Raya melanjutkan study pasca sarjananya di Amerika. Dan kesibukan membuat keduanya menjadi sulit bertemu sekembalinya Raya ke Jakarta beberapa bulan lalu.
Mei terlalu terkejut sampai lupa memberi selamat. Tatapannya menelusuri undangan cantik nan wangi di tangannya. Jantungnya dipecut nyeri mendapati foto prewed Raya dan Kevin yang begitu mesra. Mei mengabaikan sosok Raya dalam foto itu, perhatiannya tertuju lurus-lurus pada wajah Kevin yang sedang tersenyum dengan teramat manis. Rahang tegas dan belahan dagunya yang khas, menyihir Mei dengan kekaguman seperti biasa. Mei pun membaca baris demi baris kalimat dalam undangan itu. Dan tatapannya terhenti, tertancap pada nama Kevin Febrian yang terukir indah dalam tinta emas. Seindah ukiran perasaan Mei terhadap pria itu selama ini. Tiba-tiba netra Mei terasa memanas. Sebelum air mata benar-benar menetes dan mempermalukan dirinya di depan Raya dan teman-teman, Mei lekas menyingkir menuju restroom. Lalu membasuh wajahnya dengan air kran. Mei mati-matian menahan. Tapi, air mata sialan itu meluncur juga. Bersama setiap nyeri yang menggigiti hati. Dan hari ini ..., rasa nyeri itu kian terasa menjadi.
“I know, Mei. Lu pernah ada something kan sama Kevin? So, kita senasib sekarang. Right?” tembak Juna yang tiba-tiba berdiri di sampingnya, membuat Mei terbatuk-batuk kaget.
“Sorry ...? What do you talking about?” Mei mencoba mengelak dari ucapan Juna, si cowok berisik yang kerap membuntuti dan menyogoknya dengan aneka coklat semasa SMA, demi sekulik info tentang Raya. Ya. Juna adalah penggemar berat Raya sejak dulu. Harusnya Mei iba mengingat betapa bucinnya Juna kepada Raya, tetapi pria itu tetap membesarkan hatinya untuk hadir di sini. Tetapi Mei jadi kesal karena Juna mengungkit-ungkit tentang dirinya dan Kevin.
“Mata itu jendela hati, Mei. You show it too clear. So I know, everybody know. Pernikahan ini menghancuranmu.”
Kata-kata Juna bagai panah yang menancap telak ke jantung Mei. Seketika kakinya gemetar. Sejelas itukah?
Seakan bisa mendengar isi pikiran Mei, Juna bergerak mendekatinya dan berkata. “I feel you, Mei. Posisi kita sama. Kita sama-sama dicampakkan. Kevin tahu banget elu masih suka sama dia. Raya juga tahu gue masih suka sama dia. Di mata mereka, kita ini pecundang. So, gimana kalau kita bersekutu? Come on, kita tunjukin ke mereka kalau kita udah move on and happy together. Bukankah tampak bahagia itu pembalasan dendam terbaik?”
“Ckckck. Teori dari Hongkong!” ketus Mei sambil beranjak pergi.
Juna mencekal lengan Mei. “I will pay you,” ucapnya membuat wanita itu terpaku di tempat. Lalu pria itu merundukkan kepala dan membisikkan sesuatu ke telinga Mei.
***
Seraphina’s POVIt was the summer of jasmine and glass.The windows of the CHIHIRO flagship store shimmered under the golden Florence sun, etched with the elegant strokes of our newest fragrance—HER. The name had once been a whisper of a memory, a secret I poured into amber bottles. Now, it was a statement, a reclamation.HER had become a global phenomenon, sold out in Paris, worshipped in Tokyo, and dissected in New York editorials. Critics called it a perfume born of pain and persistence. Maybe they were right. Now me and my team are working on our next launch, Renaissance—that will hold soft and elegant notes for every fighter, who started afresh. Just like me. But this time, I wasn't running errands to collaborate with any company for the launch, I was doing it all independently.I stood on the rooftop of our Florence office, overlooking the Duomo, my fingers curled around a glass of chilled rosé. The same roof where we once watched the sunset during our college days—when dreams w
Everett’s POVLove isn’t always loud. Sometimes it sits in silence, right beside you, quietly hoping you’ll be seen. That’s how it had always been between Seraphina and me.I watched her from the other side of the penthouse lounge, where she stood bathed in early morning light, speaking softly on the phone. Her voice was low, concerned. Probably discussing the fallout from Calliope’s arrest, or maybe the private investigators still searching for Drusen.She didn’t notice me watching. She never really did—not in the way I had once dreamed she would.I’d known her since we were kids. I was the boy who held her books, who chased away her nightmares, who stayed when everyone else left. I loved her long before she ever looked at Dante Laurent. But when she did look at him—God, the way she looked at him—it was like gravity had shifted, and suddenly I was the outsider.I had always thought time would fix it. That Dante’s mistakes would turn her heart toward me. And for a while, when she lef
Seraphina’s POVThe flashing lights of the police cars painted the night in red and blue, like the world had been sliced open and left bleeding.I stood just outside CHIHIRO’s glass doors, heart pounding as the building buzzed with tension. Officers moved inside with urgency. Crime scene tape stretched across the lobby.And there, handcuffed and fuming, was Calliope.“Don’t touch me!” she shrieked at one of the officers, struggling against their grip. Her perfect hair was a mess, mascara streaking down her face. “You don’t understand! I was framed!”But no one believed her. Not this time.Earlier that night, CHIHIRO’s alarm had blared through the empty halls. I had rushed over, heart slamming in my chest, only to find shattered glass and scattered product samples. My sanctuary was vandalized.Calliope had finally snapped.Security footage showed her breaking in, frantic, almost unhinged. She’d smashed displays, tore files, and was frantically attempting to download proprietary data on
Dante’s POVCalliope's perfume still lingered in the hallway long after she slammed the door shut behind her.She was always dramatic like that. Storming in like she owned the place. Drenched in desperation and Chanel No. 5. Dressed to seduce, lying through perfectly red-painted lips.But this time, I didn’t flinch. This time, I saw her clearly—too clearly.I closed the door quietly behind her and leaned against it, exhaling a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.The silence in the penthouse was deafening.I walked over to the minibar and poured myself a drink—neat bourbon. The sting felt earned.Drusen. That bastard. The minute my legal team uncovered his connection to the tampering of CHIHIRO’s rig, I knew there was more rot buried underneath the surface. And surprise—he wasn’t just involved. He was the damn architect.An illegitimate Laurent. He wore the name like armor, but he was never cut from the same cloth. He clawed his way into the company with fake smiles and boardroom s
Seraphina’s POV “What do you want?”My throat tightened.Calliope stepped forward. Her eyes shone with a malicious glint.“You claimed that three years ago,” she began, voice syrupy-smooth, “circumstances forced you to marry Dante and take my place as the Laurent family’s daughter-in-law, right?
Seraphina’s POV Rain slammed against the windows, a furious rhythm that echoed the pounding in my chest.I stood frozen in the entryway, fingers still curled around the doorknob, breath shallow.Calliope stood on the porch, her face ghostly pale against the storm, like a demon pulled straight from
Seraphina’s POV I ended the last call with Dante and sat alone on a bench by the bustling street. Cars honked, engines rumbled, and the air carried the scent of roasted chestnuts and expensive perfume.I watched well-dressed people hurry past, immersed in their own conversations and laughter, whi
Dante’s POVThe boardroom was quiet as we discussed the chairman’s succession of LLC Group. Then my phone chimed.It was an email from Calliope.She never emailed me. Ever.This could be urgent. Frowning, I tapped on it."I don’t even know why I’m doing this. Maybe because it’s the only way you’ll












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