LOGINXenia Lewis, the nepotism junior, is eager to craft an image of herself as a prodigy. To prove her talent, she requests to take the lead in court. But when confronted by the plaintiff's attorney's sharp questioning, she falters. Our defense unravels, instantly putting us at a disadvantage. After the verdict is announced, Xenia tearfully throws herself into the arms of my fiance, Zayne Scott. Her voice trembles with excuses. "The plaintiff's attorney was too harsh. It was my first time in court, and I was just too nervous!" Due to her incompetence, the defendant, who could have been acquitted, ends up behind bars. Yet, Zayne and my junior colleague, Hugo Wilkinson, indulge her with comforting words. "Don't be upset. No one wins every case." "With your cleverness, Xenia, you'll surely hold your own next time." Furious, I snap, "The court is a place to seek truth and uphold justice. It's not a playground for make-believe. Because of your mistake, an innocent person has been wronged. How can you live with yourself?" Feeling humiliated, Xenia breaks down, sobbing and threatening to harm herself. Resentful that I've hurt her, Zayne and Hugo distort the truth, shifting all the blame onto me. I end up as the scapegoat for her mistakes. Not only am I forced to resign in disgrace, but I also face disbarment. With nowhere to turn, my spirit shatters. While crossing the street, distraught and distracted, I'm hit by a car and killed. Then, when I wake up, I find myself reborn on the very day Xenia and I are set to appear in court.
View More"Paman, aku datang ke sini karena aku ingin .... "
"Aku akan membantumu, dengan satu syarat."
Kalimat Diego memutus kata-kata Freya. Mata Freya membulat sempurna. Bagaimana mungkin pria ini tahu maksud kedatangannya sebelum ia sempat mengucapkannya?
Freya Xania seorang spesialis kandungan, tidak pernah menyangka pasien yang datang ke kliniknya tadi pagi adalah selingkuhan Dani_calon suaminya.
Wanita bernama Nadia itu bahkan sudah hamil dua bulan. Lalu, dengan bangganya dia memamerkan cincin tunangan yang sama persis seperti cincin pernikahan yang Freya desain sendiri.
Lebih parahnya, Dani justru memberikan cincin berlian palsu dengan desain serupa padanya.
Mungkin Dani lupa, sebelum orang tua Freya bangkrut karena penipuan, mereka adalah pemain besar di bisnis perhiasan.
Freya tumbuh besar dengan melihat perbedaan antara berlian murni dan zircon murahan.
Tidak ingin diam saja saat harga dirinya diinjak-injak, Freya nekat menemui Diego_paman kekasihnya sendiri untuk meminta bantuan.
Diego Foster adalah pemilik imperium Gold Dragon dan penguasa industri batu bara yang dikenal sebagai orang paling berkuasa di negara ini.
Dibandingkan dengan Dani yang baru belajar memimpin dan posisinya hanya sebagai Direktur, Diego adalah Raja Bisnis yang sesungguhnya, sosok yang paling disegani sekaligus ditakuti di dunia korporasi.
Hanya Diego satu-satunya orang berkuasa, yang mampu menghancurkan Dani.
"Syarat?" Suara Freya nyaris berbisik.
Diego memajukan tubuh, meraih pulpen emas di atas meja sambil terus mengunci tatapan Freya.
Aura dominannya menyelimuti ruangan itu, membuat Freya merasa kecil.
"Kamu akan mendapatkan bantuan dariku, apa pun itu. Aku bisa menghancurkan apa pun yang ingin kamu hancurkan. Tapi sebagai gantinya, kamu harus menerima syarat dariku."
"Paman tahu apa yang aku inginkan?" tanya Freya masih tak percaya.
"Aku tahu segalanya, Freya." Diego menyandarkan punggung ke belakang, menatap Freya lekat-lekat.
Ditatap sedemikian dalam oleh pria di depannya membuat Freya diam membeku. Selama ini yang ia ketahui tentang Diego ... sang Naga Emas dikenal sebagai pria yang belum pernah menikah, tapi kerap bergonta-ganti pasangan kencan.
Banyak wanita cantik di negeri ini berlomba untuk menjadi istrinya, namun tidak ada satu pun dari mereka yang terpilih.
Freya merasa dirinya jauh dari kata sempurna dibandingkan wanita-wanita itu, akan tetapi kenapa tatapan Diego padanya selalu terasa begitu ... berbeda? Dan alasan itu yang membuat Freya berani meminta bantuan pada Paman kekasihnya sendiri.
"Maaf Paman, tapi apa Paman benar-benar akan membantuku? Paman bahkan belum tahu apa yang ingin kulakukan," tanya Freya pelan.
Diego tertawa kecil. "Aku tahu kamu ingin membalas sakit hatimu, bukan? Aku akan membantumu meratakan segalanya, asalkan kamu setuju dengan satu syarat."
Freya kembali terdiam. Jika Diego sudah bicara seperti itu, artinya pengkhianatan Dani memang sudah bukan rahasia lagi?
Apa mungkin Dani sengaja berkhianat hanya untuk menghancurkannya? Karena ia terlalu banyak berhutang budi pada kedua orang tua tunangannya itu?
Freya memejamkan mata sesaat, mengingat masa kelam ketika bisnis orang tuanya hancur. Saat itu, orang tua Dani datang bagai Dewa penyelamat.
Mereka menggelontorkan dana yang tidak sedikit untuk membiayai kuliah kedokteran Freya hingga tuntas, bahkan mendirikan klinik besar untuk mewujudkan mimpi Freya menjadi Dokter Kandungan.
Namun, kini dilema menghantamnya. Jika Dani benar-benar berkhianat, apakah Balas Budi sebanding dengan harga diri yang diinjak-injak?
Freya menghela napas dalam, lalu mengatakan, "Apa syaratnya, Paman?"
Diego tidak langsung menjawab. Ia berdiri, melangkah perlahan mengitari meja kerja besarnya, lalu berhenti tepat di belakang Freya.
Ia membungkuk, membisikkan kata-kata tepat di telinga Freya.
Bulu kuduk Freya meremang seketika saat merasakan hembusan napas hangat Diego yang seakan merasuk ke dalam jiwa.
Jantung Freya berdegup liar saat mendengar bisikan rendah itu.
"Aku ingin memilikimu seutuhnya."
Freya menelan ludah dengan susah payah. Syarat itu terasa begitu berat. Ia sadar, jika ia mengangguk, ia mungkin hanya akan berakhir menjadi Pemuas Nafsu sang konglomerat.
Tidak mungkin pria sekelas Diego sudi menikahinya. Namun, jika ia menolak, ia akan masuk dalam jebakan licik Dani yang menjijikkan.
"T-tapi ... apa Paman benar-benar akan membantuku menghancurkan Dani?" Suara Freya bergetar. "Dia keponakanmu."
Diego tersenyum tipis, sebuah senyum yang terasa mematikan saraf-saraf Freya.
"Siapa pun itu akan aku hancurkan jika berani menyakiti mainanku."
Freya terdiam, helaan napasnya terasa kian berat. Jawaban Diego mempertegas posisinya sebagai 'Mainan.'
Ya, hanya sebagai mainan sang Naga Emas, sama seperti wanita lain yang selama ini selalu dianggap rendah oleh orang-orang.
*
*
*
Di sisi lain gedung, di ruang kerja yang nyaman, Dani baru saja duduk di kursi kebanggaan.
Sebuah panggilan masuk dari kontak bernama 'Melati' nama rahasia yang ia berikan untuk Nadia_selingkuhannya.
Dani melirik ke arah pintu, memastikan tidak ada staf yang lewat sebelum ia mengangkat telepon itu dengan suara yang sengaja dibuat mesra.
"Sayang, jangan menghubungi di jam segini. Kalau rindu, tunggu aku pulang kerja nanti, hmmm."
"Iihh! Aku nelepon bukan karena kangen, tapi karena aku punya berita penting untuk kamu. Kamu mau tahu berapa usia kandunganku sekarang?"
Mata Dani membelalak. Ia pikir mual-mual yang dikeluhkan Nadia beberapa hari lalu hanyalah efek kelelahan karena kegiatan ranjang mereka setiap malam.
"Kamu ... kamu benar-benar hamil?"
"Iya! Usianya sudah masuk dua bulan. Kamu harus siap-siap jadi ayah, dan jangan lupakan janji kamu. Setelah kamu menikahi wanita itu demi menjaga nama baik keluarga, kamu harus segera menceraikannya dan menikahiku."
Dani tersenyum lebar, dadanya membusung bangga karena akan segera memiliki penerus.
Selama ini ia memang sudah muak dengan Freya yang selalu menjaga jarak dengan alasan menjaga kesucian. Kini cinta Dani sudah tumpah sepenuhnya pada Nadia, wanita cantik yang selalu memuaskan hasratnya.
"Tentu, Sayang. Aku janji. Aku hanya menikahi Freya demi nama baik ayahku yang sudah terlanjur menjodohkan kami. Setelah itu, aku akan menceraikannya dengan tuduhan perselingkuhan yang sudah aku siapkan. Kamu tenang saja."
"Oke ... aku pegang janjimu. Jangan sampai lupa ya."
"Tentu, Sayang," jawab Dani. "Hmm ... untuk merayakan kebahagiaan kita, bagaimana kalau malam ini kita berdua makan malam romantis di Hotel Raflesia. Kamu mau?"
"Aku mau banget Sayang! Sampai jumpa nanti malam. I love you."
"I love you too, Sayang."
Dani meletakkan ponsel dengan senyuman lebar, merasa rencananya begitu sempurna.
Namun, ia sama sekali tidak menyadari bahwa di balik pintu yang sedikit renggang, Freya berdiri di sana.
Freya mendengar setiap kata, setiap tawa, dan setiap rencana busuk yang keluar dari mulut pria yang masih berstatus tunangannya itu.
The moment I saw Hugo being subdued, a surge of emotion hit me so hard I blacked out. …I was in the hospital when I came to. Quinton was still lying unconscious. I clutched his hand tightly, filled with regret for ever calling him. "Don't worry, I won't let a single person who did this to you walk away," I whispered.A hot tear slipped free, landing on his cold fingers. My heart ached so badly that it felt like it was being carved open. Against the doctor's pleas to stay, I discharged myself. Ignoring my lingering weakness, I buried myself in preparing for the trial's materials. I was determined to send the three of them behind bars myself. The days that followed were a grueling cycle between the police station and the hospital. Before long, the case finally went to trial. On the eve of the hearing, an unexpected visitor appeared. "Mr. Ziegler, what brings you here?" I asked flatly. He had once been my mentor, but whatever I felt for him now was too tangled to name.
Maverick Tower was located in the heart of the city. Since I had already informed the police and arranged for them to come along, the situation seemed to hold little real danger. "Let's go," I said, snapping my laptop shut and motioning for Hugo to follow me in search of Xenia. But the moment I slid into the car, a sharp pain exploded in the back of my head, and everything went black. …When I regained consciousness, I was tied hand and foot in a rotting shack. Hugo sat across from me. His expression was dark and sullen. The moment he saw that I was awake, his expression twisted into a cruel sneer. "Samantha Sullivan, I've put up with you bossing me around for years. But you've bullied Xenia again and again. Today, I'm going to teach you a real lesson." I looked up in disbelief. I never imagined he had seen my guidance as cruelty. "What are you trying to do?" I asked, keeping my voice calm while secretly maneuvering my hands to search inside my pocket. My phone was con
Xenia yelped in pain, but I felt no urge to go easy on her. The commotion drew attention, and a few colleagues began whispering among themselves. "Ms. Sullivan had an important client meeting today, and she made it clear that she wasn't to be disturbed. Xenia just asked for it." "I guess she's not here for trouble but to sabotage Ms. Sullivan's deal." I tightened my grip and twisted Xenia's arm, hauling her out of the conference room. Shoving her out, I shut the door and turned the lock in one seamless motion. Drawing in a deep breath, I put on a professional smile and turned back to my client. "Shall we continue?" The meeting flowed without a hitch. The client, who had been hesitant before, changed his mind. Before he left, he shook my hand and commented, "Ms. Sullivan, I didn't realize you were not only sharp in the court, but also tough outside it, too." I offered a modest smile and replied, "In our line of work, it's common to deal with theatrics and even retaliation.
The office fell into heavy silence. Everyone wore uneasy expressions. Quinton, however, stood apart as a detached observer. There was a look of visible satisfaction on his face. "Didn't I say this trial recording was worth studying? It's rare to find a case that showcases both brilliant examples and utter disasters in one sitting." As he spoke, his eyes flicked deliberately toward Xenia. She bristled instantly. "Every junior slips up in court. Why single me out? Even if the case had been lost—hasn’t Ms. Sullivan lost cases too? Why is all the blame on me?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, and she began crying. Her pitiful look was practically begging for sympathy.Quinton laughed outright. "The audacity of some people. While others clean up her mess, performing miracles with a hopeless situation, she parades the outcome around as if it were her own accomplishment. "Ms. Sullivan may have lost cases, but she lost with dignity. You, however? You abandoned your post in the midd
It was Quinton Lloyd, the founder of Zenith Law Firm. He was young, yet remarkably capable. His firm's philosophy aligned perfectly with my values. He had tried to recruit me more than once, but out of loyalty to Mr. Ziegler, I'd always turned him down. Zayne scoffed. "No one is permitted to rec
"But I see no need for this suspension or self-criticism report," Mr. Ziegler declared. His tone was mild, yet with just a few words, he shifted all blame squarely onto me. The smile drained from my face, and I addressed him directly. "Mr. Ziegler, are you suggesting that my handling of the situat
Hugo stepped forward, trying to defend Xenia."Samantha, it was her first time in court. She was just nervous." "You be quiet too!" I yelled.Hugo froze where he stood, stunned. It was the first time I had ever raised my voice at him."Samantha, do you really have to blow this out of proportion
"I... I don't know..." Xenia, standing as the defense counsel, suddenly broke down and burst into tears in open court.Seizing the advantage, the plaintiff's attorney pressed on, relentlessly targeting the gaps and contradictions in her responses.Her face grew increasingly pale, and at last she


















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