LOGINLivia adalah seorang putri konglomerat dari Norvastia yang dipaksa memilih antara anaknya atau status nya sebagai istri dari pewaris Skyline Inc. Malam itu, ia kabur dengan pakaian rumah sakit dan satu tekad yaitu anaknya akan lahir meski dunia menolaknya. Hingga lima tahun kemudian ia kembali ke kota suaminya, yaitu kota Sentara. Lalu, apa yang akan dilakukan seorang Adrian, pria ambisius yang lima tahun lalu ingin memusnahkan anaknya sendiri? Apakah Livia akan mampu membesarkan anaknya dan membalaskan dendamnya pada keluarga Adrian?
View More"Emma, please put the decorative eucalyptus back in the ceramic vase," Amelia Carter pleaded, squinting at the red figures glaring from her tablet.
"But it looks like a ponytail, Mommy! See?" Three-year-old Emma swung the leafy branch through the air, sending a shower of dried organic debris onto the pristine hardwood floor of the Willow Springs lounge. She was a mini-whirlwind of brown curls and boundless energy, completely oblivious to the fact that her mother's savings were slowly disappearing. Amelia caught the branch mid-air, gently tossing it onto a nearby counter and smoothing down the lapels of her slightly faded blazer. "Sit right here on the rug and color your T-Rex, sweetie. Mommy has exactly ten minutes to convince the nice investor that we aren't going bankrupt." Willow Springs had belonged to her mother long before it belonged to Amelia. Every hallway, every garden path, every familiar piece of furniture carried a memory she wasn't ready to lose. Selling it would feel like selling the last piece of her mother she had left. The meeting had started well enough, but the investor's questions quickly became harder to answer. The investor had spent the last ten minutes questioning their declining bookings, rising maintenance costs, and outdated facilities. Amelia had answers for all of them. What she didn't have was the money to implement them. Suddenly, Amelia’s internal mom radar went off. The subtle sound of crayons scraping against paper had stopped. She looked down. The space beside her chair was empty. The T-Rex was missing its tail. Emma was gone. "Excuse me just one moment," Amelia apologized to the investor, her heart instantly leaping into her throat. She bolted into the main sunlit corridor of the resort, her eyes scanning the plush linen armchairs and potted ferns. She spotted her near the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the lake. Emma hadn't wandered far. She was currently sitting cross-legged on a velvet ottoman, animatedly pointing at her drawing for a tiny girl with dark pigtails who looked barely two. Standing over them was a man trapped in a living, breathing nightmare. He was strikingly handsome, tall, and wearing a charcoal-grid suit that probably cost more than Amelia’s entire annual marketing budget. But his silk tie was yanked completely loose, his jaw was clenched in panic, and he was holding a sobbing toddler on his hip like she was a ticking explosive device. The little girl in his arms was screaming at the top of her lungs, her face bright red and drenched in tears. Amelia stepped forward, her maternal instincts kicking into overdrive. "Is everything alright here?" The man snapped his gaze toward her. His eyes were a piercing, dark espresso—fierce, defensive, and deeply exhausted. "She’s fine. Just a standard tantrum. I have the situation entirely under control." As if mocking his words, the toddler in his arms let out a glass-shattering shriek, twisted violently out of his grip, and reached her chubby hands directly toward Amelia. "Mama! No! Pretty lady! Up!" The man froze, his chest heaving under his crisp white shirt. "She... she doesn't usually do that. Lily, no. Stay with Daddy." "Clearly, you don't have it under control," Amelia said, stepping into his personal space. Up close, he smelled like expensive cedarwood and stress. Everything about him screamed polished corporate executive—the kind of man who was probably accustomed to walking into a room and having everyone fall silent. "May I?" Ethan looked like he wanted to refuse, his masculine pride visibly warring with his desperation. Reluctantly, he lowered the toddler. The moment the little girl’s feet hit the floor, she stumbled straight into Amelia’s legs, burying her tear-stained face into the fabric of her slacks. Amelia knelt down, effortlessly scooping the little girl into her arms and rocking her in a slow, rhythmic circle. Within seconds, the frantic, hyperventilating breaths slowed into quiet, hitching sniffles. Ethan stared at his daughter as if he'd just witnessed a minor miracle. Lily rarely trusted strangers, and she'd never taken to someone this quickly. His brow furrowed as he lowered his arms to his sides. "I suppose you think you're a child-whisperer. I was handling it." "You were hovering like a corporate warden," Amelia countered smoothly, adjusting the heavy toddler on her hip. "Children sense anxiety, Mr...?" Before he could answer, Emma piped up from the velvet ottoman, tilting her head with devastating curiosity. "Mister, why don't you have a wife to help you? Mommy says teamwork makes the dream work." Amelia’s soul nearly left her body. "Emma! We do not ask people personal questions." Ethan stiffened, a flash of something unreadable—and deeply private—darkening his features before his face hardened back into a professional mask. "I don't need a team, little girl." Before the awkwardness could deepen, the smartphone in Ethan's breast pocket vibrated. He yanked it out, answering it with a sharp, commanding tone that radiated power. "Blackwood here," he said, turning his back to her, though his deep voice echoed off the glass windows. "What do you mean the acquisition is stalling? I don't care if the current owner is sentimental about the property. Willow Springs Resort is the crown jewel of our regional expansion. Double the initial valuation if you have to, Marcus, but get me the deed to Willow Springs." Amelia froze, her arms tightening slightly around his daughter. Willow Springs. The name landed like a punch. She knew that voice now. She knew the expensive suit, the cold confidence, the name she'd seen stamped across the acquisition documents sitting on her desk. Ethan Blackwood. The billionaire CEO trying to buy her mother's resort. The man she'd just helped with his daughter wasn't some wealthy guest passing through. He was the man trying to take her family's legacy from her.Raut wajah Rayyan yang tadinya sumringah, mendadak pucat pasi dalam hitungan detik. Senyum manis yang baru saja tersungging pada Alana lenyap seketika, terganti oleh tatapan mata yang sangat dingin hingga mengubah suasana. Ia mengambil ponselnya dengan jemarinya bergerak secepat kilat dengan menekan tombol darurat yang langsung terhubung dengan satelit pusat Vanguard. Alana yang tubuhnya masih dibalut selimut bisa merasakan perasaan khawatir Rayyan. "Ada apa, Rayyan. Apa maksud pesan itu? Kenapa dengan Leo?" Suara Alana terdengar bergetar hebat. "Tidak. Kamu tetap disini, jangan kemana-mana sampai aku kembali ke ruangan ini. Mengerti!" Suara Rayyan terdengar sangat tegas, seolah tak menerima penolakan. Ia bergegas memakai kemejanya dengan tidak karuan dan mengambil pistol yang ia taruh di bawah laci meja kerjanya. Rayyan berlari keluar ke halaman belakang. Pikirannya terus dipenuhi oleh foto Leo yang di potret dari jarak jauh. Rayyan yakin, itu bukan sekadar kebetulan. Melainkan it
Alana masih terpaku di kursi, menatap punggung Rayyan yang perlahan menghilang di balik pintu kayu jati ruang kerjanya. Pikirannya dipenuhi dengan pertanyaan tentang kunci perak yang terjatuh. Akan tetapi, rasa tidak percaya nya membuat Alana mengabaikan itu semua. Ia sudah berjanji dengan dirinya sendiri untuk memberikan semua kepercayaan nya pada Rayyan. Pria yang sudah bertaruh nyawa untuknya dan putra semata wayangnya.Untuk mengusir rasa curiganya pada Rayyan, Alana melangkah ke halaman belakang, mengawasi Leo yang sedang tertawa riang mengejar beberapa kupu-kupu yang singgah bersama bibi pengasuh. Tawa Leo membuat Alana merasa separuh bebannya luruh. Alana membiarkan Leo bersenang-senang setelah beberapa pekan terlibat pertikaian serius dengan ayahnya. Alana sendiri menyusul Rayyan. Bukan untuk mencari tau, tapi karena hatinya sudah sangat merindukan pria itu setelah berpisah lama.Alana mengetuk pintu ruang kerja Rayyan perlahan. Karena tak ada jawaban setelah ditunggu lama, i
Rayyan memapah Alana pelan kembali masuk ke dalam rumah. Begitu pintu teras tertutup, suasana dari rumah ditambah api unggun menambah kehangatan di rumah sederhana itu. Rayyan tidak langsung melepaskan Alana, melainkan menuntun pelan ke kamarnya yang terletak di samping kamar Leo."Silakan, istirahat yang nyenyak, Alana. Karena aku tidak ingin melihat wajah mu seperti zombie besok pagi." Perintah Rayyan sambil memutar knop pintu kamar yang sudah tertata rapi.Begitu Alana masuk, bau lavender yang menenangkan pun menelusuri indra penciuman nya. Menenangkan kondisi saraf-saraf nya yang sempat tegang berhari-hari. Alana kemudian duduk di tepi ranjang yang sangat empuk. Netranya menelusuri setiap inci tubuh Rayyan yang saat ini sedang sibuk memeriksa kunci jendela dan memastikan pemanas dalam kamar berfungsi sebagaimana mestinya. Perhatian kecil itu membuat Alana semakin merasa diperlakukan selayaknya manusia."Ray," panggil Alana pelan.Sang empunya pun menoleh, menghentikan sejenak semu
Mobil SUV hitam yang ditumpangi keduanya pun berhenti di depan sebuah rumah bergaya kolonial yang terletak di lokasi tersembunyi di balik rimbunnya pohon pinus di pinggiran kota Sentara. Rumah ini bukan mansion milik Laurent, melainkan rumah kedua milik Rayyan dimana yang mengetahui lokasi rumah ini hanyalah orang-orang kepercayaan Vanguard.Rayyan dengan lembut mengecup kening Alana. "Sudah sampai, Sayang," bisik Rayyan lembut.Mendapat perlakuan tersebut, Alana membuka matanya perlahan. Tubuhnya masih terasa lemas, tapi beban yang dipikulnya seolah menguar ketika melihat gerbang kayu rumah terbuka. Rayyan turun terlebih dahulu, kemudian menghampiri mobil tenaga medis yang membawa Leo dengan gerakan yang sangat lembut. Waktu itu, kondisi Leo sudah terlelap tidur.Rayyan mengabaikan kondisi nya sendiri akibat luka yang diperoleh nya beberapa waktu lalu, ia justru mengulurkan tangan satunya untuk membantu Alana keluar dari mobil. "Masuk dulu ya. Aku sudah minta bibi untuk menyiapkan a
Malam di Sentara tidak pernah benar-benar gelap, namun bagi Livia, kegelapan itu kini berpindah ke dalam sepasang matanya yang menyimpan amarah dan dendam. Di dalam suite mewah yang telah disiapkan asistennya, Livia berdiri di balkon, menatap kerlip lampu kota yang seolah mengejek masa lalunya.
Clara masuk ke dalam ruangan dengan wajah cemberut, langsung duduk di depan Adrian Nicholas Laurent. Adrian sedang sibuk menatap ponselnya, namun ia bisa merasakan aura negatif dari wanita di depannya."Ada apa? Kenapa wajahmu ditekuk begitu?" tanya Adrian tanpa mengalihkan pandangan."Tadi di luar
Sentara masih sama. Kota yang dibangun dari beton dan ambisi, di mana lampu-lampu neon dipaksa terus menyala seolah-olah kegagalan adalah dosa yang tak termaafkan. Dari balik kaca jendela mobil yang gelap, Livia menatap gedung-gedung pencakar langit yang menusuk awan. Baginya, setiap sudut kota in
Seorang anak laki-laki berlarian di atas rumput taman sekolah, dengan sepatu yang sedikit kebesaran. Rambutnya sedikit berantakan karena tertiup angin sore."Mama lihat!"Anak itu berlari ke arah Livia. Sambil memamerkan piala kecilnya."Ethan juara dua, Ma!" Tambahnya.Livia berlutut dan segera me












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