Arti Worthless

Di kota yang penuh dengan intrik dan kegelapan, terdapat sebuah keluarga mafia yang paling ditakuti, La Famiglia del Ombra, atau "Keluarga Bayangan". Mereka menguasai perdagangan senjata, jaringan informasi rahasia, dan memegang kendali atas para pejabat tinggi. Pemimpin mereka, Don Alessandro, adalah seorang pria berwibawa yang terkenal dingin dan tak kenal ampun. Namun, cerita ini berfokus pada anak sulungnya, Luca Ombra. Luca tumbuh dalam bayang-bayang ayahnya dan sejak kecil dilatih menjadi penerus keluarga. Di usianya yang baru menginjak 27 tahun, Luca sudah dikenal sebagai "Il Lupo" (Sang Serigala) karena kecerdasannya dalam menyusun strategi, ketangkasan, dan keteguhan hatinya. Di balik sosoknya yang tak tersentuh, tersimpan jiwa yang gelisah. Luca tak pernah menginginkan kekuasaan seperti ini, tapi keluarga adalah keluarga. Hidup Luca berubah ketika ia bertemu dengan Ana, seorang jurnalis muda yang tanpa sadar menggali rahasia besar keluarganya. Ana adalah wanita yang tangguh dan idealis, bertolak belakang dari orang-orang yang pernah ditemui Luca. Di antara bahaya dan kebencian yang mengelilingi keluarga Ombra, tumbuh perasaan tak terduga di hati Luca. Dia mulai mempertanyakan arti dari kekuasaan yang ia pegang dan peran keluarga yang telah mengikatnya. Namun, keluarga Ombra bukanlah satu-satunya kekuatan di kota. Musuh lama, La Familia Rosso, yang sudah berseteru selama bertahun-tahun, kini kembali dengan dendam yang lebih dalam. Dengan serangan yang datang bertubi-tubi, Luca terjebak di antara mempertahankan kehormatan keluarga, melindungi Ana, dan membebaskan dirinya dari ikatan gelap.

"Let me go! Get your hands off me! Let me go!" I yelled, pushing against him furiously, but instead of releasing me, he slobbered kisses all over my face and I felt as if a worm was crawling on my skin. Suddenly, the door flew open, and facing me, looking at us was my mate - his face a cross between murderous rage and crippling shock. I quickly pushed the stranger away from me and rushed towards my mate. Before I could get to him, however, he stepped backward. "So it's true? So this is really who you are?! You've been cheating on me all this while?" "No, George, listen-" "How dare you defile our relationship and the position you have as Luna of this pack?!" "No-" "I should have listened to my family from the beginning. Should have listened when they told me you were nothing but filth, nothing but a gold digger out for what she can get from anyone!" Betrayed and accused of cheating on her mate, the Luna of Shadow Fangs Pack, Wendy Ashton, pleads with her mate, Alpha King George to believe her innocence. But the evidence was clear, everything pointed that she was indeed guilty. Wendy was brutally rejected and cast away like a worthless piece of trash to a point where she lost the little life growing inside her. Yet, her mate would not budge, he demanded divorce. Wendy has had enough, she decides to give him what he wants and sign the divorce documents. But Just when she was about to engrave her signature on the document, a sudden voice rang in her ears. "Do not sign, Wendy! This isn't the way of the Uktenas. Revenge! Revenge! Revenge!" Her wolf which everyone thought had died, suddenly appeared, its eyes burning red.

Bukan kisah cinta yang berawal bahagia lantas terluka. Tapi kisah lara tentang orang tua yang amat ambisius mengejar harapan yang nyaris menyakiti perasaan. Berbagai siloka menjadi jalan cerita, berbagai diksi menjadi arti hidup ini. Berbagai lantunan sendu menjadi tangis amat pilu. Caci-maki yang selalu mengintai seakan-akan menyangkal bahwa ia tidak boleh bahagia. Meninggalkan kisah lara penuh kata penyesalan. "Ayah hidup itu tidak harus tentang nilai yang bagus. Tapi tentang seseorang yang menyayangi dengan tulus." "Ibu pintar itu tidak harus menguasai semua bidang. Satu bidang saja, jika sudah mengerti dengan perasaan orang lain, ia bukan sekedar pintar tapi jenius." "Kak pintar itu tidak harus punya piala. Sekedar mendekap lantas menyeka air mata, ia sudah pintar menghilangkan lara kita." "Aira, kamu memang berbeda tapi perbedaan itu terletak pada keistimewaan yang kamu punya. Di mana orang lain tidak memiliki itu semua. Kakak sayang kamu selamanya." "Kenapa Aira selalu dibentak ayah sama ibu? Sedangkan kak Ayu dan kak Andi gak pernah!" "Otakmu itu kecil. Berpikir pun lambat." "Ibu malu punya anak seperti kamu!" "Kakak sayang sama kamu. Kakak janji gak akan ninggalin kamu." "Kak Aira pergi sesuai permintaan kalian. Selamat tinggal." "Aira, kenapa kala itu kamu gak mengucapkan sampai jumpa lagi? Dan mungkin sekarang kita masih saling memeluk bukan menangisi kamu." "Yang sudah kamu dapat sudah seharusnya kamu dekap dengan erat."

"Mau nggak?" Aku tidak sengaja mengirim pesan tentang janji manikur dan pedikur ke kakak laki-laki sahabatku, padahal seharusnya pesan itu untuk sahabatku sendiri. Sepuluh menit kemudian, aku menerima balasan dari kakaknya: [Mireya ada di bawah, turunlah.] Aku tidak menyangka, selain usianya yang sudah matang, ternyata bagian lain miliknya juga besar. Malam itu, gairah meluap dan semuanya nyaris lepas kendali. Setelah tersadar, dia berjanji akan bertanggung jawab kepadaku. Dia sangat memanjakanku. Apa pun yang kuminta, selalu dia penuhi. Akan tetapi, ada satu syarat, yaitu aku tidak boleh mengaku bahwa aku adalah kekasihnya di depan umum. Lima tahun kemudian, dia pulang membawa seorang wanita. Sambil merangkul pinggang wanita itu, dia menyuruhku memanggilnya "Kakak Ipar". Aku bertanya kepadanya, "Kalau dia kakak iparku, lalu apa arti lima tahun penantianku untukmu?" Pria itu tersenyum santai, tetapi kata-kata yang keluar dari mulutnya membuat sekujur tubuhku terasa membeku. "Menunggu? Memangnya aku pernah memintamu untuk menunggu?" "Aurelia Faresta, ke depannya, jangan pernah lagi mencintai orang dengan begitu tulus kayak gini. Itu sungguh mengerikan." Ternyata, seluruh cinta yang kuberikan dengan segenap jiwa ragaku, hanyalah sebuah beban yang ingin dia hindari. Aku pun mulai mencoba untuk tidak lagi mencarinya, belajar untuk melepaskannya dan akhirnya … pergi meninggalkannya. Namun, seminggu kemudian, saat aku sedang mengucapkan janji suci pernikahan dengan pria lain …. Sosok pria yang dahulu begitu arogan dan penuh gairah itu, kini berdiri di bawah altar dengan mata yang memerah.

“Laki-laki itu tidak perlu ijin istri untuk menikah lagi,” katanya. Mendengar ucapan Ayah bisa kulihat Ibu malah tertunduk lagi, ada apa sebenarnya? kenapa dia hanya diam tanpa suara? “Dari sekian banyak sunah nabi kenapa harus poligami, Riana biar kutanya langsung padamu, bersediakah kamu jadi istri kedua suamiku?” “Hmm, aku, tolong kasih aku waktu, aku engga bisa ngasih keputusan sekarang,” jawab Riana. “Kenapa nak Riana bukannya kamu dan Bagas sudah saling kenal, bukankah kalian sudah dekat sejak kuliah?” tanya Ayah mertua. Hah? Apa ini jadi mereka pernah dekat? Kenapa hidup serumit ini. Lagi-lagi aku hanya bisa tersenyum menyaksikan permainan takdirku. “Kenapa Dek, kenapa kamu malah senyum,” Mas bagas menatap heran ke arahku, raut mukanya tampak gelisah mungkin dia takut aku akan meledak. “Kenapa dunia ini begitu sempit Mas? kamu sendiri gimana? maukah menikahi mantan teman sebangkuku?” Aku harus memastikan ini sendiri disaksikan kedua orang tuanya. Dia lagi-lagi tak menjawab. “Tentu saja suamimu tidak akan menolak menikah dengan wanita cantik seperti Riana, toh mereka juga sudah saling mengenal,” sambar ayah mertuaku. “Kalau tolak ukur menikahi wanita hanya dilihat dari kecantikannya, apakah setelah menikah ada jaminan dia akan memiliki anak laki-laki, kalau tidak bukankah semuanya sia-sia.” Rasa sakit tak melulu harus ditampakkan dengan air mata, dan senyum tak selamanya memiliki arti bahagia. Senyum itu mampu menghilangkan luka walau hanya sekejap. Memberikan kekuatan baru agar aku bisa lebih kuat menghadapi kenyataan pahit.

“Why did you do it?” He demanded in a low voice, a warning, while closing in on me. The defiant look on my face crumbled a little as I hastily began to backtrack, it wasn’t long before I felt the edge of the bed behind my knees. “Fucking answer me, Kiara!” He roared, cold breath fanning the tip of my nose as he spoke. I gulped in fear, as what I had done just began to fully sink in. “I- I don’t…” A firm push against my forehead tipped me over and I fell on my back like a doll, panting wide eyed at a very furious Xavier. I scrambled backwards, or attempted to– but Xavier’s large hands clamped on my ankles, sharply jerking me downwards until my legs dangled at his sides. “Not only did you leave the house on your own– you crashed my car, set it on fire and then you went to a freaking, dangerous club…” He moved his hands off my ankles and circled my hips, grips tightening instantly, threateningly. “…and let worthless men touch what’s mine. Who told you that was acceptable?” I scoffed and rolled my eyes even though my heart was racing. “Who said I was yours? Since when did you make me yours?” “Since right now.” ————— Forced to marry Xavier Romano in order to spare her brother’s life, Kiara Francesco– sassy, rebellious and drop dead gorgeous, was determined to be no fragile and obedient wife; which surprised, spurred Xavier on and made his sinful hunger for her intensify with each passing second. Life as a very powerful mafia lord’s wife was no child’s play, seeing as it comes with a whole lot of danger. And Kiara was ready for the dangerous ride.

*BOOK 1: THE ALPHA KINGPIN TWINS* Navigating the harsh criminal underworld is no easy task, especially for women. Mira, an unwanted omega born from an Alpha's mistress, has experienced this reality firsthand. Deemed worthless, Mira is sold to the merciless Russian Alpha, Mikhail Popov, who subjects her to unimaginable cruelty. Forsaken by her family, Mira faces a life of suffering and violence under Popov's control. But Mira has a plan. On a fateful night, she seizes the opportunity to escape, taking with her secrets that could destroy Popov. Mira believes she has found freedom, but instead, she stumbles into the lair of Alpha Nikolaos Ioannides, a Greek Alpha with an even darker reputation. As a brutal pack war rages around them, Mira's options grow scarce. However, Alpha Nikolaos makes her an offer: her freedom and independence in exchange for one thing – giving him an Alpha heir. Mira is left with a crucial decision: is she willing to bear a child for the fearsome Alpha in exchange for her freedom? And perhaps more importantly, will she even have a choice? *** “You want to breed me?” He winces at the term, but nods.“Yes. I need an Alpha heir but in my position, I don't have time to go out looking for a mate nor do I want a Luna.” Mate; the one thing every wolf wants but no one seems to have. The Mate Bond is so obscure that many wolves have decided not to chase after it anymore. Would I even still be fertile after all the abuse I've suffered? What tests did the doctor run that she concluded I was fit to bear an Alpha's pup? *** Side Stories Included: Beta's Runaway Bride - Completed BITTERSWEET: The Gamma's Stories - Ongoing

Warning: This book contains explicit sexual content, but does not condone rape. "What happened, Father? What happened?" I asked anxiously, feeling restless. "He challenged me to a game and used his mansion as a bet," Father explained. I looked at Mother, who was crying, and suddenly understood what was going on. "Father, did you use this house as a bet and lose?" I asked, anger welling up inside me. “How could you, Father? How could you do this? Where do we go from here?" I yelled, overcome with pain. But my voice got stuck in my throat as I heard Dad's next words. "I didn't bet the house, but I used you," he declared, leaving me speechless and stunned. ***************************** "Do not even consider falling for me because, like the others, you are just a toy. Just give me an heir, and I will set you free," he said, pushing her onto the bed while his words continued to echo in her mind. Zoey, wagered by her father to the cold-hearted Alpha Ethan after a foolish gamble, finds herself reduced to a mere plaything. Ethan takes pleasure in emotionally tormenting her, believing women to be worthless due to being cheated and rejected by his first mate. Little does he know that Zoey is his second chance mate. Zoey is framed, and Alpha Ethan discovers her in bed with his cousin. Heartbroken and filled with anger, he sends her away, unaware that she is already carrying his child. Five years later, their paths cross again, and he realizes that she is his second chance mate and the mother of his child. But how can he win her back? She is no longer the naive girl he once knew; instead, she is a single mother sought after by many Alphas and Lords.

He told me I was nothing, stripped me of my worth, broke my body and soul, and threw me out like trash. His rival taught me I was everything and crowned me his Queen. ~~~~~ For nine years, I stood by Vincent's side, as his efficient and loyal assistant, helping him build the empire he inherited from his father while secretly and hopelessly head-over-heels in love with him. But after his first love, Chloe, a money-hungry, manipulative, lying bitch left him without a word and a night I wished never happened, a pregnancy, a forced marriage he loathed me for, and three years of living hell followed. Three years of turning me into his personal punching bag, breaking my body and my soul with each touch. His every word, a reminder that I was nothing but a worthless, disposable stand-in for the woman he truly desired. And when Chloe finally returned, tearfully claiming she'd been forced to raise their three-year-old son alone, Vincent saw his 'true family 'and threw me out like I was less than the dirt beneath his designer shoe. That night, broke, jobless and homeless, I was found bruised and helpless in the middle of the road by Alistair Kincaid, a man with a dark past and a massive personal score to settle with the Ashford family. He didn't just save me. He offered me a home at his side, claiming me beautifully and passionately. He took the shattered pieces of my soul and rebuilt it with his love. He taught me how to rise from the ashes, gave me my voice back, and showed me how to make kings kneel. Now I wear his crown. And my ex? He’ll wish he never threw me away.

Di tengah kemegahan kota Arkadea, seorang jenderal perang legendaris bernama Aryan menghadapi nasib yang tak terduga. Setelah menghilang akibat kecelakaan helikopter yang menghancurkan ingatannya, ia terpaksa menjalani hidup baru sebagai buruh bangunan tanpa mengetahui siapa dirinya yang sebenarnya. Sebenarnya Aryan adalah seorang pria dengan wajah yang tampan, berperawakan gagah. Namun Aryan menjalani hari-harinya dengan sindiran dan hinaan, walaupun sebenarnya ia menyimpan masa lalunya yang heroik. Hidupnya mulai berubah ketika ia bertemu dengan Clara, seorang Agen polisi yang membuatnya merasakan cinta dan penerimaan yang tulus. Namun, hubungan mereka terbentur pada pandangan keluarganya yang merendahkan Aryan karena status sosial saat ia masih belum tersadar akan jati dirinya. Suatu ketika seseorang mendorong Aryan untuk kembali ke dunia militer, kenangan mulai kembali mengisi pikiran Aryan. Dibantu oleh mantan rekan-rekannya, Aryan menggali kembali kemampuan dan kepemimpinannya. Namun, ancaman baru muncul ketika Kelompok "Dark Immortal" mengguncang kedamaian Arkadea dan seluruh dunia. Dengan keberanian dan kekuatannya yang terpendam, Aryan melawan musuh dan memulihkan keamanan dunia. Pertempuran epik itu menjadi momen kebangkitan Aryan, membawa namanya kembali diingat sebagai jenderal yang dihormati. Namun, setelah kemenangan, dia menyadari bahwa kekuatan sejati bukan hanya dalam memimpin militer, tetapi juga dalam menghubungkan dirinya dengan rakyat dan membangun kembali kehidupan mereka. "Kembalinya Sang Legenda Perang" adalah sebuah kisah tentang cinta, perjuangan, dan penemuan diri yang mengajarkan arti sejati dari kepemimpinan dan hikmat di balik sebuah perjalanan yang penuh luka. Pada akhirnya Aryan membuktikan bahwa sebuah legenda tidak pernah mati, melainkan hidup dalam hati mereka yang terinspirasi.