Bridal Wave Film

Jendela rumahku gemetar oleh kekuatan guntur yang bergemuruh di langit. Petir menyambar di kejauhan, menerangi malam. Dalam momen kecil itu, beberapa detik cahaya yang membutakan mata menampilkan sosok pria yang berdiri di luar jendelaku. Memperhatikanku. Selalu memperhatikanku. Aku menjalani rutinitas, seperti yang selalu kulakukan. Jantungku berdegup kencang dan berdetak tidak teratur, napasku menjadi dangkal, dan tangan-tanganku menjadi lembab. Tidak peduli berapa kali aku melihatnya, dia selalu menimbulkan reaksi yang sama dariku. Ketakutan, Dan kegembiraan. Aku tidak tahu mengapa hal itu membuatku merasa gembira. Ada yang salah dengan diriku. Tidak normal bagi panas cairan untuk mengalir dalam pembuluh darahku, meninggalkan sensasi terbakar di belakangnya. Tidak biasa bagi pikiranku untuk mulai merenung tentang hal-hal yang seharusnya tidak aku pikirkan. Apakah dia bisa melihatku sekarang? Mengenakan hanya atasan tipis, puting susuku menonjol melalui kain? Atau celana pendek yang kupakai yang hampir tidak menutupi pantatku? Apakah dia suka pemandangan ini? Tentu saja dia suka. Itulah mengapa dia memperhatikanku, bukan begitu? Itulah mengapa dia kembali setiap malam, semakin berani dengan tatapannya sementara aku diam-diam menantangnya. Berharap dia mendekat, sehingga aku punya alasan untuk menempelkan pisau ke lehernya. Sejujurnya, aku takut padanya. Sungguh takut. Tapi pria yang berdiri di luar jendelaku membuatku merasa seolah-olah aku duduk di dalam ruangan gelap, satu lampu menyala dari televisi di mana film horor diputar di layar. Itu sangat menakutkan, dan yang aku inginkan hanyalah bersembunyi, tetapi ada bagian dari diriku yang membuatku tetap diam, membuka diri pada ketakutan. Menemukan sensasi kecil dari situ. Sekarang kembali gelap, dan petir menyambar di daerah yang lebih jauh.

Four years ago, at my mating ceremony with Alpha Damien, a witch publicly prophesied: "The powerful Alpha will betray the mate bond." Damien unleashed a terrifying wave of Alpha dominance on the spot, forcing the witch to her knees. He gripped my hand tightly and declared before the entire pack that I was his one and only mate. For three years of our marriage, he was flawless—devoted, attentive, beyond reproach. Until a year ago, when he was gravely wounded during a border patrol and rescued by a stunningly beautiful rogue Omega named Selene. Selene fell for Damien at first sight. She even knelt at his feet in front of me, crying: "I don't want anything in return. Just let me stay near you—I'd be your mistress with no title if that's what it takes." Damien shoved her away without hesitation and coldly ordered her placed at the edge of the territory, never allowing her within arm's reach. In that moment, I trusted him completely. I believed our mate bond was unbreakable. Selene asked seductively. "Alpha, who's better in bed—me, or your dignified little Luna? Your cock fucks me so good every time." Damien's low, ragged breathing filled the audio. He slapped her ass and warned coldly: "Don't get ideas above your station. Elena is my only Luna. You're just a bitch I use to blow off steam." Selene pouted with a coy whine: "I'll happily be your bitch as long as you keep fucking me." The video ended. Immediately after, an anonymous text popped up: "You sit in the Luna's seat. I'm in the Alpha's bed. Now we're even." I sat there all night, silently printing out a termination agreement for our mate bond. Since that's how it is, then I'll grant your wish. But after I left, the powerful Alpha went mad.

In order to gather 500 thousand dollars for my blind girlfriend's surgical bills, I've accepted a delivery order that's meant for someone at a private racing club. The huge floor-to-ceiling monitor is currently playing the live footage of the champion who's won the racing tournament. Champagne bottles can be seen spraying everywhere as the audience cheers loudly for the victor. Soon, the champion takes off her helmet and shakes her head full of curls off her face. Strikingly beautiful features are revealed the next moment. Next to the champion stands her childhood friend, Lewis Ross. I feel my hands clenching around the plastic bag containing the food containers. The woman shown on the screen is none other than Evelyn Carter, my so-called blind girlfriend. "Why aren't you happy even though you've won the tournament, Evelyn? Are you missing that boyfriend of yours who's still working his ass off for money?" A familiar voice comes from the lounge. An amused yet malicious smirk is played on Evelyn's lips at the moment. "Why did you bring him up? Then again, it's thrilling, pretending to be blind and all. Whenever he changes his clothes at home, he does it right in front of me." Everyone around Evelyn begins roaring with cheers. "You're so lucky, Ms. Carter!" After taking a sip from her champagne glass, Evelyn responds in a flippant tone, "Lucky? He's so busy with work every day just to gather enough money for my surgical bills! That man doesn't have a single romantic cell in him—he's just as stiff as the stick up his ass!" A wave of laughter echoes from the crowd once again. Feeling as though my blood had turned to ice, I turn on my heel and begin walking out of the club. I can still hear Lewis' cheeky voice ringing out from behind me. "There are only three days left in our one-year bet, Evelyn. Don't tell me you really fell for your boyfriend!" Evelyn merely snorts in response. She drawls back, "Don't worry. I'll dump him in three days."

Kiana Liman dan Yovan Sumargo telah menikah selama tiga tahun, tetapi saat merencanakan ulang tahun pernikahan mereka yang ketiga, Kiana baru menyadari bahwa akta nikah yang dimilikinya palsu... Nyonya Sumargo yang asli ternyata adalah sahabatnya sendiri! Sudah tiga tahun. Mereka dan semua anggota Keluarga Sumargo memperlakukannya seperti orang bodoh serta menipunya selama tiga tahun. Penyebabnya karena rahim Kiana cedera akibat kecelakaan mobil dan tidak bisa memiliki anak. Namun, alasan dia bisa terluka parah juga karena dia menyelamatkan Yovan! Yovan: "Aku mencintaimu. Aku hanya menginginkan seorang anak!" Rachel: "Aku nggak ingin menghancurkan hubungan kalian. Aku hanya ingin bergabung dengan kalian!" Kiana: "Otak kalian bermasalah ya?" … Lantaran mereka menganggap ini menarik, Kiana akan bermain-main dengan mereka. Merebut proyek dari tangannya? Nggak masalah! Kiana langsung menikah dengan tuan muda dari keluarga kaya dan berubah menjadi pihak A dalam proyek tersebut. Tidak memberinya acara penikahan? Keluarga kaya memberikan ratusan triliun sebagai mas kawin dan acara pernikahannya menggemparkan seluruh kota. Keberatan karena Kiana tidak bisa punya anak? Kiana melahirkan anak kembar dan menertawakan kecemburuan mereka. … Berita pernikahan tuan muda dari keluarga kaya menyebar seperti api, tetapi semua orang merasa kasihan terhadap istrinya. Semua orang di lingkaran tahu kalau tuan muda memiliki cinta sejati. Meski cinta sejatinya sudah menikah, dia masih tidak bisa melupakan wanita itu. Konon di hari pernikahan cinta sejatinya, tuan muda begitu patah hati hingga mencoba bunuh diri. Bahkan, ada orang yang melihat tuan muda menonton film yang dibintangi cinta sejatinya berulang kali, sambil menangis tak terkendali. Setelah Kiana melahirkan anak dan berpikir sudah waktunya untuk menyatukan tuan muda dengan cinta sejatinya, tuan muda justru memeluknya dan mengatakan dia difitnah. "Siapa yang menyebarkan rumor tentangku?! Sayang, kamu harus percaya padaku!"

Saroh (anak Menteri Perhubungan Indonesia) telah menjalin kasih dengan Arung (CEO perusahaan private equity) selama enam tahun. Perjalanan asmara mereka langgeng hingga sebuah janji suci teralun dari mulut Arung. Arung berjanji akan mempersunting Saroh ketika bisnisnya bertambah besar. Hubungan percintaan Saroh dan Arung diketahui oleh Pinto (anggota DPR RI sekaligus anak Presiden Indonesia). Pinto adalah seorang jomlo karatan. Meski jomlo karatan, Pinto dicintai oleh Caca Yunita (perancang busana), Feni Kinantya ( penyanyi solo terkemuka), dan Monik Okky (artis film terkenal). Mereka bertiga berusaha menjerat perhatian Pinto. Pinto diam-diam mencintai Saroh. Pinto melancarkan upaya untuk merenggut cinta Saroh dari Arung. Namun, Saroh tidak menunjukkan ketertarikannya terhadap Pinto. Sebab Saroh mencintai Arung seutuhnya. Kendati demikian, Pinto pantang mundur. Pinto tetap gigih merenggut cinta Saroh dari Arung. Suatu ketika, Khalim Mansyur (papa Saroh sekaligus Menteri Perhubungan Indonesia) dihantam oleh masalah besar. Kasus korupsi yang dilakukan Khalim Mansyur terendus oleh KPK. Khalim Mansyur terancam menjadi tersangka. Khalim Mansyur lalu meminta perlindungan kepada Woro Supriyanto (bapak Pinto sekaligus Presiden Indonesia) supaya terhindar dari status tersangka. Woro Supriyanto berkenan memberikan perlindungan kepada Khalim Mansyur. Syaratnya, Khalim Mansyur harus menikahkan Saroh dengan Pinto. Lantas, apakah Khalim Mansyur bersedia menjalankan persyaratan itu? Jika Khalim Mansyur bersedia, apakah Saroh rela melepaskan cinta Arung? Jika Khalim Mansyur enggan, apakah Pinto tetap gigih merenggut cinta Saroh dari Arung? Jika Pinto tetap gigih, apakah Caca Yunita, Feni Kinantya, dan Monik Okky tetap berusaha menjerat perhatian Pinto? Jika mereka bertiga tetap berusaha, apakah salah satu dari mereka berhasil merengkuh cinta Pinto? Jika salah satu dari mereka berhasil, apakah Pinto akan melupakan cinta Saroh? Temukan jawabannya di novel "Ketika Politik Menemui Cinta".

My father died of esophageal cancer. For the final two years of his life, he could barely swallow anything. By the time he passed, he was nothing but skin and bones. The first New Year after his death, he came to my mother in a dream. "I'm starving," he said. "I just want to taste the thick-cut steak you used to make." My mother believed it without question. That very day, she pan-seared a large platter of steak and carried it to his grave. The next morning, she suffered a sudden heart attack and died on the spot. Devastated, I handled my mother's funeral together with my husband. That same night, my husband dreamed of my father as well. "Chester," he said, "I haven't eaten in so long. I want your pâté, served with some strong liquor." When my husband woke up, he bought the finest liver pâté, opened a bottle of single-malt whiskey, and went straight to the grave. However, not long after returning home, he collapsed from acute liver failure. He was rushed to the ICU and died three days later. I was on the brink of collapse myself. I left my daughter in the care of a close friend while I tried to handle the endless wave of tragedy. That evening, my daughter never came home from school. I searched everywhere, and finally, on the road to the cemetery, I found her. She was clutching a bowl of spicy stew, several grilled sausages floating in the broth. "Mom," she said, "Grandpa and I used to eat this all the time. I dreamed he said he was hungry." I finally lost it. I knocked the bowl from her hands and carried her home. That night, my father appeared in my dream once more. "I suffered so much while alive," he said. "Have some pity on me. "New Year's is coming. I want to come home for a meal. Make sure you cook fish." I woke in terror. Holding my daughter, I sat before the three framed portraits for two full days without eating or drinking. On New Year's morning, I realized she was no longer breathing. Clutched tightly in her hand was a packet of spicy dried salmon. I could not believe it. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my mother, her eyes red with worry, said she was going out to buy steak.