Flower Withering

Three days before our engagement, Zach Jefferson called me. “We’ll need to postpone the engagement party by a month. That day is Sienna’s first concert since she returned, and I need to be there. “It’s just a postponement. It’s no big deal.” He had postponed our engagement three times that year. The first time was because Sienna Lynch had been hospitalized with appendicitis. He said he had to take care of her and rushed over. The second time, Sienna said she was feeling down. He was worried she might get depressed and immediately booked a flight to see her. It was the third time. I simply said, “Okay.” After hanging up, I turned to the good-looking and refined man beside me. “Are you interested in marrying me?” Later, during Sienna’s concert, Zach left her without hesitation. With red, teary eyes, he rushed to my engagement ceremony. “Yulia, are you really getting engaged to this man?”

I had been the company's top sales performer—the kind who brought in tens of millions in revenue. But just because I hadn't praised my boss' girlfriend in the company group chat, she fired me without hesitation and replaced me with her cousin. Not long after, the company's sales dropped straight to zero. That was when she had come to my door on her own to apologize. "Please, come back," she had begged. "My boyfriend said he'll break up with me if you don't return."

My mother was the Chosen Luna—the one who once conquered three powerful Alphas. When her mission was done, she vanished from this world, leaving behind only me, and the three Alphas who had once loved her with everything they had. My first father, Alpha Jeff Tanners, ruled the Silver Moon Pack—rich enough to buy half the continent. My second father, Alpha Kael Grey, commanded all the warriors of the Northern Alliance. My third father, Alpha Bran Theron, held every medical resource wolves and humans depended on. For eighteen years, I was their cherished little princess. Whatever I wanted, they gave—no questions, no hesitation. Until they brought home that girl—a fragile orphan named Arie Ryker. From that day on, everything changed. She told them I called her a filthy stray, unworthy of our pack. She said I led the young wolves at school to bully her. She said I tampered with her performance costume, that I caused her allergy, that I made her faint on stage. And they believed her. They stopped believing me. The ninety-ninth time they chose her over me, when they shouted, "Don't come back again!", I didn't argue. I just picked up my luggage and left. They thought I'd come running home like before—that my disappearance was just another way to make them see me. But when they found out I had left the pack for good, that my identity had been erased, that I could no longer be found, the three mighty Alphas finally broke.

The golden boy of high society once stopped a plane for me. And I? I once ran away while pregnant, disappearing for three years. We got married. Nine years later, a younger, stunning woman appeared by his side. She was vibrant and fearless, joining him in all his wild adventures. Meanwhile, I had become a stay-at-home mom, spending my days making sure our daughter didn’t eat junk food. My husband said in disappointment, “Elaine, you’re not the woman you used to be.” Even our daughter complained. “Miss Snow is smart, gorgeous, and makes her own money. But you? You just rely on my dad.” The next morning, I grabbed my ID and filed for divorce. They must have forgotten that at twenty-two, I had the guts to jump off a cliff into the ocean just to break free, and at thirty-five, I would still have the strength to start over.

For snacking in the office during overtime, I was fined 600,000 dollars by my manager! She was extremely furious as she pointed at me. “Taylor, don’t be so arrogant just because you’ve secured a deal! “You should be working in the office. Go home if you want to eat! “You’re violating company rules. No snacking during working hours! You should be punished since you’re aware of that rule! “You won’t be getting the 600,000-dollar commission from this deal!” I looked at her and said indifferently, “Suit yourself.” Then, I decided to slack. She could not stand it.

Dua minggu sebelum pernikahan, Felix Darmaji tiba-tiba menunda upacara pernikahan kami. Dia berkata, "Shifa bilang kalau hari itu adalah pameran lukisan pertamanya. Dia sendirian saat acara pembukaan nanti. Aku khawatir dia merasa ketakutan kalau nggak sanggup menghadapi situasi itu, jadi aku harus pergi untuk membantunya." "Kita berdua juga nggak memerlukan acara penuh formalitas seperti ini. Apa bedanya kalau kita menikah lebih cepat atau lebih lambat sehari?" lanjut Felix. Namun, ini adalah ketiga kalinya pria ini menunda tanggal pernikahan kami demi Shifa Adnan. Saat pertama kali, Felix mengatakan bahwa Shifa baru saja menjalani operasi. Wanita itu merindukan makanan dari kampung halamannya, jadi Felix tanpa ragu pergi ke luar negeri untuk merawatnya selama dua bulan. Saat kedua kalinya, Felix mengatakan bahwa Shifa ingin pergi ke pegunungan terpencil untuk melukis serta mencari inspirasi. Felix khawatir akan keselamatannya, jadi dia ikut bersama wanita itu. Ini adalah ketiga kalinya. Aku menutup telepon, menatap teman masa kecilku, Callen Harlan, yang sedang duduk di seberang dengan sikap santai. Dia sedang mengetuk lantai marmer dengan tongkat berhias zamrud di tangannya, membentuk irama yang teratur. "Apakah kamu masih mencari seorang istri?" tanyaku. Pada hari pernikahanku, Shifa yang tersenyum manis sedang mengangkat gelasnya, menunggu Felix untuk bersulang bersamanya. Namun, pria itu justru menatap siaran langsung pernikahan putra kesayangan Grup Harlan, pengembang properti terbesar di negara ini, dengan mata memerah.

Sandara Loise adalah wanita yang cantik, cerdas, dan single adalah kepala Divisi Personalia yang termuda di kantornya. Selain sukses dalam pekerjaan, ia juga berbakat menjodohkan rekan rekan kerjanyanya. Pernikahan Indi dan Randy adalah contohnya. Namun, ia tidak memercayai kehadiran cinta sejati untuk dirinya sendiri. Dan penolakan delapan tahun lalu dari pria yang kini menjadi bosnya, memperparah semuanya. David Wijaya bisa mendapatkan wanita mana saja dengan mudah. Namun ia tidak berminat pada hubungan serius, serta banyak sekali tuntutan di dalamnya. la hanya menginginkan sesuatu yang praktis. Lantas mengapa kini ia menginginkan Sandara, wanita yang sangat tidak tepat untuk menjadi target berikutnya, wanita yang tanpa sadar ia lukai delapan tahun lalu?

June adalah anak kesayangan keluarga Kusuma yang kemudian telah di jodohkan ayahnya dengan pria yang tak dikenalnya sama sekali. June memiliki kekasih hati lain yaitu Mark yang sangat dicintainya jadi dia memutuskan untuk lari dengan kekasihnya, tanpa disangka kekasihnya malah meninggalkannya di tengah jalan karena June meninggalkan semua hak sebagai pewaris sebagian harta dari Kusuma Group. June hilang akal namun tak ingin pulang, dia pun pergi ke rumah Bi Ani yang pernah merawatnya sejak kecil kemudian dia bekerja dengan Bi Ani di kediaman Wijaya sambil tetap menyembunyikan identitas asli dirinya. June di khususkan ada di paviliun Tuan Muda Dave sama seperti Bi Ani, dan di mulailah kisah penyiksaan Tuan Muda Dave pada June yang tidak becus bekerja. Sepertinya bukan hanya penyiksaan tapi kisah asmara yang kemudian perlahan hadir di hari-hari June bersama Tuan Mudanya yang tampan itu, hingga dia bisa melupakan pertunangan dari ayahnya bahkan Mark yang meninggalkannya begitu saja.

Minahal ko siya sa kabila nang malamig niyang trato sa akin, ngunit sa huli ay parang basura niya lang kung itapon ako sa pagbabalik ng kaniyang unang pag-ibig. Pero hindi ako papayag na mauwi sa wala ang mga araw na natitira sa akin. Hindi mo na ako maaangking muli, President Riego!

Karena hutang budi, Raihana nekat menyamar menjadi Nona Adeline agar dapat menyelamatkan nyawa majikannya itu dari Tuan Muda Xavier yang terkenal kejam dan tidak punya belas kasihan. Raihana mengira dirinya akan langsung dibunuh, namun dirinya justru dijadikan tawanan dan dipaksa melayani Tuan Muda Xavier. Di saat dirinya mengetahui bahwa ia mengandung anak Tuan Muda Xavier, Adeline kembali dan membuat Xavier merasa murka karena merasa telah dipermainkan. Lantas, bagaimana nasib Raihana dan anak dalam kandungannya di tangan Xavier?