I Like The Bartender

“Here's the deal. Do that lawyer stuff that you do. Try to send me to jail.” “What?” I blinked. “I'm giving you a year, but in my territory. I'm not sending you back to the U.S, so better get used to Italy like you once lived.” “Excuse-” “But you'll have everything. Every resource. Impress me, show me why you're a top lawyer and get me locked up. Prove to everyone that I killed your parents.” “I'll send you to jail, even if it's the last thing I do, Roman. You're trying to ruin my life again, but this time I won't let you. You're finished.” “Now, the condition.” My eyes widened. Now a condition? “If you don't succeed, you won't ever have an opinion. You'll be my plaything, my pet, my personal slave, my cum bucket. You'll be whatever I want you to be, do you understand?” I felt instant chills ripple through me. “So that's what you want? To control me after killing my parents?” “Yes, exactly that. I want to humiliate you so badly, so better impress me and send me to jail, Gianna. Better do it.” His voice was thick with warning. No matter how much I desire him, I'll make sure he rots in jail. …… We don't always get what we want, Gianna. He killed her parents and she managed to escape the house fire. Years later and this invincible Mafia don gets arrested in the United States, and she's the top lawyer in charge of his case? Hmm, I wonder what happened next.

She could remember people through their smells, their voices, their accents, their everyday choices of words or through how they feel against her touch. That's exactly the meaning of socializing and making friends for someone like Meredith Kaye Santiago, a person who was suffering with prosopagnosia. To someone who couldn't remember anyone's face, dating was a no-no. She couldn't risk her heart to someone her eyes couldn't remember and her brain couldn't retain. But one night, she found herself caught up under the body of a stranger, and he's taking off her clothes. The stranger’s name was Rupert Santos, the Vulture’s vocalist and a guy with piercing on his bottom lip. She let him go all the way after he said, “Surrender your sensations”. Love hit her hard. That’s when his blurry face became clearer. And finally, she said, “I see you, Rockstar.”

I buried him myself. I stood at his grave with dirt on my hands and grief in my throat as I said goodbye to the only man I ever thought I would love. Kael was my betrothed, my mate, the boy who grew up beside me and became the person I built every future around. When the war took him it did not just take him — it took every version of myself that existed because of him. Years passed. The moon goddess, in her mercy, gave me something I never asked for — a second chance. Rowan was not supposed to happen. He was patient where I was resistant, steady where I was broken, and present in every way I had convinced myself no one would ever be again. I did not want to love him. And then I did not know how to stop. I was finally learning what it meant to choose life again. When Kael walked back through my door. Alive. Unchanged. And completely unable to explain where he had been. Now I am torn between a love that was written into my soul before I was old enough to understand what souls were, and a man who chose me quietly and completely when I had nothing left to offer. The elders say this is not a reverse harem blessing. There is no keeping both. I have to choose. But how do you bury someone you love twice?

All it took was a gunshot to have this criminal fucking me senseless. I'd spent months trying to bring down Antonio, the criminal I swore to put behind bars. I even set a trap for him, using someone close as bait. But instead of going down in chains, Antonio offered himself to me, in exchange for freedom. I should have said no, I should have followed the mission. But as a lonely divorcee craving warmth, how could I resist the way he touched me? The way his fingers made me forget the rules I live by? This wasn't the plan. My boss didn't send me here to get addicted to my enemy. Yet every secret night with Antonio leaves me wanting more, and drags me deeper into his dangerous world. He's supposed to die for his crimes, but unfortunately, the real crime is how badly I want him. And if the news gets out, I won't just lose my job– I'll lose my life.

After finishing work for the day, I checked my phone and realized I had been added to a group chat called "Catch the Thief." The members were my parents, my brother, Brian Wise, and my sister-in-law, Paulene Wise. I typed a question mark. Paulene replied instantly. [My jewelry is missing. I didn't add you here to accuse you or anything. I just wanted to ask what you think. Honestly, there's no use for other people in our family to take my jewelry, so I've been wondering... I'm not saying you definitely stole it. But if you did, you don't have to deny it. I'm willing to give you a chance to make things right.] My mother said nothing. She just kept tagging me over and over. I let out a small laugh and typed back. [Maybe Brian took it and gave it to his side piece. I'm not saying he definitely has someone else. Just that men his age sometimes start looking around. I'm only guessing here. And if he really did mess up, you could give him a chance to make things right, too.]

Indira Parmadita, sudah hampir 3 tahun ia menjadi pekerja paruh waktu. Lebih tepatnya, seorang pengangguran yang bekerja asal ada pekerjaan yang datang padanya. Kerja serabutan nama kerennya. Satya Gusmananda, menjadi pemilik sekaligus CEO dari hotel dan apartemen Lilac. Dulunya. Setelah kabar kematiannya telah diumumkan secara resmi, di seluruh surat kabar ataupun televisi swasta. Namun, sebuah kabar miring muncul. Jika ruangan bekas Satya telah didatangi hantunya. Tidak ada yang berani mengambil alih posisi jabatan Satya. Atau malah nyawa mereka taruhannya. Jadilah perusahaan tanpa CEO di dalamnya. Pihak keluarga hanya dapat meng-handle hotel dan apartemen dari luar. Karena rumor mengenai 'hantu' itu, beberapa pegawai memilih untuk resign. 'Dibutuhkan segera pegawai tetap untuk pendamping CEO. Syarat utama: Disiplin, tepat waktu, berpenampilan menarik, dan indigo. Gaji: 50 juta/bulan.' "Serius syaratnya cuma begini doang? Dapat gaji sampai 50 juta?!"

Marami na siyang naging sekretarya at lahat yun ay sinibak niya. Una sa lahat, ayaw ng pinaghahalo ang trabaho sa personal issue nito. Ngunit paano kung ang isang matapang, masungit na boss ay mahulog sa susunod niyang sekretarya? Maamin niya kaya ito?

“Aku suka sama Mbak.” Ucap Halil dengan senyum lebarnya. Innara mengerutkan dahi dan memandang pria yang usianya dua tahun lebih muda sekaligus bawahannya itu dengan tatapan tajam dan dingin. “Jangan suka sama saya. Saya ini lebih cocok jadi kakak kamu daripada jadi pacar kamu.” Jawab Innara dengan ketus seraya berbalik pergi. “Siapa juga yang mau jadi pacar Mbak.” Ucap Halil ketus yang membuat Innara kembali berbalik memandangnya dengan bingung. “Aku maunya Mba jadi istri aku aja.” Lanjutnya kembali dengan senyum lebar yang membuat Innara kesal. “Lagipula Mbak jangan khawatir, postur tubuh aku bisa nyembunyiin usia Mbak yang lebih tua.” Jawabnya yang membuat Innara merasa ditampar kenyataan. Jangan lupa untuk tap Love dan komen yang positif ya.

Bagi Lily, merantau ke kota besar bukanlah pilihan mudah. Gadis sederhana itu rela meninggalkan rumah demi membantu perekonomian keluarganya. Dan kini, ia berharap bisa mendapatkan pekerjaan tetap sebagai sekretaris di perusahaan PT.ELFANO. Namun, di hari pertamanya, sebuah insiden membuat segalanya kacau. Lily menolong seorang ibu yang dijambret—dan tanpa sengaja menuduh pria berjas hitam yang ternyata bukan pelakunya. Malu, gugup, dan berharap tak pernah bertemu lagi dengan pria itu… Lily justru dikejutkan saat menyadari kenyataan pahit: pria yang ia tuduh jambret adalah CEO PT.ELFANO, bos barunya sendiri. Sejak hari itu, pekerjaan Lily tak lagi sederhana. Ia harus berhadapan dengan CEO muda yang dingin, arogan, sekaligus menyimpan pesona berbahaya. Apakah Lily mampu bertahan di bawah tekanan dan membuktikan dirinya? Atau justru pertemuan tak sengaja itu akan mengubah hidupnya selamanya?

Karapatan ko rin yata ang maging masaya't piliing tahakin ang landas na nais ko nang hindi ako pinupukol ng bato nang sinumang taong madaraanan ko.