Is Love Fleeting

"Hi there, I'd like to emigrate." Christina stood at the counter and handed over the neatly prepared documents to the clerk on the other side of the glass. The clerk quickly stamped each page. The red ink spread like tiny ripples on still water. Then, without looking up, he pulled out another form and passed it back to her. "Ma'am, your paperwork will be processed in fifteen days." Christina nodded, turned on her heel, and headed for the exit. But before she could step outside, whispers trailed after her. "Did I see that right? Mrs. Waldorf is applying for emigration? Did she have a squabble with Mr. Waldorf?" "Even if they argued, would it go this far? Mr. Waldorf practically worships her. What could possibly make her leave so decisively?" "Exactly. Five years ago, their wedding was the event of the century. Even someone like me, who barely goes online, heard about it. And three years ago, after her car accident, the blood bank ran out of stock. Mr. Waldorf ignored everyone's objections and nearly drained himself to save her. Then, just last year, when she disappeared for an hour, he mobilized every media outlet worldwide to find her. Now she's leaving without a word—won't that drive him insane?" The murmurs swirled and lingered, but Christina only smiled faintly. Her expression was calm, but her eyes darkened with a bitterness that deepened with every step. Yes, she thought. Everyone knew just how much Lucien Waldorf loved her.

"I don't want to go with you on this business trip," Lucy Landon said at the dinner table. Her voice was calm, so calm that no one could sense anything unusual. Steven Cooper's trip was set for June 1st. It wasn't their wedding anniversary, nor was it anyone's birthday. Just an ordinary Children's Day. Three days ago, she had stumbled upon a voice message on Steven's phone. A child's soft and childish voice had said, "Daddy, for Children's Day, I want to go to Maldove to see the fishes!"

"Mrs. Gardner, are you sure you want to hire our team to stage a fire and fake your death in ten days?" Camellia Shaw paused for a moment. Just as she was about to reply to the message, a video call suddenly popped up. "Camellia, look! Andres is spending a fortune on you again!" The video was of an auction in progress. At the front, a man of striking elegance and charm was decisively bidding on several antique collectibles worth hundreds of millions. The crowd was already abuzz with excitement. "Mr. Gardner is so good to his wife! He bought all these antiques just to make her smile!" "$400 million is nothing! I heard Mr. Gardner even built her a private estate and named it Eterna Haven. Just the name alone is proof of how much he loves her." A wealthy businessman nearby sneered. "It's all for show. Who knows what he's really like behind closed doors?" That comment immediately sparked a wave of backlash. Many argued back, talking about how devoted Andres Gardner was to his wife. As she listened to their murmurs, Camellia forced a bitter smile.

"Aku hanya tak terima diputuskan begitu saja. Aku bahkan tak tahu letak kesalahanku dimana." Steve memainkan kaleng sodanya yang sudah tandas. "Kau tak memiliki salah apapun," balas Lynn. Rasanya Lynn ingin mengatakan bahwa Rose memang tak pantas untuk Steve, Rose tak pantas mendapat cinta Steve. Namun, kalimat itu hanya menggantung di kepalanya. Dia tak mungkin berani mengatakan hal itu pada Steve. "Aku bisa membantumu ... move on dari dia!" ujar Lynn sontak Steve memandangnya. Tatapannya redup, berkabung luka patah hati. Lynn membalas tersenyum, mengangguk menyakinkan Steve bahwa dia benar-benar bersungguh-sungguh dengan ucapannya. Steve menghela napas kasar. Seluruh jiwanya direbut Rose, apakah masih ada cela melupakannya? Steve bahkan tak yakin dengan dirinya sendiri.

Content warning! Anna, seorang mahasiswi jurusan seni yang berprestasi memiliki sisi gelap sadistik yang orang lain tidak akan mengira dia memilikinya. Dia menyukai melukis sosok manusia yang tengah berpose seksi baik pria maupun wanita. Dia memburu pria-pria tampan untuk dijadikan objek lukisannya. Bermain main dengan mereka dan membuangnya ketika bosan. Sampai kemudian dia bertemu dengan Jason, seorang milyarder yang mensponsori acara pameran seni yang dia ikuti. Jason yang memancarkan aura playboy membuat Anna dengan berani memintanya untuk menjadi model lukisannya. Tak disangka, pria itu ternyata berkarakter lugu dan kikuk mengenai dunia percintaan. Dia juga masih memegang prinsip-prinsip hubungan cinta yang kuno dan kolot. Itu semakin membuat dia menginginkannya. Anna ingin mengajarkannya tentang cinta dan nafsu. Bisakah dia? Pada akhirnya, siapa yang mendominasi siapa?

Namanya So Myung. Wanita berusia 26tahun yang memiliki paras wajah yang cantik. Bahkan beberapa lelaki ingin mendekatinya, namun sayang ia memiliki rasa terauma dalam hal cinta. Sehingga membuat ia memiliki sifat yang angkuh, acuh dan dingin. Tapi suatu ketika ada seorang lelaki yang benar-benar ingin memilikinya, bahkan tiada kata menyerah bagi lelaki itu agar bisa mendapatkan cinta dari So Myung. Hingga pada akhirnya mereka jatuh cinta dan hidup bersama.

Alice menjadi kacau setelah ia mendapati kekasihnya berkhianat di belakangnya. Kehidupannya yang kala itu terpuruk mendadak berubah setelah Erickson, presdir yang ia hormati dan kagumi memintanya menjadi tunangannya dan menawarkan kesepakatan di dalamnya. Namun, satu hal yang memberatkan Alice, yaitu mereka harus tinggal bersama dalam satu atap. Bagaimana bisa?  Orang bilang cinta itu berbahaya, ia membuat siapapun kehilangan akalnya. Alice yang sudah terjerat ke dalam hidup Erickson, kini harus siap menghadapi segala macam bahaya yang tak pernah ia lalui. Itu semua karena rahasia Erickson yang seharusnya tak diketahui Alice.

Maura Andromeda memilih untuk tidak percaya lagi pada janji setelah ayahnya berbagi cinta. Keluarga barunya sama sekali tidak menyukai dirinya, apalagi saat ia dijebak oleh kakak tirinya dengan menaruh obat tidur kemudian mempertemukannya pada pria yang telah meminum obat perangsang hal itu membuat Maura hamil. Ranggapati Danutirta, pebisnis bidang properti, muda, tampan yang telah dijebak bersamanya malam itu. Pria yang ditinggal kabur oleh calon pengantin wanita pada hari pernikahan. Rangga merasa jika Maura berbeda dengan kebanyakan wanita yang ia temui, membuatnya ingin menjadikan maura sebagai pendamping hidupnya. Apakah Rangga mampu menaklukan hati Maura?

Bumukas ang malaking pintuan sa harap ko, at narito ang lalaking minamahal ko, ang mata'y walang damdamin habang lumalapit ako sa altar. Ngumiti ako kahit na masikip ang dibdib ko. Narinig ko ang musika habang dahan-dahang naglalakad patungo sa lalaking naghihintay sa harap. Si Kiel, nakatitig nang seryoso sa akin. Walang kahit anong kasiyahan ang makikita sa kanyang mukha, at ito'y nagdulot ng kirot sa aking puso. Iniharap ko ang aking kamay, ngunit itinuring niyang wala ito at agad na umusad patungo sa harap ng pari. Iniwan akong nakatambad ang kamay sa ere. Yumuko ako, bahagyang nahihiya. Sumunod ako sa harap ng pari, at sinimulan na ang misa. "Maari mo nang halikan ang iyong asawa," ang sabi ng pari. Humarap ako kay Kiel, inaasahan ang isang halik sa labi, ngunit sa pisngi lamang ito dumapo. "Nakuha mo na ang titulong Mrs. Valerian, ngunit tiyak kong hindi mo makukuha ang aking pagmamahal," bulong niya. Pumikit ako, at naramdaman ang sakit sa aking puso. "Tandaan mo 'yan, Sam? Hindi mo makukuha ang aking pagmamahal dahil may iniibig na ako," dagdag niya habang nagpalakpakan na ang mga tao. Tumulo ang isang butil na luha. "Sarap mong pagmasdan habang umiiyak," layo na nito sa akin pagkatapos ng mga salitang iyon at agad na lumabas ng simbahan. Pinalis ko ang luha ko at mag-isang ngumiti sa harap ng mga taong masaya para sa amin. Kumikirot ang dibdib ko sa likod ng aking mga ngiti. Daig ko pa ang sinaksak, ngunit hindi ko pinahalata. "Saan pupunta ang asawa mo?" inosenteng tanong ng isang matanda. Ngumiti ako, ngunit hindi na nagbigay ng pagsasalita. "Baka excited lang," mapanukso ng isa. Tumawa ako, kahit na parang pinipiga ang puso ko. Ako si Samantha Alexandria Perez, o dapat bang sabihin Samantha Alexandria Perez Valerian, and I am his unwanted wife.

Dad has a stroke and needs money to save his life. I'm left with no choice but to borrow money from my secret CEO boyfriend of five years. Before I can even say anything, he frowns and tells me he's busy. Then, he hurries off to attend his childhood sweetheart's birthday celebration. He only remembers me the following day. "What did you need?" I hold Dad's death certificate and smile wanly at him. "Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that we're over."