Nala Kovu

Kisah kelam di masa lalu, ternyata berhubungan erat dengan seseorang yang tiba-tiba hadir di dalam kehidupannya. Nala yang pada awalnya menerima kehadiran David, harus tertampar keras dengan sebuah fakta yang ada. "Aku akan melakukan apa pun asal kau mengampuni kesalahanku di masa lalu." "Benarkah? Maka berikan nyawamu saat ini juga! Bukankah sudah hukum alam, darah dibayar darah." Mampukah Nala melewati setiap garis takdir, yang sudah digariskan Tuhan untuknya?

Setelah menyelesaikan kuliahnya, Nala diminta oleh keluarganya untuk pulang ke kampung halaman dan tidak perlu bersusah payah mencari pekerjaan di ibu kota. Namun, Nala menolak dengan alasan tidak ingin menyia-nyiakan gelar di belakang namanya. Ia bersikeras ingin mencari pengalaman kerja selama satu tahun terlebih dahulu sebelum benar-benar menetap di kampung. Keluarganya akhirnya menyetujui, dengan satu syarat: Nala hanya boleh bekerja selama satu tahun, tidak lebih. Sayangnya, baru tiga bulan bekerja di salah satu perusahaan ternama, Nala menyerah. Tekanan pekerjaan yang tinggi dan lingkungan kantor yang tidak sesuai dengan ekspektasinya membuatnya kehilangan semangat. Ia pun memutuskan untuk mengundurkan diri dan berdiam diri di kosan, tanpa keberanian untuk memberi tahu keluarganya. Raras—ibu Nala—yang kemudian mengetahui anak bungsunya sudah tidak bekerja lagi, segera mendesaknya untuk pulang. Sebelum Nala sempat menolak, Raras lebih dulu mengancam tidak akan lagi mengirimkan uang bulanan. Terpojok dan kehabisan pilihan, Nala akhirnya menyerah. Ia berkemas dan pulang ke kampung halamannya. Namun siapa sangka, kepulangannya justru membuka babak baru dalam hidupnya. Di desa, ia bertemu dengan Hanggara—juragan muda berusia 31 tahun yang terkenal karena kesuksesannya mengelola sawah dan peternakan keluarga. Bersama ayahnya, Hanggara berhasil memperluas lahan pertanian dan mengembangkan usaha mereka hingga dikenal di beberapa daerah sekitar. Hanggara adalah sosok yang jauh dari gambaran pria kota yang dulu diidamkan Nala. Kulitnya kecoklatan, tangannya kasar karena terbiasa bekerja di bawah terik matahari, dan tutur katanya tegas tanpa basa-basi. Tapi di balik ketegasannya, ada sesuatu yang membuat Nala sulit memalingkan pandangan—ketulusan dan ketenangan yang jarang ia temui di kota. Hari-hari Nala di kampung yang awalnya terasa membosankan, perlahan berubah sejak kehadiran Hanggara. Ia mulai belajar bahwa kesuksesan tidak selalu berarti bekerja di gedung tinggi dengan gaji besar. Kadang, kesuksesan justru berarti menemukan tempat di mana hati bisa merasa pulang.

Jingan, si elang yang hidup bersama dengan Calistung, suatu siang membawa seorang anak bayi dan meletakkannya di hadapan Calistung. Terperangahlah Calistung. Bagong melangkah dengan hati-hati. Bayi mungil bernama Senala terbungkus kain lusuh di punggungnya, tubuh kecilnya nyaris tak bergerak, hanya sesekali terdengar suara napas lembutnya. Bagong, dengan tubuh gemuknya yang berkeringat, berjalan menyusuri jalan setapak yang jarang dilalui manusia. Kabut tebal menyelimuti hutan, membuat setiap langkah terasa seperti memasuki dunia lain yang penuh misteri. Ketika matahari mencapai puncaknya, Desa Jenang sudah berubah menjadi puing-puing. Lima orang itu menaiki kuda mereka dengan puas, meninggalkan kehancuran di belakang mereka. Warga desa yang tersisa hanya bisa memandang dengan tatapan kosong, terlalu takut untuk melawan atau bahkan berkata-kata. "Latihanmu selama ini bukan untuk bermain-main, Anakku. Mungkin waktunya tiba untuk kita mempertahankan apa yang harus kita lindungi."

Icha, perempuan tangguh dengan segala kisah cintanya yang rumit. Menikah tanpa cinta, kemudian mendapati sang suami bergumul dengan perempuan lain di depan mata. Pada akhirnya, perpisahan membawanya bertemu Josh, perempuan yang dianggapnya malaikat penolong yang ternyata adik dari perempuan masa lalu Herlan, mantan suaminya. Pada akhirnya, Icha bertemu Gema, laki-laki yang juga diinginkan Josh. Bagaimana kisah cinta Icha pada akhirnya?

Nakulong sa elevator sa loob ng kalahating oras ang kababata ng asawa ko. Sa galit niya, ipinasok niya ako sa loob ng isang maleta at ikinulong ako sa loob. “Doble ang pagbabayaran mo sa lahat ng pagdurusang pinagdaanan ni Grace.” Napilitang mamaluktot ang katawan ko. Nahirapan akong huminga. Umiyak ako habang humihingi ng tawad, pero ang napala ko lang ay ang malamig na tugon ng asawa ko. “Pagdaraanan mo ang buong parusang ‘to. Kapag natutunan mo na ang leksyon mo, magtatanda ka na.” Pagkatapos ay kinandado niya ang maleta sa aparador. Sumigaw ako sa desperasyon at nagpumiglas para makawala. Tumagos ang dugo ko sa maleta at bumaha ang sahig. Makalipas ang limang araw, naawa siya sa akin at nagpasyang wakasan ang parusa. “Hayaan mong maging babala sa’yo ang parusang ‘to. Sa pagkakataong ito, pakakawalan na kita.” Hindi niya alam na inaagnas na ang katawan ko sa loob ng maleta.

Pagkatapos ng tatlong taon naming pagdadate ni Nathan Foster, inakala kong alam ko na kung saan kami tutungo. Pero hindi siya kailanman nagpropose sa akin. At sa halip ay nagawa pa niyang malove at first sight sa aking stepsister. Naging direkta at walang tigil ang ginawa niyang panliligaw dito na hindi nagiwan ng pagdadalawang isip sa aking isipan. Pero sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na ako nagbreakdown o naghintay pa sa mga mangyayari habang umaasa na babalik pa siya gaya noon. Napagdesisyunan ko nang makipaghiwalay. Itinapon ko ang lahat ng regalo niya sa akin, pinagpunit punit ko rin ang wedding dress na lihim kong binili at noong kaniyang kaarawan, iniwan ko sa aking nakaraan ang Riverdale. Nang sasakay na ako sa aking flight, nagmessage si Nathan sa akin: “Nasaan ka na? Hinihintay ka ng lahat.” Ngumiti ako, pero na ako nagreply sa kaniya habang binoblock ko siya sa bawat platform. Wala siyang ideya na dalawang linggo na ang nakalilipas mula noong tanggapin ko ang proposal ng aking college senior na si Eustace Cooper. Nang lumapag ang eroplano sa bagong siyudad na aking titirhan, nakahanda na kami ni Eustace na simulan ang bagong yugto ng aming mga buhay nang magkasama—bilang magasawa.

⚠️ R18+ WARNING This book contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and taboo relationships between consenting adults. Expect filthy age-gap sex, forbidden lust, rough scenes, and a daddy’s best friend who can’t keep his hands off the heroine. If you’re under 18, or easily offended by dirty talk, moaning, and being pinned against the wall… turn back now. If you like it dirty… welcome home.****^^^^*******^One kiss in the hallway was all it took to break every rule. Now he’s in my room at night, his hand over my mouth so my father won’t hear me scream his name. He says it’s just sex. I know it’s something more. Because no matter how wrong it is… I’m not sure I’ll ever want him to stop.*****This book is a compilation of different short stories. Have fun reading!

She was meant to be holy, her father’s pride, the church’s purest treasure. But behind the sermons and prayers, desire was waiting… and she let it in. What began as a dangerous temptation spiraled into betrayal, shame, and a secret that could ruin her forever. Two men want her soul. One for a wager. One for redemption. And in the shadows of sin, she learns the holiest things are often the easiest to break.

When Nala enters her room, she is startled by a man behind her blanket. Named Raymond, whose purpose of arrival was to keep Nala who was just an ordinary human being. It was pictured with a large tattoo bearing Nala's name on his chest. Nala wants to report it to the police but undoes her intentions when she finds out there's a big secret they have to cover up about Raymond coming out of nowhere. It's added that Raymond's behavior is like that of a child under five who breaks down in tears. What surprised Nala was that he had wings. Yes. The wings are large, black, and soft, coming out of his back. Where Nala realizes that Raymond showed up is because of her, with a birthday candle. And again Raymond always fires scents that almost make Nala lose her mind. Who exactly is Raymond? What's the real purpose? Why does he keep calling himself a failed half-human elf?

"How did you manage to sleep at night Reid, the fact that you lied to me?" I saw the shock in his luminescent eyes, the face of the man I love, yet chose to hurt me. "Becca.....I planned to tell you, believe me, I do" he retorted with the cracking in his voice, and that moment I felt the breaking and twisting in my heart. "You're a pheromone machine and your count of women you played with is higher than the number of capillary vessels in your entire body, I refused to be on the list" The pain is evident on his gorgeous face, he gazed at me, I could sense the nagging feeling inside of me, however, I pushed the thoughts in the back of my head. "Becca, you got it all wrong, the predicament you have between me and Liz is nonsense!" he snapped, the intensity of anger in his voice was tormenting. "I've seen enough Reid, you changed women more frequently than a leopard changed its spots, pity me for thinking that you and I can be happy, this is the last time I'm allowing myself to be stupid." Becca lost her family in a tragic accident years ago, trying to cope with the sadness of being alone, making her parents proud in any way possible. Nothing matters and bothers her except work, until her new boss Reid Alonzo start provoking her with his handsome face and arrogant attitude. How can she manage to ignore the sight of a man that can make her fall in love and live a happy life? What if she finds out that Reid Alonzo has an ultimate secret involving the lost of her family, and the reason he wants Becca in his life is all about guilt? Can Becca say "Her No" to love?