The Concubine

At sixty-five, I got served divorce papers. The same day, my husband Sebastian — decked out in his wedding suit, of all things — popped a handful of sleeping pills in a suicide attempt. For years, we were the perfect couple. The kind of pair neighbors whispered about with envy. I couldn't wrap my head around it. The divorce. The pills. None of it made sense. Not until I found the photo and letter in his pocket.

Rima: Jacob Snow is a puzzle. I had initially mistaken him for a cold, uncaring, and arrogant CEO, but as we work together, I realize he's the exact opposite. He's warm, considerate, and humble, a far cry from the man I had painted in my mind. But acknowledging this doesn't mean I'm ready to let my guard down. My past is a dark, haunting shadow, and I refuse to let anyone get too close, afraid of the potential pain that could follow. It's been a while since I've felt this way about someone, and the familiarity of these feelings scares me. The last time it ended being the worst mistake of my life. I don't want to give in to these feelings, but I can't deny that Jacob is becoming more than just a boss to me. Jacob: Rima is enigmatic. She’s resilient, determined, and initially, she appears distant. But as we collaborate, I find myself drawn to her strength and determination. She’s unlike anyone I’ve ever met, and the spark between us is undeniable. She’s built a fortress around herself, a wall that's impossible to penetrate, but I’m determined to break it down. I sense she’s hiding something, and I can’t shake off the protective instinct that emerges whenever I see her. As we confront the danger together, I find myself struggling to resist the growing feelings I have for her. As danger looms, Rima and Jacob find themselves struggling to resist the growing attraction between them. Their pasts threaten to tear them apart, but they can’t deny the feelings that are blossoming between them. Will they be able to overcome their fears and trust each other? Or will their pasts continue to haunt them and prevent them from finding love?

After years of living abroad without children, I decided to return home to handle my inheritance matters. However, before I could step into my house, I was stopped by a group of people at the entrance. The woman leading the group pointed at me and started screaming. "I can't believe someone as young as you is seducing a man old enough to be your father! How disgusting can you be?" I watched her, noticing how much she resembled my older brother, and I was shaking with rage. They pulled out my fingernails, broke my ribs, and slashed my face, dragging me around the neighborhood as I begged for mercy. Yet, they remained indifferent to my pleas. Just as I was on the verge of losing hope, my brother, Edward Grange rushed over.  Through a mouthful of blood, I managed to choke out, "Ed, I’d rather die than let her inherit my inheritance…”

Arlyn, Zemi dan Agnes. Ketiganya adalah gadis cantik, pintar dan cerdas. Mereka baru saja lulus kuliah dengan predikat Cum Laude. Langsung diterima bekerja di beberapa perusahaan ternama di Jakarta.  Akan tetapi kecerdasan ketiga perempuan itu, tidak serta merta membawa keberuntungan bagi mereka, dalam hal asmara. Malah sebaliknya, mereka selalu mengalami kegagalan dalam bercinta. Dikhianati, diselingkuhi dan di bawa lari uangnya. Dari pengalaman pahit di atas, ketiganya pun bertekad tidak akan mengenal cinta kepada lawan jenis lagi. Mereka akan fokus berkarier dan membangun cita-cita mereka mulai dari sekarang. Sehingga terbitlah sebuah perjanjian yang disepakati oleh ketiganya. No Man, No Cry! Namun apa yang terjadi selanjutnya? Mampukah gadis-gadis itu menepati janji mereka? Ataukah ada diantara ketiganya yang ingkar janji? Plagiarisme melanggar undang-undang hak cipta no. 28 tahun 2014. I dedicate this novel to my genk, THE LADIES.

"Pilihanmu hanya menikah denganku, maka seluruh keluargamu akan selamat. Ingat, kamu yang pertama datang padaku! Terhitung sejak malam itu kau tak lagi punya pilihan. Jadi, jangan pernah mencoba untuk kabur atau berpura-pura ingin bebas dariku!" tandas Khairen pada Sunrise yang membisu. --- Khairen Crown hidup di puncak dunia bisnis. Muda, berkuasa, dan dingin. Dunia korporat tunduk padanya, dan ia yakin telah mengendalikan segalanya. Hingga suatu malam, kejadian tak terduga mempertemukannya dengan wanita bermata biru, berambut pirang yang mengguncang dunianya. Sunrise White, muncul misterius seperti bayangan yang tak bisa dihindari, elegan, agresif, penuh rahasia, namun sangat memikat. Khairen tak tahu namanya, tak tahu latar belakangnya. Yang ia tahu, ia terobsesi dan menginginkannya. Sepenuhnya! Siapa sangka, ternyata Sunrise adalah karyawan terbaik yang mendapatkan promosi jabatan di perusahaannya. Namun, cinta yang mulai tumbuh itu segera membeku oleh kenyataan kelam. Sunrise bukan sekadar karyawan biasa, dia adalah darah dari musuh lama keluarga Crown. Musuh yang selama ini dikira telah mati, ternyata kembali untuk menyelesaikan urusan yang belum selesai. Di tengah gairah cinta yang membakar dan dendam yang membeku, Khairen harus memilih, menghancurkan wanita yang telah membuatnya jatuh cinta, atau tetap setia pada nama keluarganya.

Just before my wedding, I did the unthinkable—I switched places with Raine Miller, my fiancé's childhood sweetheart. It had been an accident, but I uncovered the painful truth—Bruno Russell, the man I loved, had already built a happy home with Raine. I never knew before, but now I do. For five long years in our relationship, Bruno had never so much as touched me. I once thought it was because he was worried about my weak heart, but I couldn't be more mistaken. He simply wanted to keep himself pure for Raine, to belong only to her. Our marriage wasn't for love. Bruno wanted me so he could control my father's company. Fine! If he craved my wealth so much, I would give it all to him. I sold every last one of my shares, and then vanished without a word. Leaving him, forever.

My husband has azoospermia. After trying all the options available, I finally conceived. However, my husband is worried my child will hurt his first love's feelings—she had a miscarriage. He tricks me into going for a prenatal checkup. In truth, he conspires with a doctor to induce labor when I'm only five months along. He says, "You must be the one with the problem. Why else is it so hard for us to have children? The baby won't be healthy even if it's born! We can have more children when you're healthier. Julie has just had a miscarriage; I don't want to aggravate her." He doesn't know he has azoospermia. I only managed to conceive this child after trying out IVF countless times and taking countless folk remedies. He will never have a child of his own in this lifetime, and I discover his true colors. I ask for a divorce, and that's when he loses his mind.

Rasa khawatir, takut, sedih, dan amarah adalah bagian dari hidup. Semua orang memiliki bagian dan porsinya masing-masing, tetapi ... coba bayangkan jika hidupmu berada di posisi terburuk dari setiap kehidupan. Seperti yang tengah dialami Luna. Wanita berusia dua puluh lima tahun ini tengah berjuang menghadapi hal terburuk yang pernah ia alami. Berlari, bersembunyi, dan menghilang, mengantarkannya pada sebuah cinta dan mimpi yang baru. Namun, perang melawan diri sendiri tidak pernah usai baginya. Apakah semesta memang sekejam ini pada semua orang?

It's my husband, Niall Luther's birthday. I take my son to the hospital to visit Niall since he's working late; I want to surprise him. However, we get into an accident on the way there. When I rush to the hospital with my bloodied son in my arms, I see Niall holding his first love's daughter. He coos at her and says, "This might be a small wound, but there's a risk of infection if it isn't handled well!" His first love, Chelsea Blanc, gives him a chiding look. "You treat Lulu so well that I'm getting jealous." Niall wraps an arm around her. "It's only because I love you. You're the one I love the most." I pull out my phone and call him. He keeps his arm around Lulu White and rejects my call. So, I text him, telling him our son is injured and has been taken to the hospital where he works. I tell him he needs to attend to our son. However, he berates me for lying. I have no choice but to take my son elsewhere for treatment. Before leaving, I see Niall kiss Chelsea tenderly and tell her he wants to take her to an amusement park. That's when I know he and I are over.

Berlatar dimasa setelah terjadinya fenomena Holocaust atau yang disebut di dalam cerita ini sebagai Rapture, tragedi yang membuat setengah dari populasi bumi menghilang. Cuba Toeli, merupakan anak SMA keturunan Italia yang populer karena kemampuan beladirinya yang mampu menghajar 6 anak yang ingin mengeroyoknya. Dia bersama dengan teman-temannya berusaha untuk mengungkap apa yang terjadi. Merasa ada kejanggalan dalam fenomena ini, mereka berusaha untuk mencari petunjuk petunjuk mengenai apa/siapa yang dibalik kejadian Rapture ini. -- Cerita ini merupakan remake dari cerita yang pernah saya buat pada tahun 2016 yang berjudul Apocalypse End, dengan konsep cerita yang sama namun dengan improvisasi jalan cerita, semoga akan membuat cerita ini menjadi menarik. Terimakasih karena sudah tertarik dengan cerita ini, semoga kalian suka!