After learning the hard truth of how her twin sister Dalilah brainwashed and manipulated her mind for thirteen years, turning her into a ruthless assassin who killed hundreds of innocents including her youngest brother and best friend Valerian, twenty-seven-year-old Princess Natasha Nicholai, is executed in front of the Imperial Palace. Somehow, she gets sent back to the past right before Dalilah started putting her evil string on her mind, to when she was about to turn fourteen, and uses that as an opportunity to not let the past repeat itself, by getting her revenge on her sister and all the people who backed her and saving her younger brother as well as protecting the innocents she knows will be Dalilah's targets. But while also going after the truth about who stole her magic when she was 4yo, who sent her back and why did they do that, she will cross paths with Ethan Theodore, a dangerous and full of secrets guy, with ruby red eyes and whose destiny is directly linked to Natasha's.
View More“Saudari… Cheryl Anindita. Kami dengan bangga mengumumkan bahwa Anda lulus dengan nilai A plus.”
Cheryl terpaku, hampir tak percaya. Ia mendapatkan nilai A plus dari dosen penguji yang terkenal killer?
"Terima kasih, Pak...," ucapnya pelan, suaranya nyaris bergetar.
Nilai yang memuaskan ini bukan sekadar penghargaan untuk dirinya sendiri. Ini adalah persembahan terbesar yang bisa ia berikan untuk Bapak, sosok yang telah bekerja keras sepanjang hidupnya sehingga Cheryl bisa mencapai titik ini.
Di titik pencapaiannya ini, Cheryl tak sabar ingin berbagi kebahagiaan dengan Bapak, seseorang yang selama ini menjadi pendorong terbesar bagi setiap langkahnya.
"Bapak pasti senang banget dengar kabar ini," gumam Cheryl seraya menempelkan ponsel ke telinganya, menunggu suara hangat bapak menyapa di ujung sambungan telepon.
Akan tetapi, hanya nada dering panjang yang ia dapati. Padahal biasanya bapaknya cepat merespons. Apalagi bapaknya tahu hari ini Cheryl sedang menghadapi hari penting.
"Kok tumben sih Bapak sulit ditelepon?"
Dengan langkah gontai, Cheryl berjalan keluar dari gedung fakultas. Bibirnya tersenyum saat berpapasan dengan teman-teman yang memberinya selamat. Namun senyum itu lenyap kembali setelah teman-temannya berlalu pergi. Pikirannya terus memikirkan bapak yang mendadak sulit dihubungi.
Tiba-tiba, ponselnya bergetar. Cheryl seketika tersenyum melihat nama “Bapakku Pahlawanku” akhirnya terpampang dalam layar, meneleponnya.
"Pak…! Cheryl udah lulus, Pak… dapat nilai A plus! Cheryl udah jadi Sarjana sekarang!” pekiknya, rasa senang membuncah dalam dadanya.
“Hmm. Selamat.”
Cheryl tercekat.
Suara itu… bukan bapaknya. Suara itu terlalu asing, dingin, dan kaku.
Keningnya berkerut, matanya menyipit. “Si-siapa… ini?”
Mendadak, perasaannya sangat tidak enak.
“Kamu Cheryl Anindita, putrinya Pak Bondan Purnomo. Benar?” tanya suara asing di ujung telepon.
“I-iya.”
“Pak Bondan kecelakaan dan sekarang sedang kritis. Cepat ke IGD rumah sakit Bintang Hospital yang ada di Karawaci, sekarang.”
Cheryl terhuyung. Jantungnya seolah berhenti sejenak.
Kecelakaan? Rumah sakit?
Tubuh Cheryl terasa lemas, dan semua yang tadinya ingin ia sampaikan kepada sang bapak seperti lenyap begitu saja.
"Ta-tapi… bapak saya… baik-baik saja, kan? Dan Anda…, siapa?" suara Cheryl bagai tercekik, hampir tak bisa mengeluarkan kata-kata lagi.
Terdengar helaan napas yang tak sabar di ujung sambungan telepon. “Kamu dengerin saya nggak, sih? Saya bilang tadi kan kritis. Sudah. Jangan banyak tanya, cepat datang saja.”
Dunianya seakan berhenti berputar. Semua rasa lega yang ia rasakan sebelumnya lenyap, digantikan kekhawatiran yang mendalam.
Tubuhnya mendadak lemah, namun ia tak boleh berlarut-larut dalam kekagetannya. Bapak, yang selalu menjadi pahlawan dalam hidupnya, kini membutuhkan dia.
"B-baik...," suara Cheryl pecah, air matanya langsung mengalir deras, "sa-saya... ke... sana... se-sekarang," ujarnya dengan terisak-isak.
“Dengar… terkadang air mata tidak berguna, hanya akan membuatmu panik dan bodoh. Berhenti menangis… dan cepat bawa dirimu ke sini sekarang juga.”
Suara bariton itu terdengar datar, bahkan terkesan acuh tak acuh.
Cheryl mengatupkan rahangnya.
Suara itu… datar dan dingin. Tidak peduli apapun yang terjadi, suara pria itu tetap terdengar seolah-olah dia sedang berbicara tentang cuaca, bukan tentang kecelakaan yang melibatkan orang yang sangat penting dalam hidup seseorang.
"Apa dia cacat emosi? Makanya miskin simpati begini,” geram Cheryl dalam hati.
"Aku tahu!" ketusnya kesal.
“Bagus kalau tahu.”
Cheryl ingin mengomel lebih banyak, tapi tiba-tiba sambungan telepon diputus begitu saja.
Ia terdiam. Hanya ada suara hampa dari ponselnya yang kini mati.
Kecewa dan marah bercampur aduk dalam dadanya.
"Ugh! Orang ini… betul-betul ya…!"
***
Cheryl hampir tersandung saat memasuki ruang IGD. Pikirannya penuh dengan kecemasan yang tak bisa dia hilangkan. Dalam sekejap, semua yang direncanakannya tentang hidupnya setelah wisuda menjadi tak penting lagi.
“Sus, saya… keluarga Pak Bondan, korban kecelakaan yang katanya dirawat di sini,” katanya dengan napas sedikit tersengal usai berlari saat menuju ke sini.
Perawat segera membawa Cheryl menemui dokter yang menangani bapaknya. Tubuh Cheryl lemas saat dokter menjelaskan kondisi sang bapak.
“Pasien mengalami cedera serius. Kami sudah melakukan tindakan darurat, tetapi kami membutuhkan persetujuan dari pihak keluarga untuk operasi lebih lanjut.”
Cheryl berusaha menahan tangis yang sudah mendesak keluar. Namun, begitu mendengar kata ‘cedera serius’, ia tak kuasa menahan air matanya lagi.
“Persetujuan operasi?” Cheryl mengulang dengan suara gemetar.
Dokter mengangguk. “Operasi ini diperlukan untuk menstabilkan tekanan darah dan menghentikan pendarahan internal. Kami memerlukan persetujuan dari pihak keluarga agar kami bisa segera melanjutkan tindakan,” jelasnya.
Si dokter memandang Cheryl dengan sorot simpati. “Kami akan melakukan yang terbaik. Tim dokter sedang mempersiapkan segala sesuatunya. Jangan memikirkan soal biayanya, sebab sudah ada pihak yang siap bertanggung jawab penuh atas semua biaya perawatan pasien sampai sembuh.”
‘Tidak perlu memikirkan biayanya, sampai pasien sembuh’. Setidaknya info itu sedikit melegakan.
Setelah berbicara dengan dokter, Cheryl segera menemui Pak Bondan yang terbaring lemah di sebuah ruangan, selang infus dan alat-alat medis tampak menempel di tubuhnya yang dipenuhi luka.
“Pak… tolong bertahan… Cheryl mohon... Cheryl… nggak punya siapa-siapa lagi selain Bapak.”
Ia sudah tidak punya ibu sejak kecil, hanya bapak... satu-satunya orangtua dan keluarga yang ia miliki.
Cheryl mengumpulkan sisa keberaniannya yang mulai terkikis oleh ketakutan. Gadis itu menggenggam erat-erat tangan sang bapak, berharap ada keajaiban di balik segala ketakutan yang menderanya.
Tangannya tiba-tiba gemetaran, seakan takut bahwa kehangatan tangan bapak yang ia rasakan saat ini bisa menghilang sewaktu-waktu.
Sementara itu, Pak Bondan hanya memandangi putri semata wayangnya itu dengan sorot yang begitu sendu. “Che..ryl…,” panggilnya dengan begitu lirih.
“Iya, Pak?” Cheryl mendekatkan dirinya, agar bisa menangkap suara lemah sang bapak di antara bunyi mesin monitor di sekitarnya.
“Mungkin... waktu Bapak... nggak lama lagi....”“Bapak jangan ngomong gitu….” Cheryl kian terisak-isak.“Menikahlah, Nak.... Itu saja… yang ingin Bapak lihat… untuk... terakhir kali.”Cheryl membeku.Sungguh. Permintaan yang mustahil. Padahal, jelas-jelas bapaknya tahu... dia tak punya kekasih, apalagi calon suami.
Selama 22 tahun hidup, Cheryl menjalaninya dengan serius belajar demi bisa membanggakan sang bapak lewat prestasi akademiknya, hingga dia melewatkan hal-hal semacam berkencan dan pacaran.“Menikah?” Cheryl menggeleng pelan. “Tapi, Pak… Cheryl menikah dengan siapa? Cheryl kan nggak punya—” Tiba-tiba, matanya terkunci pada sosok pria tinggi tegap yang berdiri di sana, wajahnya kaku dan dingin, seolah tak peduli dengan apapun di sekitarnya. Tatapan matanya yang tajam dan penuh perhitungan seperti menembus dirinya, tanpa ada sedikit pun kehangatan.“Denganku. Kamu akan menikah denganku, Cheryl Anindita.”Cheryl ternganga. Suara itu… Itu... suara pria asing yang menyebalkan di telepon tadi!***IT WAS EXACTLY WHERE I REMEMBERED, only the design of the boutique was different and simpler than it will be. There weren't any customers inside when we got in, Gwen was alone there, eating a lemon cupcake with milk jam. And when her eyes landed on us, she got up awkwardly and finished the cupcake in one go.We weren't using any disguise anymore.The moment my eyes met her dark-pink eyes that looked like a pair of gems, I felt sick. Guilty. Dirty. The last time I interacted with her, was the day I took her life away. I can't let that happen again.She was, obviously, younger than I remembered. Being the same age as Ash, she's eighteen now. But she's still as beautiful now as she is in my memories of my past life, the only difference is that back there her hair was the length of her hips, while now, her curly forest-green hair is on her shoulders. She has tan skin and her eyes are big, but she's very slim and tall.Well, at least she's half a head taller than me. Though she's still
MY PLAN WAS MADE AND I HAD TO TAKE ACTION, so I sent a letter to her and asked her to drink some tea with me to reminisce about our time together when Asher was still alive. As I predicted, she agreed to it and we decided to meet in the inner garden of the Nicholai Manor in Theolia, once it was my and Dalilah's new main house. Now that our older brother took over the Nicholai Palace in the north, for himself, as the new Grand Duke and patriarch of House Nicholai. Taking Angel Dawson, the 3rd daughter of Baroness Noelle Dawson, with him as his soon-to-be wife and as the next Grand Duchess. Not to say that she's a year younger than both me and my twin.Furthermore, I always hated that spoiled girl, who was the total opposite of the beautiful meaning of her name. Although I tolerated her because she was, Goddess-knows-how, friends with my sister, I couldn't bear to live in the same place as that bitch. Moreover, Dalilah requested me to be on her side and I was happy to be of help to my
"GODDESS ABOVE, PRINCESS, I CAN NOT ACCEPT THIS, it's way too much money. More than my store is worth it!" Mr. George exclaimed, shocked. "Half of this would be more than necessary to buy everything, invest in the store, and repair this place," damn, he's denying the money? That's a first.I push the bag back at him when he tried to give it back to me. "Take the money, Mr. George! It will be necessary, believe me. Plus, I have a suggestion as to what you can do with all this," he was open to hearing me but didn't seem that willing to accept the money."What do you have in mind, Your Highness?" I don't quite like to be called that way, but I'll bear with it."Repair this place and turn the whole building into your house. Build a basement to work on. Then buy the two neighboring houses on the right and left, so you can rent them and win more money. About your store, with this," I pointed to the bag. "You have enough money to buy a new place to work downtown, where you will have more
"DO YOU HAVE ANY BAD INTENTIONS towards my dad or me, Princess?" Her voice was a little shaky to ask that."Not at all. I just want the best for you and myself. And I need this to be extremely confidential, otherwise, if my family were to know, they would try to take this business from me. Moreover, no one can know that I'm your investor, or you guys would also become targets for my enemies, and I can't afford anything like that happening." Suddenly, I felt as if someone had taken an invisible weight off my back. And I could breathe again.Hands held me by the shoulders and made me get up and sit on the couch. "I'm sorry for all of this, Your Highness. I just needed to be sure, after Theo told me to be careful around you," ugh, of course."Please, don't even speak of that annoying brat in front of me!"And that, to my dismay, got the kid curious. "Why? Do you hate uncle Theo?"I tried to close my mouth with my hands, but it was useless. "I don't hate him. I hate the fact that I'm
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEO SAID TO YOU, BUT don't get so mad at him, Lady Hana, he probably didn't mean any harm." My ass he didn't, that's literally what he meant. And he's name is Theo, hm.Breathing heavily, I let my golden eyes meet his dark green eyes that reminded me of the leaves of the trees in the tropical forest located in the Mage's Tower, I once went back in my past life. It was calming. "So that brat's name is Theo, hm." He smiled at me when he saw how angry I still was."Do you perhaps, fancy him, ma'am?" That made me gasp hard."Pardon me?""I just asked that because of the effect he seems to have caused in you, ma'am. Your face, for example, is red like a strawberry, and-""No! Don't say anything!" After three whole minutes in pure silence, I closed my eyes and finally succeed in steading my heartbeat and breath. "Listen, Mr. George, with all due respect, but not even if there was only the two of us in the world, I wouldn't fancy an ignorant and dangerous brute like
"I ASKED FOR AN INFORMANT OF MINE, TO look after the best jewelry store, hidden from the people's eyes. And then I learned about you!" Again, he blushed and I sensed the aura finally coming closer to us. My heartbeat got faster and I put my hands on Kallisto, my thin sword. Clenching my jaw.Mr. Kevin George seemed surprised by my reaction. "So you are a sharp one, hm, kid. If you can sense my friend from where he is standing." I stared at him."Who is he?" I more demanded than asked, and he again was a little startled by my voice."Why don't you ask that to me?" I heard his voice before I saw his face, and it was deeper than the ocean, making goosebumps spread down my spine again. And when I turned to see him, my heart skipped a bit.Not because of his unworldly beauty, beautiful physique, or because he was also taller than me. But because of his eyes.Ruby-red eyes.And he seemed just as startled to see me. Does he know me? No… that can't be if I'm using a disguise. It can't b
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