Direct. Precision. Order. Those were the fuels James' life ran on but, a blackmail was all it took to bring a twist in the billionaire's life. James McKenna, a ruthless billionaire, who has a certain time for everything, is found at lost when a blackmail forces him into an engagement with Amara Livingston, a young girl he barely knows and the carefree daughter of the Mayor who also happened to be the most gorgeous woman he has ever seen. His determination to reverse the blackmail is wiped out when the said lady falls right into his laps and forces him into a relationship. A relationship he found himself longing for with each passing day. Still, he did everything within his power to destroy the evidence and their engagement, but the thing now is, now that he has her, he can't let her go.
View MoreAroma ayam, pakan dan kotorannya semerbak, bisa dipastikan takkan ada yang bisa bertahan di sekitar situ untuk beristirahat setiap hari. Namun tidak dengan Upik. Ia tidur dan makan tepat di sebelah kandang-kandang ayam milik pak Bowo.
Ia adalah anak yang terbuang, usianya bekisar delapan belas tahun. Upik seumur hidup tinggal di sana, bekas kandang ayam yang dijadikan tempat ia tinggal. Setiap hari bekerja membersihkan kandang, membantu memberikan pakan ayam, dan makan dari belas kasihan keluarga pak Bowo.Meski usianya sudah beranjak dewasa, Upik sama sekali belum pernah mengalami menstruasi, mengerti bahwa dirinya seorang perempuan-pun mungkin tidak. Perawakannya tak ubah seperti orang yang mengalami gangguan jiwa, rambutnya gimbal kribo, tubuhnya kurus dan tak terurus, bahkan terkesan seperti tak pernah mandi. Aroma ayam lekat betul di tubuhnya, wajahnya kotor, giginya kuning dan ia jarang berbicara. Jika dipanggil, ia hanya menyahut dan datang sesegera mungkin, jika dimarahi bahkan dipukulpun, ia tak pernah melawan. Hanya orang-orang yang tahu sejarah hidupnya saja yang paham kalau dia seorang perempuan.Sore menjelang malam, orang-orang yang bekerja di kandang ayam pak Bowo bersegera untuk pulang. Seperti biasa, Upik masih sibuk di kandang ayam, memegang serok dan sapu lidi, membersihkan kandang ayam dari kotoran dan sampah.Upik mengangkat air seember demi seember kemudian dihempaskan air tersebut ke seluruh lantai kandang, guna membersihkan lantai dari jejak-jejak kaki para Pekerja. Dalam kesibukan itu, samar ia mendengar suara berbisik-bisik.Suara bisik-bisik itu terdengar cukup jelas di balik sumur dekat kandang ayam dimana Upik sedang bersih-bersih kandang. Awalnya ia ingin mengantarkan ember-embernya ke bilik sumur itu, hanya saja perasaannya tak enak. Ia terdiam di dekat dinding bilik sumur, tangannya memeluk ember-ember yang ia bawa."Paaak! sudah hentikan! ini keterlaluan, saya malu Pak!""Kamu tidak akan bisa menghentikan saya kalau sudah kepalang begini!""Aaah tolong...!"Upik melangkah mendekat perlahan dan ragu, ia bingung namun ia sudah berada di pintu bilik sumur itu. Ia buka pintu itu, dan terlihatlah olehnya pak Bowo sedang berada di atas tubuh seorang gadis pekerja kandang ayam yang baru masuk lusa kemaren.Buru-buru gadis itu beranjak dari posisinya. Ia mengambil pakaiannya yang ia gantung di atas dinding bilik yang tak beratap. Ia kemudian lari menabrak tubuh Upik sampai tersungkur jatuh terduduk.Pak Bowo sendiri sudah berkacak pinggang menahan marah. Ia tak perduli meski tak mengenakan celana di depan Upik. Upik-pun demikian, ia bingung kesalahan apa yang ia lakukan sampai pak Bowo menunjukkan ekspresi marah seperti itu, bukankah hal seperti itu sudah biasa dilakukan pak Bowo terhadap gadis-gadis pekerja yang menarik hatinya? Upik sering menyaksikannya, namun ia diam saja. Hanya saja mungkin kali ini keberadaan Upik disadari oleh pak Bowo dan korbannya."Sini kamu!" perintah Pak Bowo.Upik berjalan menuju pak Bowo.Plak! Gdebuk!Pipi Upik ditampar dan tubuhnya ditendang sampai terpental keluar pintu. Darah keluar dari sudut bibir Upik. Ia hanya bisa meringis pedih, tangannya memegangi pantatnya yang sakit."Berdiri kamu!" perintah pak Bowo lagi.Upik berdiri menurut, pak Bowo menjambak rambut kusut kribo Upik. Tampak mimik jijik dari wajah pak Bowo."Jika saja kau bersih sedikit saja, sudah kulampiaskan harsatku ini padamu. Tapi sungguh, kau anak yang menjijikkan, bau!"Pak Bowo melepas jambakannya dari rambut Upik seolah melepas sampah yang menjijikkan."Cueh!"Pak Bowo meludah di wajah Upik sambil berlalu masuk ke rumah. Upik hanya diam menunduk, menyeka ludah yang menempel di pipinya. Ia masuk ke dalam bilik sumur, menimba seember air dan membasuh wajahnya.Ia diamkan air di ember itu sejenak, air di dalam ember menjadi tenang dan memantulkan wajahnya. Tampak Upik memperhatikan betul-betul wajahnya, ia meneteskan air matanya menyadari betapa buruk rupanya ia.________________AmaraIt was finally the time for the election results to be announced. The election ended an hour before.Everyone was tense, our little family gathered in the dim lit study that was crowded with campaign materials and posters.We’d done interviews, appeared in shows as a family. This time we weren’t reciting the words that my mother’s publicist had written down for us.Everything that was said, all the laughter that was shared, came from a place of warmth deep in our hearts. One of the show hosts had commented on how lifely we seemed, had called it an election miracle and we’d all laughed over it.My mum said we’d celebrate, whether she won Mayor or not. But I knew deep down that she wanted that seat, and without being biased I knew she was the right person for the job. I listened with all focus, at the edge of my seat as the announcement started. We all waited, a sword could’ve cut through the tension in the room with ease.And that hell broke loose when mum was declared the winner
AmaraI was pretty sure anyone within a mile from me could hear how hard my heart was beating against my chest. It’s been forever since I had James near me. The feel of his lips warm against my cold skin sent my senses into a frenzy.Even as I waved him goodbye and watched him pull out of the curb, I could still feel him on me. I stood there longer than I should have, rooted to the spot, because I couldn’t quieten down my own heart or get my feet to move.I heard the door open before Ife’s shrill voice followed. “What are you doing outside in the cold? I didn’t think you were going to come back.”That snapped me out of my reverie and I followed her inside. “Why did you think that?” I hung up my coat and sat down on the couch. I wasn’t quite ready to call it a night.“I thought you’d be too busy making up in his sheets.”The image flashed through my head. I put my palms over my eyes. “Ife!”“I saw the way you were looking at him Amara, like you want to tear his shirt off and mask him
JamesWe had our dinner in complete silence, each of us consumed by their own thoughts. I wish Amara would just tell me what was going through her mind so I would know how to fix the problem between us.I drank all of my wine, and so did she. I could tell she was warming up to me from the way her gaze lingered too long on me, or how her eyes drifted to my lips when she thought I wasn’t looking.“Thank you for having dinner with me,” I told her when we were done.“I only agreed because of my mother, I don’t want to ruin the new relationship I have with her.”I wanted to call her bluff. Amara wasn’t the type to do something just because others asked. I’ll let her get away with the excuse because it brought her closer to me.“You can drop me off at Ife’s house, I haven’t cleaned my apartment yet so I’ll be staying there longer than planned.”I helped her with her coat. “The night is still young, and there’s somewhere I’ve been dying to take you to.”Her eyes narrowed at me. “You’re not t
James“Alright.”For a complete ten seconds I stood there without registering her response. I’d been so sure she was going to turn down my suggestion that I found it hard to believe that I was hearing right. “You’re going to give me a chance to talk things over?”“I just said yes James, don’t make me change my mind.”It’s a good thing I’d kept the reservation I made in anticipation for tonight. Cayden and Henry had tried to talk me out of it, that she’d clearly rejected me many times and I needed to give up.But I’d held onto the hope that I had. That she would remember the good times we had and give me a chance. Looks like luck was on my side. I wish I could flip my middle finger in their faces.“I made a reservation at a restaurant, just the two of us. If that’s okay with you.” I needed to play my cards right so I don’t upset her and have her banging the door in my face again. “I’m already having dinner with my family, we can just talk in your car. I think—”“Oh, Amara.” My mother
AmaraIt was finally here; the day of my grand reveal. I was well within my rights to be nervous, everybody else would.I’d been worried that people would not show up for the exhibition, why would they for an artist they didn’t even know what she looked like. But boy, was I wrong? The gallery was fully packed save for the small makeshift stage that was situated at the far corner where my name was put up in a banner.Ife was with me, but the more she tried to calm my nerves, the more nervous I grew.My family was not here yet and it made me worried. What if mum changed her mind about supporting me and saw the exhibition as a waste of her time?It was unfair doubting her like this. But, when you’ve been burned many times in the past, it becomes hard not to grow weary that it could happen all over again.“What if she didn’t get the invite?” I asked Ife.“Who?”“My mum, they’re not here yet. Do you think she bailed?”“You need to have more faith in the people around you, Amara. I’m sure
AmaraSpending time with my family helped me get out of the mental dump I’d found myself in. It was nice to sit down in complete laughter, enjoying the laughter and the food the cook had put her magic touch in. I slept over and went back the next morning to Ife’s place, only to find her sitting through a couple letters.“Have a secret admirer?” I teased, hanging up my jacket.“As if. These are for you?”I looked over her shoulder at the pink flowered envelopes she was holding. “I can’t think of a single person on this damn planet that’ll be sending me letters.”“Well, I can. They’re from James, maybe it’s time you give him a listening ear. I’m beginning to feel bad for him.”“You can do whatever you want with the letters.” I walked straight to the door and shut it after me. I sat on the floor, head hung between my knees. Why was he making it so difficult to move on from him? It wasn’t that I couldn’t forgive him, I just wouldn’t be able to trust him again. Going back to him would be
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