The Cider House Rules Novels & Stories

Vivian stared at me, stunned, before collapsing into uncontrollable sobs. "I... I just gave in to temptation! Please help me pay the taxes my company owes—or I'll go to prison. If you help me, I'll come home and be a full-time wife. I'll take good care of you, and we can have another child..." I couldn't listen anymore. I stood up and stepped away from her. "This house is my premarital property. Move out immediately, or I'll have your things thrown out on the street." Why would I want a full-time wife who cheats on me and tries to trap me with another man's child?

I sniffed in, just once, and the smell of soap, gun oil, and coffee hit my nose almost immediately. My pulse kicked against my throat. He dropped my bag, turned, and slapped a laminated sheet already waiting on the fridge. I followed his gaze to find the most absurd thing I had ever seen in my twenty years of living on this fucked up planet. HOUSE RULES No swearing. Every curse = 10 cane strokes. Address me as Sir or Uncle Gabriel at all times. Eyes down unless I say otherwise. Break these rules and suffer whatever consequences I see fit. “Are you serious?” I asked, studying him carefully. “What do you think this is? Military bootcamp?”

Jake’s POV The house had never felt so loud and it was not because anyone was shouting. In fact, it was the opposite. The silence had become unbearable. Marcus ensured he avoided me. If I walked into the kitchen, he suddenly remembered something outside. If I joined everyone by the pool, he’d volunteer to clean the grill or answer emails from work.

"And read this. These are the rules of this house. We need to be clear on how this is going to work." I opened the folder. The list was short and typed in a plain font. 1. No talking about the past. Ever. 2. No touching in private. We are business partners. 3. When the cameras are on, you are the person I love most in the world. I read the third rule twice. It felt like a slap in the face. "The person you love most? Isn't that a bit much?"

“That’s okay, I put Lily in her place when I got home so my spirits are high.” “Good girl,” he chuckled, grabbing two of the four glasses I’d put away not too long ago. “Sparkling cider?” “I haven’t bought any proper glasses,” I smirked, Arlington shrugging. “If it holds liquid, it’s proper.” “Did you get a hold of Adam?” I asked, accepting a glass of the cider. “I did, and he’s working late,” he replied, holding up his glass. “He’ll be over later, he said. Now… to Alice, the wolf among sheep.”

Ava’s POV There were only a few rules I lived by in college. Rule number one? Never fall for a jock. It wasn’t just a personal preference. It was survival; I had to avoid them in order to do well. I had seen too many smart girls throw away their GPA for a 6'0 something guy with biceps, a quarterback playboy and a bad attendance record. Not me, no way, I'll never do that, that's how I survived my first year in Westbridge University, and I'm not going to break that rule in my second year.

Ken was still present, and I covered my face, closing my eyes in mortification. "Pet," Romario growled in my ear, making me open my eyes. "I need you to remember a few rules for this party." He spoke seriously, and I sat up straight to listen. "First, don't drink anything offered to you." Easy enough, since I didn't drink alcohol anyway. "Second, don't speak unless asked a question, and be polite and respectful." I nodded, understanding. "Most importantly, don't leave my sight. I'll punish you if you break any of these rules, understand?" He pecked my lips, and I replied, "Yes, Master."

It was stupid but we’d been rolling the dies for hours and each of us had accrued some debt. Normally, it would make more sense if we had to pay the person who made the sixes but Thea had made up the rules and thought it’d be more fun. Charlie on the other hand had forgotten the rules of the game because she was so f*cking wasted. “Oh My God. My tummy hurts.” My temples were wet with tears. Everything felt right again. “Since I’m the only one who isn’t drunk right now, I’ll calculate our debts.” I picked up the board where I’d recorded everything.

Some rules have divided sections. On the first page were rules to the sitting room and diner table. Whoever gets to the sitting room first decides what channel to watch. Business news must be watched in the morning and night. No phone is allowed at the diner till the diner is over. No eating after the forty minutes the diner has started. “Funny eating is even timed,”I chuckled. I was reading the rules to be familiar with the house and to avoid getting into troubles with them. Same time, reading it keeps me company so I don’t miss my phone too much. Library is a must visit on Wednesday afternoons for two hours.

"So I'm a big girl and I can have some, but the little virgin here isn't ready for booze." I popped the cork and both girls shouted out excitedly and grabbed their glasses. "You know these are wine glasses." I said, filling them. "The champagne flutes are the thin ones." "These hold more!" Heather protested. All I could do is laugh and shake my head. "I don't know who raised you girls..." "You did!" Honey said, and moved to my right side. "And you did a good job, didn't he Heather?" "Yes." Heather answered, "He did a very good job." Heather moved to my other side. I filled my own glass and wrapped my arms around my angels. We clinked glasses and all went to drink, but Honey pushed Heather's