The Guest List Novels & Stories

*3 Days Before | Carter Holdings, 40th Floor* The invitation was thick. Black card. Gold foil. _BLACKWOOD FOUNDATION GALA THEME: LEGACY HOST: SOPHIA BLACKWOOD_ Elena dropped it on the table. Maya picked it up. “You’re going?” Elena looked at it. she said. “What do you think?.” Ryan stepped forward. “Ma’am. Guest list just came in. 300 people. Blackwood board. City council. Press.”

I’ve been gone long enough, and I knew many things had changed then. Suddenly remembering something important, I flicked my finger. “Oh! And please prepare the guest list for me.” “You mean this?” he asked teasingly, revealing a maroon clipped documented folder with a “Guest List” label on the side of it. I narrowed my eyes and laughed. “You know me so well.” As soon as he handed it over, I started scanning inside, and my eyes immediately fell on a strange name among the guests’ names. “Mr.K” Pointing a finger on it, I confusingly asked, “Who’s this? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of him before.”

‎ ‎ ‎"W-w what guest list?" ‎ ‎ ‎Rosette kissed her teeth angrily and fixed her eyes on me, she tilted her head, ‎ ‎ ‎i took the hint. "we need the guest list Mr Hosea. —the one you compiled for the gala, remember?" I tucked my hands in my pockets, trying my best to keep him from totally freaking out, ‎ ‎ ‎but sweat beads continually formed at the corners of his face as he crippled back in his chair horrifically. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎"I —i don't have it." he stuttered saying,

“She’s not on the guest list.... I know every name written here ” My stomach twisted. I gripped the edge of the couch, my nails digging into the fabric. I wasn’t like Killian—I didn’t notice every detail, didn’t obsess over every angle. But this girl…..she felt wrong, like a note played off-key. “What if she used a fake name?” I asked, my voice small. He shook his head, still typing. “We checked everyone. Russian guests had to show ID or passports. Security was airtight.” I leaned back, my heart pounding. “She didn’t run,” I said suddenly.

Elaine arrived five minutes later with her tablet and a face that said she had already seen the same invitation through formal channels. “Guest list?” Daniel asked. “Partial,” Elaine said. “Vivian Marsh. Celia Wren. Mrs. Alden. Mr. Cross. Bellamy. Marian. Charles and Margaret. Two donor families. One society columnist who frequently covers foundation events.” Leah’s stomach dropped. “Columnist?” “Not national press,” Elaine said. “But public enough.” Public enough. Margaret did not need the world. Only the right rooms. Daniel’s jaw tightened. “Purpose.”

“I have the final list of guests of the investor and their quest on the upcoming party on Monday night. I just wanted to make sure you had a chance to look it over before the event starts.” I take the list from her graciously, scanning the names quickly to make sure everything looks in order. I had invited fifty of my top investors, and each one had been given the opportunity to bring up to two family members or friends. I wanted this to be a special night, a chance for my investors to mingle and network in a relaxed setting while also getting to know me, their company's CEO, on a more personal level. “Thank you, Janet,” I say, handing the list back to her. “This looks perfect. Please make s

“Time isn’t on our side.” Minnie swallowed hard. Four days. She hadn’t even told Ellie yet. Her head spun. “I’ll need your guest list today,” Marlena continued. “Invitations are being couriered out by the evening.” Minnie let out a hollow laugh. “Guest list?” Marlena raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have a guest list,” Minnie admitted. “There’s no one to send an invitation to. Just… Ellie. My roommate. She’s like a sister, but… that’s it.”

Victoria said. Bridget hesitated. “Carson do you think that’s fine?” she asked. He looked at her for a moment. “Whatever you want” he said. She frowned. “You could at least pretend to care” she said. “I’ve done enough pretending” he said. Victoria clapped her hands once. “Stop this nonsense. We have work to do” she said. Bridget looked down at the table her lips tight. “Fine” she said. “Good” Victoria said. “Now about the guest list. We’re expecting over four hundred people. I’ve already invited the mayor the business council and the ambassador’s wife.”

A nice ash-blonde haired lady in her late forties walks behind this huge gorilla of a bodyguard and he startles by her question. "Oh, hey Jane. This man insists he's supposed to be a guest at the ball." "Is he in the lists?" "No, that's the thing." The woman, Jane as it came clear, starts swiping through the little book and cocks an eyebrow, then they continue talking about something and I just stand here like a fool of some kind. How is it possible to not be in these so-called guests-lists but to be invited by the host herself?! "Mr. Rowan, I'm afraid your name really does not appear in the lists."

“Uh, guest list. Do you want to check it?” I stared at him for a second before taking it. My eyes skimmed over the names, familiar and expected. Some mattered. Most did not. I noticed Wren’s name. I was the one to advocate for this but it was impossible for her to show up. “Anyone not on this list doesn’t get in,” I said, handing it back. “What if they’re with someone who is?” “They still don’t get in.” He nodded quickly. “Got it.” “And if anyone gives you trouble-”