The Paying Guests Novels & Stories

First love is the best love, and the best love is the one that lasts forever. Melora Channing thought she would never see Chance Benson again. But of all the weddings in all the towns in all the world, he decided to be one of the guests at this particular one. Was it a coincidence? After so many years, her teenage dream, her first love, was hiding in the same broom closet, talking to her like he had just seen her the day before. The notorious billionaire, the same boy who used to hang out with her brother in high school, offers her the leading part in a ‘scandalous’ public affair… to help him distract the tabloids from a damaging scandal. ‘It would be fun,’ he said. ‘Just for a few days…’ But neither Melora nor Chance expected their public affair to become so real, so passionate away from the paparazzi, behind closed doors. Or to change their lives forever.

On my wedding day, my groom's sister, Nadia Lawson, wears an elaborate ball gown and comes on stage to snatch the emcee's microphone. Before all the guests, she arrogantly says to me, "Can't you see the princess is here? Why didn't you curtsy and greet me? You deserve to be punished! Get on your knees and prostrate yourself before me as an apology!" My expression sours at her insolence. I turn around only to see the indulgent expressions on her parents' faces. The groom, Bowen Lawson, says dotingly, "We spoiled Nad silly since she was a child. You are her sister-in-law now. Don't make things hard for her." I am so mad that I can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. The clown thinks she's a princess, asking me to kneel before her? Ridiculous.

My mother-in-law and I were traveling together. We'd just checked into the Solenne Hotel in Rivera City and decided to hit the pool. Then this woman—dressed like money and attitude—pinched her nose like we stank. "This is a luxury hotel. How did you people even get in? Sneak in just for the pool? Ugh, I need a test after this." Buzzkill. I snapped, "It's a hotel pool. Guests swim. If that's a problem, go build your own." Her face twisted. "Excuse me? Do you even know who I am? My husband owns this place. We always stay in the top suite. So get out. You reek of broke. You're contaminating the water." Georgina and I traded a look. Ice cold. This was her son's hotel. My husband's. Since when did he come with a second wife?

My boyfriend abandoned me at the altar on the day of our wedding to accompany his childhood sweetheart, who was about to give birth as a single mother. Faced with the sarcastic looks thrown at me by the guests, I took off my wedding veil and headed to the hospital to confront him. I saw him holding her baby in his arms with love in his eyes. She asked him on purpose, "It's your wedding today, Sean. What if Riley gets mad at you for accompanying me during labor?" "I can get married anytime, but having a baby is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I'd be worried sick if I left you alone in the hospital.” "From this day onward, I'll be the baby's father. I won't let you both be bullied by anyone." I ended up marrying another man, but he crashed our wedding like a madman, begging me for another chance.

"Strip!" "W..what?" Mary stuttered, not believing what she had just heard. Did this man just tell her to strip in the midst of everyone? Granted, there were only three in the room, but it was still outrageous. "I said strip Mary! I am a paying client, and I would like to see what I am paying for. You are to be my wife; it is only reasonable that I see all the goods." *** Notorious playboy Nicholas Harrington, known for his scandalous affairs, finds himself caught in yet another illicit escapade, causing concern for the future of his family's empire. Frustrated with his son's behavior, Nicholas's father forces him into an arranged marriage. Reluctantly, he marries Mary, an orphan raised in a convent, and their relationship begins with a rocky start. Nicholas, having no regard for his wife, continues with his indulgent lifestyle. It continued for some months until Nicholas became tired and threw Mary out on the street. But little did he know that Mary was already with child. With nowhere to go, Mary was forced to roam the streets until help came. Tragedy struck when Nicholas's father was diagnosed with an incurable disease and had a few months to go. But he was only going to hand over the company if Nicholas gave him a grandson. Now Nicholas must begin to look for his wife and try to convince her to give him a male child. And he would do everything he could to keep Mary with him. Their reunion sparks a turbulent journey of anger, passion, and hidden desires. Mary and Nicholas find themselves at a crossroads. Can they overcome the scars of their tumultuous history and embrace a future together, or are they destined for a bittersweet ending?

Three days before our wedding, I tell Gabriel Miller that I want to terminate our marriage once and for all. He just smiles helplessly at me. "Is it because I hooked Katherine's bra for her?" I nod in response. "Yup." The helplessness in his smile grows. "Kat is so clumsy. The last clasp came loose and she couldn't fix it herself. There were so many guests at the banquet last night, so I had to lend her a helping hand." Upon noting my lack of response, Gabriel pushes a Victoria's Secret giftbox in my direction. But I refuse to accept it. We've been together since our years in our hometown all the way till our time in Marise. Over the years, we've grown older and more mature. It's been 18 long years. Now is time for me to let go of this relationship once and for all.

“Forbidden marriage, dangerous love, and a bloody inheritance.” Enola Spark was nothing more than a “useless child” in the eyes of her family—beautiful but always looked down upon, oppressed by her uncle, and sidelined by her cousin, Clarine, the perfect heiress. But everything changed on the night of Clarine’s engagement to Damian Cassel, the tyrannical heir feared by the entire city. A scandal erupted in front of family and guests: Damian chose Enola instead. One night of sin binds them in a marriage that shocks everyone. Clarine is humiliated, her uncle is furious, and Damian’s stepbrother vows to bring them down. The wedding is only the beginning of the war. Enola must endure humiliation, jealousy, and betrayal from the family dinner table to the corporate boardroom. Yet behind Damian’s cold exterior, Enola discovers a side of the man he only shows her. In a world filled with intrigue and inheritance battles, can Enola survive? Or will this forbidden love be their downfall?

Kathryn Rodriguez loved Mo Co for 3 years, married him for 2 years, but what she received was only lies and suffering. He coerced her, forced her to donate blood to the one he loved, did a lot of evil and unethical things,... Because of him, she ignored many other precious feelings, from her best friend to hers; her family, and most importantly... is the person who truly loves her - Elwyn Holland. After paying off the debt that the other people caused her, she decided to free herself from this painful life, but unexpectedly, she was reincarnated and returned to the time when she was in high school.

At the engagement banquet, Monique Walton is in the middle of telling all the guests and the viewers of the livestream that's taking place about our tale of romance. What she doesn't know is that I have already swapped out the romantic video of our sweet memories for the racy clip of her and Terry Caldwell going at it like rabbits. When the clip is presented on the monitor, everyone falls silent immediately. That's when the live comments on the livestream instantly overwhelm the comment section. Monique turns around in a fluster, the well-maintained smile on her face starting to crack bit by bit. She stumbles toward the control panel, accidentally knocking over the champagne tower in her haste. Amid the chaos, I draw to my feet and walk onto the stage. Then, I pick up the microphone Monique has just dropped. "Everyone, this engagement banquet is officially canceled. From now on, Monique Walton and I are no longer affiliated with each other."

My student, Renee Blue, comes from a poor family, and her mother suffers from uremia. Out of sympathy, I lent her some money. She promised to pay me back after graduation. However, on graduation day, she handed me an ultrasound and told me, "Your money comes from your husband anyway, right? I’m pregnant with your husband’s baby, so I won’t be paying you back. Also, you should step aside." I was in shock… because my husband had been dead for seven years. It wasn't until I saw Renee with my driver that I understood how she got pregnant.