Lahat ng Kabanata ng Paid to be the CEO's Girlfriend: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 9

On board the Luxor Grande, a massive 230-foot private jet cutting through the night sky, was none other than Edward Harrington, the big-shot CEO of Harrington Group of Companies. He’s rocking those fancy shades and a suit that screamed 'I'm rich and I know it,' perfectly matching the luxurious private jet he'd purchased for a cool $600,000,000 during his Swiss vacation. Talk about living the high life. It had been six months since Edward jetted off to Europe for some serious business. Now, he’s itching to get back to the Philippines and surprise the most important woman in his life, Alice Dawson—his girlfriend of five years and his childhood sweetheart. "Good evening, Sir. Dom Pérignon?" the stewardess asked, her smile as bright as the champagne she’s offering. She had a trolley piled high with fancy drinks and sandwiches, and her uniform was a tight fit, showing off her amazing figure. "Sure," Edward replied, his voice smooth and cool, like a guy who knows exactly what he wants.

Edward gripped the steering wheel tightly with one hand, the other clutching a beer bottle—his seventh since starting the drive, he guessed. Rock music, something he wouldn't normally listen to, blared from the speakers. He sped down the winding road towards La Cresta, his foot heavy on the gas. 'Alice, will you marry me?' The memory of his proposal to Alice on their fourth anniversary was still vivid in his mind. 'I do! I do! I'll marry you, Edward!' Alice replied, her voice choked with tears of joy, before crashing her lips onto his. It had been one of the happiest days of Edward's life, a memory that used to make him smile, but now it felt like a knife twisting in his heart and mind. Alice betrayed him, not just with some random guy, but with his closest friend. He felt utterly betrayed. Edward slammed his foot on the accelerator, the car speeding up even more. Thankfully, traffic was sparse in this area, otherwise, he might have crashed, fueled by his rage. Edward was

"The nerve of you to show up here! Your whole damn salary ain't even enough to cover Mr. Smith's busted nose treatment! Shame on you! You're fired!" Aunt Nadia's furious rant made Sheila shut her eyes in resignation. Sheila, just a waitress, felt disrespected and treated like some kind of a prostitute, so no wonder she freaked out. Edward just defended her, but it seemed like she’s being unfairly blamed for what happened. "Well, it's Mr. Handsome who threw the punch, not Shie—" "You too! You wanna get canned too?!" Aunt Nadia cut off Betty's defense. Betty wanted to speak up for Sheila, but as fellow employees, they both chose to remain silent to avoid more drama. Taking a deep breath, Sheila hesitantly pleaded for another chance to stay at La Cresta. "Just one more chance. It won't happen again. I'll treat Mr. Smith properly if that's what you want, just let me continue worki—" "What?! You really think you can disrespect me like that?" Aunt Nadia mocked, tearing up Sheila's

Betty fled the penthouse, the glittering lights of La Cresta a dizzying blur. Her tears welled up, but she quickly wiped them away. Her mind was racing. She had to find help. Just a waitress, a nobody in this world of luxury, she had no powerful friends to call on, but she couldn't give up. As the headlights of a car approached in the distance, a flicker of hope ignited. Maybe, just maybe, someone would see her, someone who could help her save her friend. Meanwhile, Edward and Toni were chatting happily, heading towards the plaza of Upper Crest Haven to watch Shiela and her group perform. "Sir, you seem different today. Watching fire dancing for the first time, and you're even offering freebies after their performance? I swear, I almost forgot that Ma'am Alice broke your heart," Toni teased, his voice laced with playful sarcasm. He'd been poking fun at his boss for a while now. Edward smiled and shook his head, his attention fixed on the road. "Come on, it's just a friendly gestur

“Rest now, Shiela,” Edward whispered. A smile curved on his lips as he looked at the young lady sleeping. As the highest bidder, he had returned her to his inn after the auction. Three days. The contract was painfully clear. He’s free to do anything he pleased. Afterwards, she’d be handed over to two other affluent men who had purchased her. Edward, meanwhile, had no intention of doing anything to her. He desired to offer her freedom, a short escape from that harsh, predatory world. Eighty million pesos meant nothing. He hadn't purchased her for his own gratification, but to provide her a chance to leave, though it’s only fleeting. He took a deep breath. His thoughts resonated with Betty's words. Suffering from Alzheimer's, Shiela's mother had been in a serious accident. Desperate, she’d sought to leave La Cresta but was instead caught by Aunt Nadia and pushed into the auction, a harsh collaboration between the elderly gay man and Mr. Smith. The image of the lecherous smile