Cherreads

RENT-FREE PROBLEMS

Betsy_Njeri_9053
42
chs / week
The average realized release rate over the past 30 days is 42 chs / week.
--
NOT RATINGS
1.1k
Views
Synopsis
Zoe Achieng, a 25-year-old Nairobi-based content creator, suddenly finds herself homeless after a gas explosion leaves her apartment in ruins (along with her dreams of being a Pinterest queen). With nowhere else to go, she moves in with her estranged, drama-loving aunt Pauline, a retired actress who still thinks she’s starring in her own soap opera. Zoe quickly realizes the real challenge isn't just rebuilding her life—it’s surviving her aunt's outrageous routines, her neighbor's pet goat (who thinks he's a dog), and dodging the well-meaning setups from her aunt who is determined to get her married off to "any man with a job and a neck." Meanwhile, Zoe is hiding a secret: she was on the verge of launching a major brand collaboration—until the explosion literally blew it up. As she tries to fake perfection online, the chaos in her real life becomes harder to hide. Through the madness, unexpected friendships, and hilarious confrontations with Pauline’s chaotic church group, Zoe learns that perfection is overrated, and sometimes being knocked off your high horse is the best thing that can happen to you.
VIEW MORE

Chapter 1 - Boom Goes the printerest Queen

: "Boom Goes the Pinterest Queen"

If there was one thing Zoe Achieng had mastered in life, it was aesthetic. Her living room was a dreamy combo of fairy lights, indoor plants, and a couch no one was allowed to sit on unless they floated. Her Instagram feed was a curated masterpiece—warm tones, witty captions, and just enough leg in every photo to remind everyone she was hot but humble.

What she had not mastered, however, was gas cylinder safety.

It was a Tuesday. Or as Zoe called it: "Content Day." She was filming a kitchen tour for her YouTube series "Zoe's Zen Spaces," and had just lit a scented candle called "Vanilla Vibes" when the gas decided it too wanted to go viral.

BOOM.

Her apartment exploded like it owed someone rent. In a flash, her minimalist kitchen turned into a war zone. The fridge door landed on the balcony. Her favorite mug ("But First, Chai") was found two blocks away—miraculously intact. Zoe, who had dived behind the couch (finally giving it a purpose), emerged with soot on her face, one eyebrow singed, and an expression that screamed, Not my aesthetic!

The building manager, Mr. Kamau, stood staring in horror.

"Miss Zoe... what did you do?"

"I was just trying to boil eggs," she coughed, clutching her camera tripod like a survivor holding onto the last piece of civilization. "Soft-boiled. Like my spirit right now."

Cue emergency services. Cue scandalized neighbors. Cue her phone lighting up with confused DMs:

"Girl, why is your apartment trending?"

"Are you okay?"

"Did you try to cook again?"

By evening, she had only one option left: move in with the last person who still believed in her after all her failed diet plans and relationship choices—Aunt Pauline.