All Chapters of My Boss, My Nextdoor Neighbor And Me: Chapter 91 - Chapter 100

Shayle's POV The waves kept rolling in, steady and indifferent, while Kieran's words hung between us like smoke I couldn't wave away. “I love you, Shayle Vale.” I'd known those words were coming for weeks. Maybe longer. Every time he looked at me a second too long, every time he touched my hand like it was something precious, every time he showed up without being asked. I had felt them building, quiet and patient, waiting for the right moment to spill out. And now here they were. I stared at him, the candlelight flickering across his face, making his eyes look darker, softer, more vulnerable than I had ever seen them. My chest ached in that familiar, dull way it did whenever I let myself feel too much. He waited. No pressure in his expression. No demand. Just open, raw hope that made my stomach twist. I opened my mouth. Closed it. Tried again. The truth was messy and ugly and too big for this perfect night. Part of me still carried Lucien like a bruise that never qui

Shayle's POV I thought a miracle would feel louder.I expected something dramatic. Tears. Screaming. Maybe me laughing like a madwoman or collapsing into some kind of hysterical mess. Instead, it came quietly, like a tap on the shoulder, like the world clearing its throat and going, “hey, you are not done yet.”I sat on the hospital bed with my hands curled into the thin blanket, staring at the wall like it might suddenly explain everything. My chest still felt weird, not tight anymore but hollow, like something important had been removed without asking.Not dying.The words kept looping in my head. Not dying. No countdown. No ending marked on the calendar. No careful goodbyes disguised as casual distance.Kieran stood by the window, arms crossed, jaw clenched. He looked relieved and tense at the same time, like someone who had just survived a crash and was only now realizing how close it had been.I broke first.“So,” I muttered. “That’s… that.”He turned slowly. His eyes met mine a

Shayle's POV The next day, I did not plan to stay.I told myself I would drop by, see Kieran, clear the air, then leave before my thoughts turned ugly. That promise lasted exactly three seconds after I stepped into the shop.Crystal was already there again. When was she going to leave? Or was Kieran letting her stay?She leaned against the counter like she belonged to it, dressed like she knew eyes would linger. Tight jeans. Low top. Hair loose and shiny. Confidence dripping off her like perfume.Kieran stood a few feet away, cleaning his station with sharp, angry strokes. His shoulders were tense. His jaw looked locked in place.He glanced up when he noticed me.For a second, relief flashed across his face.Then Crystal moved.“Oh,” she chimed, sliding closer to him. “You are back.”I stayed where I was. Quietly, watching.Kieran did not smile. “I told you to wait in the front.”Crystal laughed softly. “I missed you.”That earned her nothing. No reaction. No warmth.“I am working,”

Shayle's POV The room felt smaller the longer she stared at me.Kieran’s mother did not blink. Her mouth stayed tight like she had been waiting to unload this venom all along and now finally had permission.“I will be very clear,” she continued, voice sharp enough to slice skin. “You are not up to our status.”The word status landed heavy on my chest.Kieran stiffened beside me. “Mother, stop.”She lifted a hand, cutting him off without even looking at him. “No. I have been quiet long enough.”Her eyes returned to me, slow and cruel. “You come from nothing. You bring nothing. And you expect to sit at this table like you belong.”My fingers curled into my palm. I felt heat rush up my neck, shame mixed with anger, humiliation crawling under my skin.“I never expected anything,” I replied, voice trembling despite my effort. “I did not ask to be here.”She laughed once, dry and ugly. “Yet here you are.”Kieran stepped forward. “This is enough. You are crossing a line.”She turned to him

Shayle's POV I did not expect Lucien to show up at my apartment again.I should have. Anyone with sense would have. He had never been a man who respected boundaries, especially not when he believed something belonged to him. And right now, every look he gave me screamed possession like it was stitched into his bones.I had just kicked off my shoes and dropped my bag when the knock came. Three hard knocks. No hesitation. No patience.My chest tightened immediately.I knew who it was before I even reached the door.When I opened it, Lucien stood there in a dark coat, eyes sharp and uninvited, filling the doorway like he had always lived there. His gaze swept over me slowly, taking me in, and something warm and dangerous curled in my stomach.“You are avoiding me,” he muttered.“I’m busy,” I replied, keeping my tone flat even though my pulse was already racing. “You cannot just show up here.”“I can,” he countered, stepping inside before I could stop him. “And I will.”I closed the door