All Chapters of My Boss, My Nextdoor Neighbor And Me: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

SHAYLE I didn’t know why, but the moment he whispered that one word—please—something in my chest gave way. I couldn’t bring myself to move anymore.I crouched properly beside him, ignoring the slight ache in my knees, and placed my hand back on his shoulder. “Alright,” I murmured quietly. “I’m not leaving. I’m right here.”His grip on my wrist loosened a little, though his breathing still came out fast and uneven. The silence filled the room, broken only by the faint sound of the busy city outside. My heart thudded in my chest, the sound almost too loud in the dark.For a while, neither of us spoke. We just stayed there; me crouched on the floor, him sitting awkwardly against the desk, his fingers twitching like he was trying to control himself.Eventually, his breathing steadied. His voice was rough when he spoke again. “The lights should come back soon.”“Yeah,” I replied softly, even though I didn’t believe it. “I’ll try to reach for my phone, okay? The flashlight should help.”

SHAYLE “What?...Oh, Um… he’s my friend.” I stammered, looking away. Lucien nodded slowly, his voice quiet but sharp. “Of course. Who would want to date you?” The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and before I could even process what he just said, he stepped out. Just like that. I stood there for a second, blinking like an idiot. What the hell was that supposed to mean? My lips parted but no sound came out. The doors started to close, so I scoffed under my breath and hurried after him. By the time we reached his office, he didn’t even glance my way. “Get me coffee,” he muttered flatly, reaching for a file on his desk. Then he paused, turned slightly, and added in a low tone, “If you put sugar again this time, get ready to stay late for a week.” And then he walked off. I glared at his back before leaving his office. Still, I was weirdly relieved. At least he wasn’t pissed that I came in late. Maybe my small act of kindness last night softened him a little. Maybe not. Ei

SHAYLE It was finally Friday, and I couldn’t remember being this exhausted in a while. Lucien had managed to drain every drop of energy I had left in me in just one week of working for him. He didn’t yell or argue today, which was strange, but that somehow made it worse. The silent demands, the constant orders, and that piercing stare whenever I got something slightly wrong, it was enough to make anyone snap.The only relief was stepping out of the company doors, feeling the cool evening breeze hit my face. I walked home carrying my bag like my soul was tied to it. My brain screamed for one thing; a shower.When I reached my apartment, I kicked my shoes off, tossed my bag to the couch, and went straight to the bathroom. The hot water hitting my skin was heaven. I leaned against the tiles, letting the warmth wash away the stress.Just as I wrapped the towel around my chest and stepped out, the doorbell rang. I froze. Nobody ever came to my door. The only person who ever knocked was

SHAYLE I stood frozen, my heart still hammering from the way Lucien had just yelled at me. My mind felt blank. His voice, his glare, everything about the last five minutes kept replaying in my head. None of it made sense. I stared down at the pile of papers scattered on the floor.I didn’t mess with the document. I was sure of it.I tried to recall everything that happened that day in the printing room. I’d gone there to print the contract, nothing else. I watched every single page come out of the machine perfectly.And then I felt pressed and rushed to the restroom.When I came back... Alina was standing there.Holding one of the pages.My stomach twisted as the realization slowly hit me.Wait. Did she… did she do this?Lucien’s harsh voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Get out.”I blinked, looking up at him, startled. “Wait, can I…”“Out, Shayle.”I swallowed hard. “Can I at least take responsibility?”That made him pause. His eyes narrowed on me. “And how do you plan to do th

SHAYLE The moment Lucien stormed out, I didn’t wait another damn second to hear Alina’s voice or whatever she still had to say, lined up. I gathered the papers I had brought in, ignoring the shocked faces watching, and walked out. My hands were shaking, but I didn’t stop. I knew I had just acted like a total idiot in front of everyone. I should’ve let Alina face the consequences for what she did, let Lucien ruin her reputation for good, but I couldn’t.No matter how much of a bitch she was to me, I couldn’t just stand there and watch her get blacklisted.The walk back to my office felt endless. My chest was tight, my breathing uneven. I hated that I cared. I hated that no matter how much I told myself to grow a spine, I still cared for the same family who had stabbed me in the back.When I finally reached my office, I slammed the door shut, locked it, and leaned against it like I was holding my whole world from collapsing. Then I slid down to the floor and just… broke.The tears c