All Chapters of My Boss, My Nextdoor Neighbor And Me: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

SHAYLEEvening came without us even realizing. The sun had already started to tilt toward the horizon, bleeding colors into the ocean sky. I kicked at the sand as the wind brushed against my hair, laughing quietly at how soft the waves sounded when they touched my feet. Lucien just stood there, hands in his pockets, watching me like I was some sort of entertainment he didn’t know he needed.“You know you can actually join in instead of just standing there?” I threw him a look over my shoulder.He smirked. “I don’t build sand castles.”“Who said I was building one?” I crouched down anyway and began scooping sand with my hands. “Fine. Now I’m building one.”He sighed, shaking his head as he came closer. “You’re really doing this?”“Yeah, what? Afraid to get your precious shoes dirty?”He glanced down at his shoes then at me before grinning. “Not really.”And then, without warning, he used his foot to kick through my half-built castle.“Hey!” I shrieked, jumping up as he burst out lau

SHAYLELucien paused, reins tight in his hands, but he didn’t look at me. I waited, hoping he’d at least say something, anything that would make sense.He finally turned his horse toward me, those dark unreadable eyes landing right on mine. The kind that never told you what he was thinking. My stomach twisted.“Is there something wrong?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended.“Yes,” he replied flatly. “But I can’t tell what’s wrong yet.”“What’s that supposed to mean?”He didn’t explain, just looked at me like there was a bigger picture he wasn’t ready to share.For some reason, I felt like we weren’t even talking about the same thing. His words sounded heavy, almost like they meant something more personal to him.Before I could ask again, a gush of wind swept through, cold and strong, rustling the leaves nearby. Lucien looked up at the sky; gray clouds were rolling in from the distance.“It might rain soon,” he muttered. “We should head back.”Without waiting, he turned his hors

LUCIENI slipped into my suit and adjusted the cufflinks. Then glanced at my reflection in the mirror. Satisfied, I strapped on my watch last.When I stepped out into the living room, the couch caught my eye first. Empty now, but hours ago, Mitchelle had been there, sprawled and spent. The memory hit me hard: that rush of ecstasy while picturing Shayle on her knees instead, her eyes locked on mine. Fuck, it had felt too real, too intense. I shook the thought away quickly; no time for all that, not with family drama waiting.My gaze shifted to the ashtray beside the couch. She had still left her cigarette butt smoldering there despite telling her to take that shit away.And right next to it, her bra dangled off the edge like some cheap trophy. Was she that desperate? Throwing herself at me wasn't enough; now she was marking territory with her underwear? I called out for Eric, one of my guards, and he appeared in the doorway, stance alert."When the maid gets here, tell her to scrub

SHAYLE I woke up before my alarm today. Maybe it was because I’d actually slept so well. The days off work had done me good. My body felt lighter, my head clearer, and I wasn’t dragging myself out of bed like a zombie.I got ready quicker than usual; shower, hair, a touch of red lipstick, and my now usual neutral makeup. I pulled on my blouse and tucked it neatly into my skirt that was a bit above my knees, before slipping into my heels. I picked up my phone to check messages before heading out. Nothing new.I frowned. Kieran still hadn’t replied to my texts or returned my call.That was strange. He always answered, even if it was late.Was he okay?I slipped my phone into my bag and slung it over my shoulder, hesitating as I reached for the door. Maybe I should check on him before leaving.My eyes drifted to his door across the hall. Should I knock? What if he was asleep? Or worse, avoiding me? But why would he? We hadn’t fought or anything. There was no reason to.I hesitated fo

SHAYLE I stood before the board members, my palms damp and my heart beating hard against my ribs. The long mahogany table stretched endlessly before me, with the head of the board sitting at the far end, his hands folded neatly over a stack of papers. His tone was calm, but his words pressed against my chest.“All we need is the truth, Miss Shayle,” he said. “If the accused didn’t do it on purpose, the company will handle this matter quietly. She might not even lose her job. But if she did it intentionally, then we’ll have no choice but to hand the case over to the police as attempted murder since you clearly can’t swim and she knew that.”The word murder made my stomach twist. I felt nauseous, like I could throw up right there. Maybe it was the anxiety, or maybe it was the way my thoughts kept spinning between right and wrong. Between saying the truth and lying. Lucien sat on the right side of the table, his sharp eyes fixed on me. Even though he hadn’t spoken once since this me