Page 1 of My Billionaire Neighbor's Secret

Chapter 1

LEIGH

Thebustlingstreetsflewpast my eyes, the swingeing energy seeping through my veins and making me stay wide awake despite the exhausting trip I just had.

I was sitting in the backseat of the luxurious Mercedes Benz sedan that my company had used to pick me up from the airport. Looking out the window, I couldn’t help but marvel at the city lights that had just been turned on now that the sky was darkening already.

A group of tall women in sparkling dresses and fur coats, wearing colorful makeup and flashy headdresses, caught my attention. They were just coming out of one of the biggest casinos in the area. On closer look, they weren’t women, after all. They were drag queens!

Suddenly, in front of an enormous hotel, I saw two bare-chested men performing some tricks with their props, entertaining passersby. Together with them were three showgirls wearing skimpy, shiny costumes with enormous feathers on their heads and backs.

Well, hello, Las Vegas!I thought with both excitement and apprehension. It was my first time here, and I was not even coming for just a visit.

My contract was for one year. But I’m looking forward to the adventure. I desperately need it right now and this was the perfect opportunity.

“How was your flight, Miss Andrews?” the young lady in the front seat asked me. Her name was Rasha and she had introduced herself earlier as my new executive assistant. Her blonde curly hair and wide blue eyes made her look like a Barbie doll, but the management told me that she was the best assistant I could ever have. Her friendly smile, combined with the polite and reserved way she conversed with me, made me think we would get along pretty well.

“They flew me in business class, so it was relaxing in the plane,” I told her. “But the airport was packed and the lines were stressful. Overall the trip was still tiring, but I’m just so pumped up to get started here.”

Rasha smiled. “That’s wonderful! We’re all excited to work with you.”

“Thanks,” I said, returning her smile. “Me too.”

The offer couldn’t have come with better timing.

We turned right at the corner, leaving the popular Las Vegas Strip, and eventually came to a point where it wasn’t too crowded. This area had artsy, cool shops, vintage stores, restaurants, and more.

I was just having fun checking out the shops we were passing by when we came into what looked like a range of wedding boutiques. My heart seemed to jump into my throat.

At first, I wanted to look away, but I forced myself to stay still. I needed to accept it.

A lovely young woman could be seen prancing around in a flowing wedding gown through the shop window. Her face was radiant.

Something dark seemed to overcloud my high spirits. An unwanted image flashed in my mind. I quickly brushed it away.

Beside the shop was a small white wedding chapel that said it was open 24/7.Well, that’s Las Vegas for you!I thought bitterly.

Thankfully, Rasha was too busy doing something on her cellphone to make any comment that would have forced me to talk about such. I wanted to stay away from anything that had to do with weddings and relationships.

Soon we rounded upon a very nice neighborhood with beautiful two-storey houses. It was an above-average area with wide spaces and lots of greenery on the sidewalks. There was even a park for families and kids.

I’ve only seen photos of the house where I’ll be staying as part of my promotion and one-year contract here. So when we slowed down in front of the beige house with big windows and a spacious driveway and front yard, I was awestruck. It was certainly a huge leap from my medium-sized apartment in Ohio.

And it’s already six-thirty in the evening. I wonder how it would look in the daytime.

The house looked well-kept even though it was supposedly a decade old. It was going to be a challenge for me to maintain a space this massive, especially if I was going to be very busy working the entire week.

“Don’t worry,” Rasha suddenly quipped, as if she had just read my mind. “Part of your package includes a weekly housekeeper to help you with maintenance.”

“Wow, nice,” I said, grinning. “Are you a mind reader or something?”

She laughed. “Uh, just assumed that concern from the look on your face.”

“Hhmm… they weren’t joking when they said you’d make the best assistant,” I said.

The driver opened the door for me then. The night breeze greeted me and I suddenly wondered how those showgirls could strut around in those costumes.Their butts must be freezing!

It’s a good thing I was wearing my favorite blue trousers and a matching thick blazer over a lacy tank top. I also had on a printed scarf that made me feel warm and look stylish but still professional.

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