All Chapters of PRETEND PRINCESS: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Creed’s POVI barely make it halfway down the hall when I hear raised voices.Again.I sigh, straightening my suit as I round the corner—only to find Zara and Yuyu standing toe-to-toe in the middle of the hallway.Zara’s posture is poised, arms crossed, her lips pressed in a tight, unimpressed line. She looks as if she’s just stepped off the cover of a luxury magazine, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against her elbow with elegant disapproval.Yuyu, on the other hand—Drenched.The front of that ridiculous rhinestone dress is soaked, clinging to her in dark, wet patches, but her expression is eerily composed."What," I say flatly, "is going on here?"Zara turns to me instantly, relief flashing in her eyes as she steps forward, gracefully reaching for the lapels of my suit, her delicate fingers brushing against the fabric as if seeking comfort."Creed," she breathes, eyes soft, yet stormy with emotion. "You will not believe what just happened."I arch a brow.She exhales, lookin

Creed’s POVThe moment I stepped into my penthouse, the silence felt almost suffocating. The space was immaculate—modern furniture, expensive artwork, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline. Everything in its place. Everything untouched.It was the kind of home that should feel grand, yet it only ever felt empty.I sighed, tossing my blazer over a chair and heading straight to the bathroom. Hot water cascaded down my back, washing away the exhaustion clinging to my muscles. For a brief moment, I let myself relax—until the sound of the doorbell shattered the quiet.I froze.Then, the faint click of heels against the marble floor.Zara.My grip on the towel tightened as I stepped out of the shower, steam curling around me. And there she was.She stood at the entrance, bathed in the golden glow of the chandeliers. A deep red dress hugged her figure, the fabric draping over her curves like it had been painted on. The slit rode high on her thigh, teasing glimpses of flawless

I leaned against my desk, fingers flying over the keyboard as I stared at my screen. My head still throbbed slightly from last night’s vodka and chocolate strawberries disaster, but that wasn’t even the worst part of my morning.No. That honor belonged to the absolute joke of a project we’d been assigned.Two hours ago, General Manager Olive—the mother of the woman I hated most in this company—had strutted into the conference room and delivered the verdict."Each department must work on a project that enhances our company’s efficiency. Your results will be evaluated, and the department with the best execution will win the vacation."Sounds fair, right?Except it wasn’t.While the PR and Marketing teams got flashy campaigns, the Data Analytics and Coding team got saddled with an AI-driven customer experience system.In other words, we were expected to design and implement a fully functional AI that would revolutionize customer interactions. An interactive, personalized system that coul

Twenty million dollars.The words echoed in my head, but instead of feeling victorious, I felt a strange sense of unease. My chest tightened as I looked at Creed, expecting some kind of reaction—relief, satisfaction, maybe even smugness.Instead, his expression was unreadable. His eyes darkened, fingers drumming against the polished desk in that slow, measured way that meant he was holding himself back. His lips pressed into a thin line, and tension radiated from him in waves."For what?" His voice cut through the silence, sharp and controlled.Mr. Evan leaned back, looking far too pleased with himself. "For an employee transfer."I stiffened.Creed's fingers curled into fists.Mr. Evan turned to me, his expression filled with admiration. "I like your confidence, Miss Roman. Not many would dare interrupt a high-stakes meeting and challenge me the way you did. You’re sharp, well-spoken, and you clearly have a deep understanding of what makes Creed X Technologies stand out. I want that

Creed’s POVThe drive home was quiet, but my mind was anything but."Good night, Creed."Her voice echoed in my head—light, free, like she hadn’t a single worry in the world. It was just a simple good night. It shouldn’t have meant anything. But somehow, it did.I loosened my tie as I stepped into my penthouse, the city lights casting a dim glow through the floor-to-ceiling windows. My place was pristine, minimalist, void of anything unnecessary—exactly how I liked it. And yet, for the first time, the silence felt... empty.I poured myself a glass of whiskey and sat on the edge of my bed, rolling the glass between my fingers. Sleep was elusive. Every time I shut my eyes, my mind betrayed me with images of Yuyu—her bright eyes, the way she scrunched her nose when she was deep in thought, the scent of her lingering on my jacket.My damn jacket.She still had it.Why hadn’t she returned it? And why the hell did that bother me?This was bad. This was really bad.She was annoying, reckless