All Chapters of PRETEND PRINCESS: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Yuki’s POVThe massive conference hall looked like a grand lecture room, its high ceilings amplifying the murmurs of anxious employees. Rows of chairs stretched across the space, neatly aligned in sections according to departments, with the board members seated at an elevated panel at the front. The place was usually dull during meetings, but today, it carried an electrifying energy. Maybe it was the anticipation of victory—or the collective fear of losing.I slouched in my seat, bouncing my leg impatiently as I scanned the room. The weekend had flown by in a blur of caffeine, stress, and mild emotional breakdowns, but it was all worth it. Erik had flown off to Greece on yet another trip that my bank account couldn't afford, and I was determined to win this competition so that when he came back, I’d have something to throw in his face.The moment the double doors at the front opened, a hush fell over the hall. Creed walked in first, wearing a crisp white shirt and perfectly tailored b

Yuki’s POV"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Lily asked, grabbing her bag, her brows furrowed with concern.It was my fourth day working with Creed, and I officially couldn't feel my body.He had me organizing and reorganizing files, scheduling meetings, rescheduling them, preparing documents, answering emails, fetching coffee, booking flights, running errands that had nothing to do with work, sitting through his ridiculously long meetings, and—oh yeah—taking notes at the twelve meetings we had attended in the past four days.I just wanted to code. Was that really too much to ask?"Get some rest," Lily said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'll come check on you tomorrow. It's Saturday, so you actually get to sleep in."I mumbled something incoherent, too exhausted to form actual words. My body sank deeper into the couch, and sleep claimed me within seconds.---The next time I opened my eyes, sunlight was trickling through the window.Morning.Shit.I jerked up so fast my

Creed’s POVI sent off the final email for Evan Tech and leaned back in my chair. That should wrap up my work for today.I glanced up from my screen and froze.Yuyu was asleep.Her head had fallen back against the couch, her lips slightly parted. One arm dangled loosely over the side, while the other was curled up near her chest. Her laptop had slid dangerously close to the edge of the coffee table, threatening to fall.I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck.I should wake her up.Instead, I found myself just… looking, admiring her features.she was not the basic Betty I'd tell you that,she looked feminine and yet masculine like a thin line waiting for one to cross over the other but now in her sleep she looked like a goddess that dropped from the sky She was usually so animated—smirking, arguing, rolling her eyes dramatically. But right now? She looked peaceful. Not annoying. Not stubborn. Just soft.I exhaled and moved closer, carefully reaching for her laptop. I saved her work and

Creed’s POVBy the time I checked the time, it was already past three. I didn’t want to be late. Zara’s mother wasn’t the most patient woman, and I preferred to keep things smooth when it came to her.I slipped on my black button-down, pairing it with brown pants and a matching suit jacket. Simple, clean, respectable. Before heading out, I stopped by a florist and picked up a bouquet of roses. Mrs. Olive had a thing for flowers, and if I was going to sit through a dinner filled with her passive-aggressive comments, I might as well earn some points first.Zara had left early in the morning, probably to get ready. That woman could spend an entire day preparing for a dinner that would last barely two hours. It made me think back to the first time we met—there had barely been a proper introduction, just a passing glance, yet we had been tangled up in each other’s lives for over eight years now.When I arrived, I pushed open the huge white door. I had a key to this house—after all, I was t

Yuki’s POVI was determined to win.Jason and I were locked in a fierce battle—a high-stakes gaming bet where the loser had to go beg Madam Olive for a brand-new operating system.There was no way I was losing.The million-dollar system we had was slow as hell and could barely handle the million-dollar projects we worked on. My colleagues had spent the entire morning whining about it, and honestly, I wasn’t ready for another round of their endless complaints buzzing in my ear.Besides, I really didn’t have the energy to deal with Madam Olive, aka The Bull of Budgets.—I strutted into the office that morning, my outfit surprisingly toned down from my usual flashy Yuki style. Last night, I barely got any sleep.Creed was on my mind.What the hell had happened yesterday?What was so bad that it had ruined his mood for the entire day?I shook my head, focusing on the game in front of me. Jason was already grinning like a smug little gremlin.“You ready to lose, Yuyu?” he teased, cracking