---- Chapter 15 Athena POV: Over lunch, | laid out my idea for Eliot. A new game, an epic space opera inspired by the starry-sky motif I'd seen all over his office. His eyes lit up as | spoke, and by the time | was finished, he was grinning from ear to ear. "It's brilliant," he said. "Absolutely brilliant." He leaned forward, his expression turning serious. "So, when are you going to make it official? When does PixelVixen make her grand return?" | took a deep breath. "Tonight." The word hung in the air between us, filled with weight and promise. My eyes stung with the sudden threat of tears. "It's been a long time." Eliot reached across the table and gently squeezed my hand. "Welcome back, Athena," he said softly. He raised his water glass. "To the return of the queen." | smiled, a real, watery smile, and clinked my glass against his. In the reflection of the trembling water, | saw a version of myself | hadn't seen in years: hopeful, excited, and free. That evening, | sat on the floor of my new apartment, my laptop open in front of me. With a trembling finger, | logged into the PixelVixen social media account for the first time in three years. ---- | typed out a simple message: "Guess who's back." And | hit "post." The reaction was instantaneous and overwhelming. My notifications exploded. The website crashed. When | was finally able to log back in a few minutes later, the post had thousands of comments. "WE MISSED YOU!" "THE LEGEND IS BACK!" "OMG I'M CRYING, WELCOME HOME, QUEEN!" A warmth spread through my chest, a feeling so potent it made my heart ache. | scrolled through the comments, my eyes blurring with tears. These people, these strangers, they hadn't forgotten me. They had waited for me. A sob escaped my lips, a sound of pure, unadulterated joy. Then, | saw a new post. It was from Eliot's official company account, sharing my announcement. His caption was simple: "The best in the business is back. Proud to be working with you, partner. @PixelVixen" | laughed through my tears and typed a quick reply: "Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Serrano. " My fans went wild. "OMG THEY'RE WORKING TOGETHER?!" ---- "THE DREAM TEAM IS REUNITED!" "Wait, who is this Serrano guy?" A fan quickly replied with a detailed history lesson. "That's Eliot Serrano! He and PixelVixen were in the same program in college! They were an unbeatable duo in every competition. He's her biggest supporter!" Another fan posted an old photo from a college gaming convention. It was me and Eliot, years ago. He was holding a large umbrella over both of us, shielding us from a sudden downpour. But his head was angled towards me, and the look on his face... it was one of pure, unguarded adoration. The caption read: "Find someone who looks at you the way Eliot Serrano looks at PixelVixen." My face flushed. My heart did a strange little stutter-step. It was just the angle. Fans were reading too much into it. He didn't feel that way about me. Did he? | shook my head, trying to dispel the thought. My phone buzzed with a text message. It was Eliot. Did you really sleep all afternoon? Hope you're rested for your big comeback. My hand trembled, and | nearly dropped my phone. | took a ---- deep breath, trying to calm the frantic fluttering in my chest. Wide awake now, | typed back, my fingers clumsy. Thanks for the signal boost. See? Perfectly normal. | was just overthinking things. | had more important things to focus on right now than a silly, years -old photo. | had a world to rebuild. A career to reclaim. And a score to settle. | had no time for feelings. Title: A Princess? No! I'm the Female General! In "A Princess? No! I'm the Female General!" by CrushReel, Adela Taylor, a noble family's daughter, disguises herself as her brother to secure their Duke title by joining the army. Despite facing obstacles, she achieves remarkable success. However, upon her triumphant return, her brother betrays her, setting off a chain of events that will test her resolve and reveal hidden truths. This captivating novel delves into themes of secrets, reincarnation, revenge, murder, and drama. Adela's journey from deception to betrayal is filled with intrigue and suspense as she navigates through a world where power dynamics and family loyalties collide. What sets this story apart is its strong female lead who defies expectations and challenges societal norms in a quest for justice and redemption. Experience the riveting tale of Adela Taylor online at CrushReel and witness the transformation of a princess into a formidable female general.