NOT ROYALE ENOUGH [18+]

35

SARAH

I stared at her, my pulse hammering in my ears. My fingers twitched at my side, aching to clench into fists, to shove them into my pockets, to do anything but reach for the ring.

She arched a brow, her smirk widening like she already knew she had won. “Well?”

I swallowed hard. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?” She tilted her head. “If it’s just a ring, if it means nothing, then taking it off shouldn’t be a problem.”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

It should have been easy. Just a simple motion—slip the ring off, drop it onto the counter, and prove to her that I felt nothing for him. But my body wouldn’t move. My fingers curled inward, holding onto the phantom weight of the band as if it were fused to my skin.

She watched me carefully, her expression unreadable now. “Sarah.” Her voice was quieter this time, softer. “You can’t even do it, can you?”

My throat tightened. “That’s not—it’s not what you think.”

“Oh, I think it’s exactly what I think.” She leaned back, folding her arms again, a victorious gleam in her eyes. “You have feelings for him.”

“No, I don’t,” I shot back, but it was too late. The hesitation had already given me away.

She smiled knowingly. “Then take it off.”

I exhaled sharply, glaring at her, but my frustration wasn’t with her. It was with myself. With the damn ring. With the way my chest squeezed at the thought of removing it, like it would mean more than just breaking an agreement. Like it would mean admitting something I wasn’t ready to face.

My fingers brushed the band, my heartbeat quickening. But even as I tried to slide it off, I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

I sucked in a breath and curled my fingers around the ring, steeling myself. It was just a piece of metal—nothing more. I could take it off. I would take it off.

With a slow exhale, I started to pull. The band slid slightly, cool against my skin, and for a second, I thought I had done it. But then—

Everything slowed.

A strange, heavy stillness settled over me, like the moment before a storm. The weight of the ring felt different now, heavier, like it wasn’t just a simple band but something more. And just as it was almost off my finger—

A voice shattered the moment.

“Sam…”

The name came with the sound of the entrance door shutting. I froze, my grip on the ring tightening as I turned my head just in time to see Adam stride inside.