ROYAL HIGHNESS

36. invisible force

Ovie stirred. A dull, throbbing ache pounded against the inside of her skull, each beat a cruel reminder of the champagne she had recklessly indulged in. Her limbs felt heavy, as if she were sinking into the hospital bed, held down by an invisible force. 

Blinking against the sharp white light of the hospital room, she took in her surroundings—the beeping monitors, the faint scent of antiseptic, the cold sterility of the place. 

And then, her gaze landed on him. 

Amyardh. 

Standing near the door, hands shoved into the pockets of his black trousers, his sharp features unreadable. 

Her breath hitched for a fraction of a second before a memory hit her with the force of a tidal wave— 

The Gurudwara. 

The moment he had ignored her, walked past her like she was nothing more than air. Like she hadn’t once meant something. 

Her fingers twitched against the sheets, and before she could stop herself, she lifted her hand—slow, discreet, deliberate. 

And flipped him the bird. 

Amyardh’s gaze darkened. His jaw tensed, his sharp cheekbones shifting under his skin. 

But he didn’t react. 

Not immediately. 

Instead, he began to pace—slow, calculated steps, his shoes making soft sounds against the sterile floor. His eyes flickered briefly toward the door, scanning the space, ensuring no one was watching them. 

And then— 

With a smirk that was both infuriating and smug, he casually lifted his hand. 

Gave her a thumbs-up. 

And then—just as discreetly—flipped her off right back. 

Ovie narrowed her eyes. 

She rolled them in exaggerated annoyance before curling her toes beneath the hospital blanket, shifting slightly as if dismissing him entirely. Then, with an air of utter nonchalance, she lifted her own hand again— 

And returned his thumbs-up. 

Slow. Purposeful. 

And turned her face away, ignoring him completely. 

She could practically hear his smirk widening. 

Just then, the door creaked open. 

A nurse walked in, her uniform crisp, a clipboard in hand. She smiled professionally before turning to Amyardh. 

"Sir, you need to complete the discharge paperwork," she informed him. 

Amyardh barely looked at Ovie before nodding. “I’ll do it.” 

And just like that, he left. 

Now, it was just Ovie and the nurse in the quiet hospital room. 

Ovie shifted against the pillows, her body still feeling sluggish and heavy. A dull ache pulsed at her temples, and as she moved her legs, a sharp pain shot up from her ankle. 

She winced. 

The nurse glanced at her knowingly. “Hurts, doesn’t it?” 

Ovie’s brows furrowed. “What… exactly happened to me?” 

The nurse chuckled, flipping through the pages on her clipboard. “You, my dear, had quite the night.” 

Ovie gave her a deadpan look. “Could you be a little more specific?”