ROYAL HIGHNESS

53.surprise trip

Author's POV,

The live ended, but her blush lingered in Amyardh's mind like a sweet aftertaste. He closed the app, staring at the dark screen of his phone for a long moment, the echo of her voice still alive in his ears. That little laugh she’d tried to hide. The shy glance when she’d caught his comment. His lips curved in a rare, gentle smile. Time passed as his thumb brushed the edge of his phone, as if hoping to summon her presence through the screen. Without much thought, he had called her. Once. Twice. Thrice. The tally climbed past ten. But not once did she pick up.

A flicker of disappointment crossed his features, but it was fleeting. He set the phone down on the nightstand, exhaling a slow breath. Of course, she was busy. She was Ovie Khanna after all—the Ovie Khanna—the one who ruled the silver screen, who made the world pause with a single look. She must be in the middle of a shoot. His heart softened at the thought.
But then reality intruded, sharp and unwelcome.
“Shit,” he muttered, glancing at the clock. His eyes widened slightly in rare alarm. He had woken up only twenty minutes ago, and his meeting—the one he couldn’t miss—was in exactly thirty.

Amyardh ran a hand through his disheveled hair, cursing under his breath. Get it together.
He threw off the covers, the coolness of the marble floor biting at his feet as he strode toward the bathroom. Within minutes, the hiss of the shower filled the room, hot water sluicing away the remnants of sleep. His mind shifted, slowly but surely, back into its usual state of steel-trap focus. By the time he stepped out, toweling his hair dry, the tenderness that had filled him moments ago was sealed behind his CEO mask. Suit, tie, watch—each piece of his armor fell into place with practiced ease.

The sleek black car purred as he steered it towards the office, city lights reflecting off the windshield. When he arrived, his personal assistant was already waiting at the entrance, briefcase in hand, and his secretary fell into step behind them as they entered.
As always, just before stepping into the boardroom, Amyardh handed his phone to his assistant, the screen already silenced. A nod, sharp and final.

Inside the meeting hall, numbers, strategies, and projections flowed around him—but elsewhere, in another corner of the world, Ovie had finally caught her breath between scenes. Noticing the missed calls, she frowned softly, concern mingling with curiosity. She texted him first—no reply. A call—still nothing.

On the other side, Amyardh’s PA stared at the buzzing phone in his palm like it was a live grenade. Another call? The name on the screen: Ms. Khanna. His brow furrowed. Ms. Khanna? Who—? Business-related, perhaps? A client? Someone from marketing? Whoever she was, they could wait. With hesitant fingers, he let the call end.

But then his own phone rang.

He answered with his usual brisk efficiency, only for the voice on the other end to make his breath catch. “This is Ovie Khanna.”

His mouth opened and closed once. “Ovie Khanna? As in… the superstar?” His voice cracked just slightly at the end, disbelief painted across his face.

“Yes,” came her warm but slightly impatient voice. “Why isn’t Amyardh answering my calls? Is he busy?”

He blinked, gathering himself. “I—I’m sorry, Ms. Khanna. May I ask how you got this number?” His curiosity edged out his confusion. Only a handful of people had his contact—the inner circle.

There was a pause, then her voice, steady. “Amyardh gave it to me himself.”

Cold sweat dotted his brow. His worst suspicion confirmed. Amyardh—always private, always guarded—had given her his PA’s number. His thoughts swirled: Why? How important is she to him?

His tone shifted, all professional now. “I deeply apologise, Ms. Khanna. He is in the middle of a meeting. But please, tell me your message. I’ll make sure it reaches him at once.”