Collateral Hearts

Chapter One

I watched my sister, Selene Court, step into the quaint, chattering café, drawing attention from every corner. Her brown tailored suit and matching pants hugged her frame perfectly, crisp and expensive, like she’d walked straight out of a boardroom and into my quiet afternoon. Her dark hair, pulled into a sleek ponytail, swayed slightly with each step, and her heels clicked sharply against the floor, announcing her presence before she even reached my table.

I took a slow sip of my warm tea, pretending not to notice the heads turning. Someone had to balance out the drama, and it clearly wasn’t going to be her.

“You really do know how to make an entrance, don’t you?” I asked, letting a small smirk play on my lips as I set my cup down. “Is it a Court thing?”

She slid into the seat across from me, her movements deliberate, fluid, almost like a dance she had rehearsed a thousand times. Her designer bag landed on the table with a precise thump, and her gaze fixed on me with sharp, dark eyes that flickered between amusement and judgment. “I don’t think so,” she said lightly, tilting her chin just enough to make me feel measured under her scrutiny. “Because then you wouldn’t fit into that.”

I raised an eyebrow, letting my eyes wander over her as she scanned me. She noticed my oversized jeans, the hoodie with a bold kitten print, and, yes, my pink Crocs. I tugged my feet under the table, but not before she caught the small shrug of defiance in my shoulders. Comfort was a lifestyle, not a crime. Besides, this was a café, not a runway. Everyone looked like me… well, almost everyone.

“How are you doing?” I asked, eyes scanning her face, reading between the lines she never spoke aloud.

“I’m tired.”

The honesty startled me enough that I leaned back in my chair. Selene didn’t admit exhaustion. She managed it, disguised it, buried it beneath achievement.

She was the golden daughter.

CEO of one of our parents’ companies.

Engaged to a respected doctor at one of the most prestigious hospitals in the country.

She was success wrapped in expectation.

And expectation was heavy.

“They’re pushing for us to get married,” she added, her fingers drumming lightly against the table, betraying the anxiety behind her composed demeanor.

They—our parents. Mr. and Mrs. Court—wealthy, prestigious, and endlessly meddling.

“Didn’t you two just start dating?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

“Yep,” she sighed, letting her gaze drop to the table briefly, then flick back to mine. “Something about presenting a stable image.”

I let out a breath that was half a laugh. Of course. Image over timing. Image over comfort. Image over choice.

“I thought that’s what the engagement was for.”

“Apparently, it’s gone on too long.”

“It’s been two months,” I said, incredulous, the edge of irritation creeping into my tone. “And you’ve known the guy all of five months.”

She rubbed her temple, eyes briefly closing. “I know.”

This—this right here—was why my parents and I didn’t get along. Our views didn’t just differ; they collided.

“Are you coming to the mid-year Court party?”

The question landed heavier than it should have.

I’d rehearsed answers. Practiced avoidance. Still, my stomach tightened.

“Perhaps we should order something,” I said quickly, waving the waitress over.

Bless her, she came immediately, buying me a few seconds as she took our orders. Selene didn’t stop watching me, her gaze steady, expectant.

“Aurora,” she pressed, folding her arms, leaning slightly forward. Her lips were set in a thin line, her brows pulled together, and that familiar intensity in her dark eyes cut right through me.

“I wasn’t invited,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm, though my fingers fidgeted with the edge of the table.

“Yes, you were. I sent texts. They sent an email,” she said, a slight edge creeping into her tone.

“An email?” I scoffed, leaning back and raising an eyebrow. “Wow. What an honor.”

“Rory…” Her voice softened, almost breaking, and a flicker of vulnerability passed through her carefully controlled expression. “I need a break. I need to breathe.”

“I have a thing.”

“No, you don’t,” she countered, sharp.

“Please,” she said quietly, voice barely above a whisper, “if you don’t come, I might be pressured into doing something I’m not ready for.”

My hands curled around the edge of the table.

“Then tell them,” I said, though we both knew the futility. They only listen to themselves.

She shook her head, lips pressed together, eyes glinting with frustration and fear. “You know I can’t. I’m not like you.”

That hurt more than I expected.

I studied her—really studied her. The sister who stayed. The daughter who bent and sacrificed so I could walk away.

“I don’t think this is a good idea… I haven’t seen them since…” I trailed off, noticing the faint dark circles beneath her eyes and the restless way she kept adjusting her posture.

“I know… but I’m desperate. I really need you right now,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly, though her hands clasped tightly on the table to steady herself.

I exhaled slowly.

The truth was, I had the freedom to live my life only because Selene stayed behind to be everything they wanted. The least I could do was help her breathe.

“Fine,” I said at last. “But I can’t promise angels and hugs.”

Relief flooded her face instantly. Her shoulders loosened, the tight frown finally easing.

“I know,” she said softly. “Thank you, Ari.”

“I’m going,” I announced the moment I stepped into the apartment, slipping off my shoes with deliberate calm.

“What?!” a shriek echoed, and my best friend and roommate, Liza, popped her head up from the couch, eyes wide and incredulous.

I gave a slow nod and headed toward the kitchen, Liza following me, a blanket draped around her shoulders, her sneakers squeaking softly against the floor.

“You said you weren’t going.”

“Yes, I did,” I replied, opening a cabinet and pulling out a cup. The tap gurgled to life as I filled it with water.

“You said she wouldn’t be able to convince you.”

“Yes, I…”

“Ever,” she pressed, cutting me off with a pointed glare.

I lifted the cup to my lips, letting the cold water slide down my throat before nodding slowly. “Yes, I did.”

“What?!… why?”

“Liza…” I started, dropping the cup onto the counter, but she was already pacing, the blanket swaying with her movements.

“No! Because if you have to go, then I have to go. This wasn’t the plan… ugh, I knew you shouldn’t have gone,” she muttered, tugging at the blanket as she circled the kitchen.

I let her storm, observing her like always. She stopped abruptly, pivoting to face me, eyes wide and sharp.

“Ugh, there’s no way… this is their plan…” She gasped, hand pressed to her chest. “What if this is their plan?”

“Liz…” I began, but she cut me off.

“Aurora Court. Start talking!”

I winced. yikes.

“Okay, okay… it’s Selene. She needs me.”

“What?” Her blanket shifted again as she lurched forward.

“They’re pressuring her to get married.”

“But she’s only known this guy for five months!” Her eyes widened, hands brushing the blanket before settling back.

I exhaled, shoulders sagging. “That’s exactly what I said.”

“Oh…” She muttered, a brief grin flashing. “Jinx.”

Our smiles were fleeting. Her frown returned, heavier, as she shuffled a short circle, pulling the blanket tighter.

“So… we’re really going?”

I met her gaze, feeling the weight of inevitability. “I’m afraid I have no choice, Liza.”

Silence hung for a moment, broken only by the faint hum of the apartment.

“Well,” Liza said finally, a mischievous glint lighting her eyes, “if we’re going to crash a party, we might as well do it in a remarkable way.”

“What do you have in mind?” I asked, apprehensive at the gleam in her expression.

“Chaos, my dear… and fashion,” she replied, grin widening, daring me to protest.

“This party is about to be… crashed,” she added, strolling out of the kitchen, the blanket swishing behind her like a mischievous cape.