The weekend sun shone brightly over the bustling streets of the city. Helena adjusted her scarf, feeling the light breeze brush past her as she waited by the café entrance.
Her thoughts were jumbled with worry and anticipation. It had been a chaotic week—between school, Selena's strange absences, and Ms. Langford's growing interest in her sister, Helena barely had time to catch her breath.
But today was supposed to be different. A break. A day out with Jay. She hadn't spent much time with him outside of school since he started doing errands for Mr. Carson, and the idea of having a moment away from the madness was more than welcome.
"Helena!" Jay's voice cut through the hum of the city, and she turned to see him approaching with a warm smile.
He looked relaxed, more so than she'd seen him in weeks. His casual jacket and jeans made him appear less like the heir to a business empire and more like the boy she remembered from their childhood. The boy she could talk to without the weight of their families' past hanging over them.
"Hey, Jay," Helena greeted, offering a small smile. "Thanks for meeting me."
"Are you kidding? I needed this." He laughed lightly. "Besides, you sounded like you could use a distraction too."
They stepped into the café together, finding a quiet corner by the window. As they sat down, the conversation flowed naturally, an ease that reminded Helena of simpler times.
"So," Jay said, leaning back in his chair, "how are things with Selena? You seemed a little on edge lately."
Helena tensed for a moment but quickly masked it with a shrug. "She's… fine. I guess. You know how she is. Always off with finding inspiration for her." She picked at the edge of her cup. "It's just been hard lately. School, home, everything."
"Yeah, I've noticed," Jay said, his voice softening. "You're acting as if you are always carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. You need to let go sometimes, Helena."
Helena looked away, her mind flashing to Selena's secretive behavior. She didn't even know where her sister was going today.
Normally, they spent weekends together, but Selena had been distant lately, disappearing more often and leaving Helena with unanswered questions.
"I know," she muttered. "It's just—complicated."
Jay leaned forward, his gaze locking onto hers. There was a warmth in his eyes that made Helena's heart skip a beat. "You don't always have to be the one holding everything together. I'm here, you know? If you ever need to talk."
Helena blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in his words. She had always thought of Jay as a childhood friend, someone she could rely on, but today… there was something more in the way he looked at her. Something deeper.
"Thanks, Jay," she said quietly, offering him a genuine smile. "That means a lot."
For a moment, the world outside the café seemed to fade away. They talked about their lives, their shared memories, and their plans for the future.
Jay spoke about his father's insistence on training him to take over the family business, while Helena shared some of her own worries about the future—carefully avoiding the topic of Selena's increasingly strange behavior.
"I remember when we were kids," Jay said with a chuckle. "You hated anything to do with business. You always wanted to be outside, exploring."
Helena laughed softly. "Yeah, that hasn't changed. Business isn't really my thing. As for Selena… She's always been the creative one. The dreamer."
Jay's expression softened as he studied her. "And you're the one who keeps everything grounded. You've always been strong, Helena. I've always admired that about you."
Helena felt her cheeks warm at the compliment, a flutter of something unfamiliar stirring in her chest. "You give me too much credit."
"No, I don't." Jay's gaze lingered on hers, and for a moment, Helena felt the weight of his words sink in. There was something unspoken between them, a tension that had been building ever since he came back into her life. She wasn't sure how to define it, but it was there—growing.
As they finished their coffee, Jay suggested they take a walk through the nearby park. The fresh air felt like a welcome escape from the heavy thoughts that had been clouding Helena's mind.
They strolled through the winding paths, talking about everything and nothing at the same time.
At one point, Jay nudged her playfully. "So, any new plans for world domination? Or are you still focused on school and keeping Selena out of trouble?"
Helena laughed, though the mention of Selena brought a brief flicker of worry back. "No world domination… yet. And Selena… She's been more secretive than usual. I think she's hiding something."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "You think she's in trouble?"
"I don't know." Helena sighed, kicking a loose pebble on the path. "I just feel like there's something she's not telling me. And it's starting to worry me."
Jay reached out, placing a hand gently on her arm. The contact sent a small jolt through Helena, but she didn't pull away. "If something's bothering you, Helena, you should trust your instincts. Maybe she needs help, even if she doesn't realize it yet."
Helena glanced at him, grateful for his support, but unsure of what to do next. She knew Jay was right—Selena was hiding something, but what? And how far had she gone to uncover whatever it was?
---
Meanwhile, across town, Selena slipped into the shadows of a dimly lit alleyway.
The midday crowd bustled around her, but she moved with purpose, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of being followed.
She had learned to navigate the city's hidden underbelly—moving undetected, gathering information, and piecing together the fragments of their father's mysterious downfall.
Today, she had a lead. A name that had resurfaced from old business dealings involving her father—a man who had ties to the family before their financial collapse.
Selena's heart raced as she approached a nondescript building, a place that looked abandoned but held secrets within its crumbling walls.
As she slipped inside, her mind raced with questions. Why had her father's once-thriving business empire crumbled so quickly? Who had been behind the financial ruin that had left her family in shambles?
Selena knew the risks of pursuing these answers, but she couldn't stop now. Each new clue brought her closer to the truth, even if it meant putting herself in danger. She was determined to restore their family's honor—no matter the cost.
But as she crept deeper into the building, the shadows seemed to close in around her, and a sense of unease settled over her shoulders. Was she truly alone?
Back in the park, Helena and Jay sat down on a bench, enjoying the peaceful surroundings. But Helena couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something wasn't right.
Selena's absence weighed on her, and though she was enjoying her time with Jay, her thoughts kept drifting back to her sister.
Jay seemed to notice her distraction and gently nudged her. "You okay?"
Helena forced a smile, though her mind was elsewhere. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just… thinking about Selena again."
Jay nodded, his gaze soft. "She'll be okay, Helena. You'll figure this out."
But deep down, Helena wasn't so sure. The secrets between them were growing, and she feared that sooner or later, those secrets would come to light—with consequences none of them were prepared for.