Crown and Heart

Carter's POV

“Aren’t you supposed to leave tonight?” Elara’s voice cut through the silence behind me, half concern, half challenge

I didn’t answer right away. She stepped up beside me, and we both stared out over the glowing mess of New York’s night streets below. I finally turned to face Elara, who was already watching me closely.

“The council’s going to summon you if you don’t go back,” she added, folding her arms. “And we both know how well that ends.”

“They’re already on my back,” I muttered. “I’m tired of being managed.”

“So that’s why you’re still here?”

“No.” I hesitated. “There’s… this girl.”

Elara nudged me, grinning. “Oh? Lover boy. Tell me about her."

“I was trying before you barged in,” I said with a smirk. Then I sighed. “She was at Freya’s wedding yesterday. But I first met her last year, at that dinner with our cousins and Aunt Marcella.”

Elara raised a brow. “So, what? Instant crush?”

“No. It's not that simple. There’s just… something about her. I couldn’t stop thinking about her after that dinner. And then yesterday, when I least expected it, I saw her again. And it’s like... something shifted. I don’t even know what it is. But it’s not going away.”

Her name echoed in my mind like a secret. Margaret. She wasn’t just beautiful, though that alone could’ve turned heads.

She wasn't like the women I usually met, no rehearsed charm or fragile flattery. There was a quiet strength about her, like she didn’t need to prove anything. She moved with this calm self-possession, like she knew who she was and didn’t care who else did. And her eyes… they didn’t just see, they read. Like she was peeling back layers I didn’t even know I had.

Since that first dinner, she hadn’t really left my thoughts. Not in a loud, obsessive way, more like a thread quietly woven through everything. When she spoke, it was measured, careful, like she was always a step away from retreat.

That’s what hooked me, how effortlessly real she was. And maybe, the fact that she didn't care I was royalty. She didn’t chase, didn’t flatter. She just kept her distance. I reached out, she shut me out. The second time we met, she had walls so high I wasn’t sure I’d ever get through. It made me want to know more. Not to win her, not to conquer, but to understand.

I was a little scared. She wasn’t trying to impress me. She didn’t bend.

“I asked her out,” I said, quieter now. “She agreed to it.”

Elara’s face lit up. “When?”

“Day after tomorrow.” I took a breath. “I don’t know what’ll happen, afterwards. I'm not leaving it at that."

Her smile faded slightly. “I don’t want to ruin this for you, but… the council’s already talking about marriage. Lord Guillaume’s daughter.”

“I’m not marrying that girl," my jaw tightened. "My life would’ve been easier if Mateo had taken the crown,” I muttered. “People are hard on me because I was never meant to have the title. And they know it.”

Elara didn’t flinch. “You’re the best king Monaco will ever have, Carter. You’re the kindest person I know. You have integrity. And unlike our brother... You don’t measure people by their titles or bloodlines. You treat everyone with the same respect, and that matters. That’s rare. Especially in our world. That’s why you belong on the throne, even if the council can't see past their own traditions."

Her words settled in my chest like a weight and a balm all at once. I exhaled, the tension clinging to my shoulders, thick and unmoving. I didn't want to talk about duty or titles.

"You’ll figure it out. I know you will. And I'll always be by your side," Elara added. She gave me a soft smile, steady and grounding. "I'll also help you get rid of that red head bitch."

I sighed, shifting the weight on my shoulders. “You in for a drink? I could use one.”

“Always,” she said, her grin returning. “I know a place just down the street."

Margo’s POV

“Everything’s done. I’ll be leaving on Friday,” I said, my voice a mix of excitement and relief as I FaceTimed Freya from my bedroom. The soft light from my desk lamp cast a warm glow, making the space feel both familiar and a little too small. It was almost time to leave, and the thought of a new life waiting for me made everything feel more real.

“Oh, wow. That’s so soon,” Freya replied, her face lighting up on the screen. “Have you told your family?”

I hesitated, my gaze drifting to the window where the sky had darkened. “No,” I sighed. “They won’t care if I go or stay.” I shrugged, trying to downplay it, but the truth lingered in my chest, heavier than I wanted to admit.

Freya’s expression shifted, her concern obvious. “I’m sorry about that,” she said softly, her brow furrowed as if she could feel the weight of my words.

I shook my head, trying to lighten the mood. “I know that look. You’re ruining my mood,” I teased, though the smile didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Finally, I’m getting out of this country. A new life, a fresh start. And you’re giving me that worried face?”

Freya bit her lip, a playful spark returning to her eyes. “Oh!” she said, her expression suddenly mischievous. “Speaking of new beginnings… I hope you bump into Carter every day.”

I groaned and lifted my middle finger at the screen, rolling my eyes. “What? I’m just saying,” Freya protested, holding her hands up as if she were innocent.

I exhaled, the irritation bubbling up. “Monaco’s huge. I’m not going to just bump into your cousin. Besides,” I leaned in, my tone a little sharper now, “what business would he have in the places I go to?”

Freya paused, her smile faltering as she studied me. “Do you hate him already?”

I sighed, frustration mixing with something else, something harder to put into words. “No,” I said, the word coming out reluctantly. “I’m just… you wouldn’t understand. Can we just not talk about him? Please?”

Her eyes softened as she recognized my tone, and she nodded. “Okay, okay,” she said, her voice gently shifting.

“Tell me about your first day of your honeymoon," I mumbled. Then I noticed the faint exhaustion in her features, dark circles under her eyes, a slight tightness around her jaw.

She hesitated, glancing off-screen for a moment before responding. “Nothing much. I’m still tired from the flight.”

I raised an eyebrow, leaning in a little, the playful grin returning to my face. “So… you guys have not yet…” I wiggled my fingers, raising my brows in exaggerated curiosity.

Freya flushed instantly, her face turning pink. “No!” she blurted, looking away, clearly flustered. “I freaked out and...”

I groaned, covering my ears with my hands, grimacing. “I don’t want to know! I’m trying to keep my sanity intact here.”

She giggled, the sound light and carefree. “Totally,” she agreed, the mischievous glint returning to her eyes. But then she glanced off to the side, her smile slipping as if something had caught her attention. “I have to go. We’ll talk another time. Bye.”

“Bye,” I said, my smile warm despite the strange feeling in my chest. I watched her blow a kiss through the screen, but it didn’t quite reach me the way it used to.

I closed my laptop slowly, the familiar click of the lid echoing in my bedroom. I placed it on the lamp stand beside my bed, my gaze lingering on the walls, postcards, old pictures, remnants of a life I was about to leave behind. It all felt so distant now. The thought of starting fresh, leaving everything behind, was both exhilarating and unsettling.

I sat on the edge of my bed, my fingers absently tracing the edge of my laptop, feeling the lingering tension in the room, the weight of everything about to change. I should’ve felt liberated, excited, but a strange heaviness clung to my chest, a feeling I couldn’t quite shake. I looked out the window, the city skyline now swallowed by darkness, the glow of the streetlights below the only reminder of the world outside.

And then, there was Carter.

It was strange, the way he’d appeared so suddenly in my life, like a ripple in a calm sea. I had never been one to get caught up in fantasies, especially not those involving people like him. I wasn’t even sure how to describe what I felt when I first saw him at that dinner last year. There was something about him, about the way he moved, the ease in his smile, and the quiet confidence he exuded without ever trying. And when I saw him again at Freya's wedding, I couldn’t deny it, something about him drew me in.

I tried to convince myself that it was nothing. That it was just some brief attraction, an infatuation that would fade as quickly as it had come. But the more I thought about him, the more I realized it wasn’t just physical. There was something about his presence that made me feel both grounded and out of place, like I was being pulled into something that was far beyond my control.

He’d tried to reach out after that dinner, if I was being honest, I’d brushed him off, ignoring his attempts. Not because I didn’t find him interesting, because, honestly, I did. But because it didn’t matter. He came from a world so different from mine, and that’s all I saw when I looked at him. He was royalty, or whatever passed for royalty in Monaco. He had expectations, responsibilities, and a life that didn’t include people like me.

I tried to push the thought away, but then, my phone buzzed on the nightstand, pulling me from my thoughts.

It was a text from Carter: Changed your mind?

I stared at the screen, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. I hadn’t expected to hear from him again so soon, and the simplicity of his message, so direct, yet somehow gentle, only added to the strange sense of unease in the pit of my stomach.

Had I changed my mind?

No. I was still going out with him tomorrow. That hadn’t changed. But as I stared at the message on my screen, I hated how quickly my pulse had picked up, how a simple text from him could spark a flutter I didn’t ask for. I wasn’t supposed to want this. Not with him. Not like this.

I told myself it was just one evening. Just one date. I’d go. I’d be polite. I’d get it over with and carry on like it never happened. That’s how I tried to frame it. But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself. I wanted to see him again. More than I wanted to admit. And the fact that I shouldn’t only made me want it more.

I didn’t owe him anything, not my time, not my interest. But somehow, here I was… waiting for tomorrow. I typed back: Don’t give me a reason to.

I glanced at the message again, feeling a strange tug in my chest as I hit send. My phone buzzed again.

Carter: I’ll do my best. Though now I’m slightly terrified.

I smiled. Just a little. Good. Keeps you on your toes.

Me: I’m saying I haven’t decided yet.

Carter: You really don’t make it easy for a guy, do you?

Me: Should I?

Carter: No, I like it. Makes this more interesting.

Ugh. He was good. Too good. I leaned against the headboard, shaking my head.

Me: Don’t get ahead of yourself.

Carter: I’m looking forward to it, Margo. Honestly.

I didn’t reply right away. And maybe that was enough of a message on its own. Then his final text came through.

Carter: Alright, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.

I set my phone down, but didn’t move. My heart was doing that weird thing again, like it hadn’t gotten the memo that this wasn’t a big deal. Just dinner. Just curiosity. Nothing more... Right?