Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 123 123: Not a tyrant

Seraphina's POV

After spending hours lost in my own thoughts, I finally reached a breaking point. It was like something inside me had snapped. I didn't know what I was doing or why I felt the urge to confront Electra now of all times, but I couldn't hold it in any longer.

First, there was the guilt. The memory of what I'd done to her on that rooftop haunted me. Sure, it wasn't anywhere near as cruel as the things Electra had done to others when she was herself, but it wasn't like me either.

It wasn't like Seraphina Hook, and the more I thought about it, the more I realized how dangerously close I was to becoming the very thing I hated—a bully, a tyrant, and someone who found pleasure in causing pain.

Second, there was the upcoming banquet at the palace. The thought of being surrounded by royalty, acting as if I belonged there, made my stomach churn. I didn't even know what the Queen looked like, much less how I was supposed to behave as her daughter.

It was a recipe for disaster, and no amount of pretending would save me. So after thinking about it, I mentally concluded that I wasn't cut out for this life. I was never meant to be Seraphina Vale.

And so, here I was, standing in the middle of Electra's room with my chest heaving. "I know who you are," I had told her. "I know you're not Electra Hook. I know you're Electra Vale, and I know that we've switched lives. I've known this the whole time."

Electra's expression was a sight to behold. For a moment, she just stared at me, her eyes wide with confusion, as if trying to process what I'd just said, but then, in the blink of an eye, her confusion morphed into anger. Her jaw tightened, and her eyes narrowed as she took a step closer to me.

I swallowed hard, bracing myself for the storm that was surely coming, but to my surprise, she didn't yell. She didn't lash out. Instead, she just stood there, staring at me with an intensity that made me want to shrink into myself.

"Well?" I said finally, my voice trembling slightly despite my attempt to sound confident. "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Electra let out a deep breath, running a hand through her hair as she broke eye contact. "Why now?" she asked, her tone surprisingly calm. "Why are you admitting this now, after all this time?"

Her question caught me off guard, and for a moment, I didn't know how to respond. Why was I admitting it now? Because I couldn't take it anymore? Because I was scared of what I was becoming? Because I felt like I was drowning in a life that wasn't mine? None of those answers felt good enough, but they were all true.

"Because I'm tired," I said finally, my voice quieter now. "I'm tired of pretending. I'm tired of trying to live a life that doesn't belong to me, and I'm tired of hating myself for the things I've done and even the things I haven't even done but thought of doing."

Electra's gaze snapped back to me, her eyes narrowing further. "You mean like leaving me handcuffed to a rooftop in my underwear?" she asked, her tone biting.

I winced. "Yes," I admitted. "Like that."

She scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What, so now you're feeling bad about it? You didn't seem so guilty when you were standing there, smirking at me while everyone took pictures."

"I didn't—" I began, but she cut me off.

"Save it," she said sharply. "You wanted to humiliate me, and you did. Don't try to act like you're some kind of saint now."

I let out a scoff, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared Electra down. "You think because I feel bad about what I did to you, it somehow means you didn't deserve it?" I said, my voice laced with frustration. "Let me be very clear, Electra—just because I didn't totally enjoy it doesn't mean you didn't earn every second of it."

Electra's eyebrows shot up, her lips curling into a bitter smile. "Oh, really?" she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "And what exactly makes you think I 'earned' being left out on the rooftop all night, huh?"

I raised an eyebrow, my gaze narrowing. "Maybe it's because you've done far worse to others," I shot back. "I don't know how intact your memories are, but just in case a few days living as me have wiped away your precious recollections, let me remind you of a little something."

Her smile faltered slightly, but she didn't say anything, so I continued. "Do you remember tying someone's hands and feet, gagging their mouth, putting a cloth over their head, and then throwing them into a pool?" I asked, my voice growing colder with each word. "Because I do, Electra, and that someone was Yuna's sister, in case you forgot."

Electra let out a scoff, shaking her head. "So this is what it's about," she said bitterly. "That's why you didn't say anything about the switch earlier. You wanted to get back at me for what I did to Yuna's sister."

I shrugged, leaning back slightly as I crossed my arms again. "Think whatever you want," I said coolly. "But the truth is, I still believe you deserve to go through everything you've made others go through. You've hurt people, Electra, and maybe it's time you learned what that feels like, to be in their shoes."

She glared at me, her jaw tightening as her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You're unbelievable," she muttered. "You think this makes you any better than me?"

"No," I said quietly, my voice softening just slightly. "And that's the problem."

Her glare faltered, confusion flashing across her face. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I looked away. "When I left you on that rooftop," I began, "I told myself it was justice. That you deserved it, that it was just a small taste of what you've done to others, but the truth is, it didn't feel good. It didn't feel satisfying. It just felt… wrong."

She stared at me, her expression unreadable.

"I'm not like you, Electra," I continued, meeting her gaze again. "I'm not some violent tyrant, and I can't get used to hurting people, even if that person is you. That's not who I am, and it's not who I want to be."