Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 175 175: Stunned

Electra's POV

As I stood there, Seraphina's words played in my mind like a broken record. My heart raced, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I didn't have a retort or sarcastic comeback to ease the awkwardness I felt.

I was frozen, caught off guard by the sheer honesty of her confession and how much it had shaken me.

She had told me she liked me—not just for my looks, which was mostly what people liked me for—but for being me, just Electra Vale.

I didn't think anyone, except my closest friends, had ever looked past the surface and dared to believe there was anything beneath it worth liking. Yet here she was, Seraphina Hook, standing in front of me, pouring her heart out like it was the most natural thing in the world.

When I didn't respond immediately, she let out an exasperated sigh. "So?" she asked, folding her arms. "Now that I've bared my soul to you, can I go? Or do you actually have something to say?"

Her words snapped me out of my daze. "I—" My voice cracked, and I cleared my throat, embarrassed at how unsure I sounded. "I honestly don't know what to say."

"Figures," she muttered, rolling her eyes. "You don't seem very good at handling confessions."

The jab stung more than I cared to admit. I wasn't used to being the one caught off guard. I wasn't used to being vulnerable. "It's not that I don't appreciate what you said," I started, my words coming out slower than I intended. "It's just... I didn't expect this."

She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Didn't expect what? That someone could like you for who you are, or are you just surprised that that someone is me?"

"Yes," I admitted, surprising both of us. "Exactly that."

Her eyes widened slightly, but she quickly masked her shock with a scoff. "That's a stupid thing to say."

"Maybe it is," I said, trying to meet her gaze. "But it's true. I'm either wanted for being hot or for being intimidating."

She took a step closer, her eyes searching mine. "Electra, do you really believe that the only thing people could possibly feel for you is lust or fear?"

I didn't answer right away because the truth was I did believe that. At least, I always had before. I built my life around being desirable and intimidating, two sides of the same coin, both designed to keep people at arm's length.

It was easier that way. Easier than risking the vulnerability of letting someone in and finding out I wasn't enough.

"You're quiet," she said, her voice softer now, as though she could see the war raging in my head. "Which means I'm right."

I didn't know what to do with her insight and her honesty. She saw through me in a way that no one else ever had, and I hated it as much as I craved it.

"I never thought you'd feel this way about me," I said, finally breaking the silence. "You... hated me. You were part of the people who I believed could only stay because you were intimidated by me."

"And I was," she admitted with a shrug. "I also wanted to believe I hated you, and for a bit, I did. But somewhere along the line, I think mostly after we switched lives, I've realized that there's more to you than what you show the world. Beneath all the bravado and cruelty, there's someone who's just as scared and lost as the rest of us."

I wanted to deny it, to argue, and to deflect, but I couldn't. Not when she was looking at me like that, with a mixture of pity and understanding that made my chest ache.

"You're wrong," I said, but my voice lacked conviction.

"No, I'm not," she said firmly. "And deep down, you know I'm not."

I swallowed hard, feeling the lump in my throat grow. "So what do you want from me, Seraphina? For us to go out?"

She tilted her head, studying me like she was trying to figure out if I was worth the effort. "I don't want anything from you, Electra. Yes, I like you, and I'd love to go out with you, but only if you feel the same way about me. For now, I just wanted you to know how I feel and take me seriously. What you do with that information is up to you."

Her calmness and sudden confidence only made me feel more unstable. I was used to control, to power, to being the one who dictated how things went, but here, in this moment, she held all the cards, and I hated how much it terrified me.

"I don't deserve this," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't deserve you or your feelings, Seraphina. You're literally the sweetest and the most innocent person I know, and you weren't the only one who was mesmerized, kid. I was too, and I know for a fact that I'm not right for someone like you."

Her eyes softened, and she took another step closer. "Well, you don't get to decide that. I do. My feelings are mine to have, and your only duty is to either accept or ignore, but not change."

I wanted to argue, to push her away, to tell her that she was wrong about me, about everything, but I couldn't. Not when she was standing so close, looking at me with all that seriousness that made it impossible to breathe.

"What happens now?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to keep it steady.

"That's up to you," she said simply. "But just so we're clear, I'm not expecting anything from you, Electra. I don't need you to feel the same way. I just needed you to know."

At her response, I let out another sigh. "I'm going to tell you something crazy now, but please don't hate me, Seraphina," I said, unable to keep my nervousness out of my tone.

Seraphina would furrow her brows in confusion before responding. "Are you about to reject me the hard way?"

I shook my head to debunk her question before admitting the crazy situation that had been on my mind all morning. "I think I had sex with Iris after leaving your room."

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