Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 187 187: Her Birth Mother

Third-person POV

Seraphina continued to drag Electra toward the garden, and even though Electra stumbled slightly, she didn't resist, too dazed by the situation to argue.

"Come on," Seraphina said. "We're almost there."

Electra said nothing, simply letting Seraphina continue to drag her. When they reached the garden, Seraphina's pace quickened, and the sight of the gazebo in the center sent a jolt of recognition through her.

Her mother had been here earlier, waiting to meet with Solara, and Seraphina was certain they would be here again.

As they approached, movement in the distance caught her eye. It was the servant she had seen before walking toward the gazebo, and behind her, following quietly, was Solara.

"There!" Seraphina exclaimed, pointing toward them. "That's her. That's Solara." She turned to Electra, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Do you see it now? Do you see how much she looks like you?"

Electra didn't respond. Her gaze was locked on Solara, her chest tightening with each step the woman took. It was as though the world around her had faded into nothingness, leaving only Solara in focus.

Memories she had buried long ago came flooding back, and her father's voice echoed in her mind, clear as day.

*"You look so much like her, Electra. Like your mother. You're identical."*

She remembered the discomfort in his tone, the way he'd always looked at her with a mix of longing and guilt. It had never made sense to her before.

So she had always brushed it off, thinking he was being overly sentimental. After all, she had never seen her birth mother, not even in a picture, so how was she supposed to believe that she looked exactly like someone she didn't even know?

And then there was Queen Jella, whose disdainful remarks were etched into Electra's memory. *"You're turning into her," Jella would sneer, her voice dripping with venom. "That bitch who gave birth to you. It's disgusting."*

Electra had always thought those comments were exaggerated, fueled by Jella's resentment rather than truth, but now, seeing Solara walking behind the servant, her features hauntingly familiar, Electra couldn't deny it that they weren't exaggerating.

This woman—this stranger—had to be her birth mother. This had to be her mother who had died after giving birth to her, according to both her father and Jella.

Tears welled in her eyes, blurring her vision as she stared at Solara. Her throat tightened, and she felt an ache deep in her chest, a painful mixture of longing and confusion.

This was the woman who had given her life, the woman she had never known but who had somehow been a shadow in her life for as long as she could remember.

"Electra?" Seraphina's voice broke through her thoughts, filled with concern. She stepped closer, frowning as she noticed the tears streaming down Electra's face. "What's going on? Why are you crying?"

Electra tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come. She felt like a dam had broken inside her, years of suppressed feelings rushing to the surface all at once.

The frustration of not knowing her birth mother, the anger at how her father never told her anything noteworthy about her mother, and years of dealing with Jella's hateful comments directed at her birth mother.

Seraphina reached out, placing a hand on Electra's arm. "Hey," she said softly, her expression shifting to one of concern. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

Electra shook her head, her voice barely audible. "That's her," she said, her words trembling with emotion. "That's… my mother."

Seraphina blinked, startled by the admission. "Your mother? Solara is your mother?"

Electra nodded, her gaze never leaving Solara as she approached the gazebo. "I didn't know what she looked like until now. I mean, I've heard her name before, and my father used to tell me how much I looked like her, and Jella—"

Her voice broke, and she took a shaky breath before continuing. "Jella used to say the same thing, but I always thought they were just exaggerating. I never saw her, not even a picture. But now…"

She trailed off, her voice filled with emotion. Seraphina watched her carefully, her brow furrowed as she tried to process what Electra was saying.

"Electra," she said, her voice cautious, "slow down. What are you saying? How can Solara be your mother? Queen Jella is your mother, isn't she?"

Electra didn't respond immediately. Tears continued to stream down her face as she stared at Solara while she spoke with Seraphina's mother.

Seraphina's mind reeled. She had wondered why Solara looked so much like Electra, but the thought that they could be mother and daughter had never crossed her mind.

She had met Queen Jella before, and while she'd noticed that Electra didn't particularly resemble her supposed mother, she had chalked it up to natural variation. Families didn't always look alike.

But now, with Electra's current state and the pained emotion in her voice, it all began to click. If Solara was her mother, then Queen Jella wasn't.

"Oh my gods," she whispered, the realization dawning on her slowly. "You're saying… Queen Jella isn't your real mother?"

Still, Electra didn't answer. Her breathing was ragged, her eyes never leaving Solara, as though afraid she might vanish if she looked away.

Seraphina could see the storm of emotions playing out across her face: anger, sadness, confusion, and something else she couldn't quite place.

"Electra," she said again, stepping closer and trying to meet Electra's gaze. "I need you to talk to me. You can't just drop something like that and—"

She stopped mid-sentence, realizing too late that Electra had started walking toward the gazebo.

"Electra!" she called, rushing after her. "What are you doing?"

Electra didn't turn around, her hands clenched into trembling fists. When Seraphina caught up to her, she grabbed Electra's arm, pulling her to a halt. "Hey! Where are you going?"

Electra turned to face her, her tear-streaked face etched with an expression of rage. "I need to talk to her," she said, her voice breaking. "She needs to know."

"Know what?" Seraphina asked, her voice rising slightly.

Electra's eyes burned with an intensity that made Seraphina take a step back. "She needs to know that if she gets pregnant for someone like my father, her life's going to be ruined, and she's going to die," Electra said, her voice trembling with anger. "She has to know, and she needs to end things with him."

Seraphina blinked, completely stunned by the statement. "What are you talking about?" she asked, not understanding a word Electra was saying. "Electra, what are you saying?"

Electra let out a shuddering breath, her gaze drifting back toward Solara. "She didn't know," she said quietly. "She didn't know she was going to die giving birth to me, and she didn't know what kind of man my father was. That he was a useless coward who would abandon her. If she knew, maybe… maybe she wouldn't have…" Her voice broke, and she wiped furiously at her tears. "I would have never been born, and she'd still be alive."