Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]
Chapter 79 79: The Unexpected Call

Seraphina's Pov

As soon as I opened my eyes, a string of curses slipped out of my mouth. Waking up in this godforsaken school was starting to feel like a punishment I couldn't escape.

I hated how getting up had become a chore, a burden, something I dreaded every single day. Elysium Girls High felt like a never-ending nightmare, and I couldn't help but wish the world would just cease to exist, if only for a moment, to give me some peace.

I sat up slowly, the dull ache in my head reminding me of how little sleep I'd managed to get last night. My room was just as empty as it had been yesterday, which wasn't surprising.

Ashleigh and Liana were still at the infirmary. I doubted they'd want to come back and share a space with me after everything that had happened—thanks to Electra, of course.

Not that I minded having the room to myself. If anything, it felt like a small blessing in disguise. At least this way, I didn't have to endure their glares or the awkward silences when they pretended I didn't exist.

Being alone was better than being surrounded by people who clearly hated my guts.

Yesterday, the thought had crossed my mind to confront Electra again, and I'd been so close to storming into her space and demanding she explain why she had to assault my roommate, but then I remembered who I was and who she was.

I was nothing but a powerless weakling, and Electra wouldn't flinch even if I screamed my lungs out.

What good would it do, really? I could imagine the scene playing out in my head: I'd yell, I'd throw a tantrum, and I'd question her audacity, but at the end of it all, she'd just dismiss me with one of her cold and condescending smirks.

Maybe she'd say something cutting, something that would stick in my mind and replay over and over until I felt even smaller than I already did, and then I'd walk away, defeated, powerless, and angry—at her, but mostly at myself for even trying.

As I sat on my bed, my phone suddenly buzzed loudly on the bedside table, snapping me out of my half-asleep state.

It wasn't my alarm—it was an actual call. That alone was strange enough to send a chill down my spine. I couldn't even remember the last time someone had called me, besides Yuna, and she had been unreachable since her suspension.

My heart leaped at the thought that maybe, just maybe, it was her finally getting through to me.

But when I glanced at the screen, my stomach dropped. The name flashing across the screen wasn't Yuna. It was Gianna.

My first instinct was to ignore it. My thumb hovered over the red button to decline, but something stopped me. Maybe it was curiosity or some sick sense of obligation, but against my better judgment, I swiped to answer.

"What do you want?" I snapped the second I put the phone to my ear. I didn't care about pleasantries, nor did I care about being polite towards her. I didn't even consider the possibility that my father might be somewhere around her and hear me.

At that moment, I just didn't care.

Gianna's scoff crackled through the speaker, her condescension dripping like venom. "Still a brat, I see," she said, her voice mocking. "You couldn't even muster up a proper greeting, could you? I wonder if you'll ever grow up and behave like a responsible young woman."

I rolled my eyes so hard it hurt. Her voice alone made my skin crawl, and her words? Infuriating. "Cut to the chase, Gianna. What do you want? I don't have the patience for your lectures or your annoying voice. So, whatever this is, make it quick."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and I could practically feel her bristling at my tone. I didn't care. Let her bristle. If she thought she could call me out of the blue and expect civility, she was delusional.

Finally, she spoke again, her tone making it obvious that she'd rather be doing anything else than having this conversation with me. "Your father wants to see you, so you'll be coming home soon."

I blinked, taken aback. "What? Why?"

She sighed dramatically, like my confusion was somehow an inconvenience to her. "Do you ever stop asking stupid questions, Seraphina? He's your father. Do you really need a reason?"

"Actually, yes," I shot back, my voice rising slightly. "Because the last time I checked, he couldn't care less about what I'm doing unless it somehow makes him look bad. So, why does he suddenly want to see me now?"

Gianna let out a bitter laugh. "You really are insufferable, you brat."

I scoffed, pressing the phone tighter against my ear. "Just tell me why he wants to see me, Gianna," I snapped. "I deserve an explanation, don't you think? Or is that too much to ask?"

My words dripped with sarcasm, but I couldn't help it. There was a brief pause on the other end of the line before Gianna let out a long, weary sigh.

"Seraphina, your father is sick. Extremely sick," she said, her voice uncharacteristically calm. "He might not be alive for much longer, and he wants to see his only child."

I felt my chest tighten, the air suddenly too thick to breathe. Panic and confusion swirled inside me, replacing the anger that had fueled me just moments before.

. "What did you just say?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Surely, I must have misheard her because there was just no way my father would be sick to the point that he was dying.

"Are you deaf, child? I said your father is sick, Seraphina," Gianna repeated, a hint of impatience creeping back into her tone. "He doesn't have much time left, and he wants to see you."

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