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

Third-person POV

The force of the impact jolted both Electra and Seraphina forward, the seatbelts digging sharply into their bodies. A loud curse escaped Electra's lips as she whipped her head toward the back window, trying to get a glimpse of the car that had just slammed into them.

Beside her, Seraphina clutched at her neck, wincing as a sharp pain radiated from the point of impact.

The driver, clearly alarmed, quickly turned around in his seat, his eyes wide with concern. "Your Highness, are you alright?" he asked, his voice laced with worry. "I'm so sorry about that. I'll check immediately who it was."

Electra waved off his concern, rolling her shoulders to test for any serious injury. "I'm fine. Just find out who the hell thought it was a good idea to rear-end us."

As the driver climbed out of the car, Electra turned to Seraphina, her blue eyes scanning her face for any signs of distress. "Are you good?"

Seraphina let out a sigh, her fingers still rubbing at the sore muscles in her neck. "Yeah. I think I just strained something, but it's nothing serious."

Electra's lips pressed into a thin line. "We should just wait here. Whoever it is, they can come explain themselves."

Seraphina shook her head, already reaching for the door handle. "What if they're hurt? We should check."

Electra scoffed. "I couldn't care less if they're okay or not."

Seraphina shot her a pointed look before pushing open the door. "You stay here, then. I'll check."

Before Electra could argue, Seraphina was already stepping out. Electra sighed heavily, rubbing her temples before turning her gaze to the rearview mirror, watching as Seraphina approached the scene.

The driver of the other car was already out, engaged in a hurried conversation with their own driver. Seraphina slowed her steps as her eyes drifted past the other driver—only to land on a familiar face standing just behind him.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Yuna.

For a moment, Seraphina thought she was seeing things, but there was no mistaking her—Yuna, standing there with a mixture of defiance and something unreadable in her expression.

She looked different than Seraphina remembered—her usually very messy dark brown hair was now much straighter and neater, and there was something guarded about the way she held herself, as if she had been expecting this moment.

Seraphina's brows furrowed, and her lips parted slightly, her voice coming out in a breathless whisper. "Yuna?"

Yuna's gaze locked on Seraphina's, and for a fleeting second, there was something almost vulnerable in her expression, but just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hey, Sera."

Electra, now growing impatient in the car, had noticed the shift in Seraphina's demeanor. The tension in her shoulders and the way she had suddenly gone rigid. With a sigh, Electra shoved the door open and stepped out, her gaze immediately zeroing in on Yuna.

The moment their eyes met, Electra's entire body tensed. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath.

Yuna's smirk widened slightly as her gaze flickered from Seraphina to Electra. "Your Highness," she drawled, tilting her head slightly. "Didn't expect to run into you like this."

Electra crossed her arms, her expression darkening. "Yeah? Well, I sure as hell wasn't expecting to get rammed into by some reckless driver, but here we are."

The other driver, clearly panicked, turned toward Yuna. "I—I swear it was an accident. She just told me to follow the car at a distance, but I—I lost control for a second—"

Yuna shot him a sharp look, and he immediately shut his mouth.

Seraphina's heart pounded in her chest. "You were following us?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

Yuna exhaled through her nose, her expression unreadable. "Let's not get all dramatic about it. I just wanted to confirm if it really was you two, and we also happened to be going in the same direction."

Electra let out a sharp laugh, but there was no humor in it. "And you thought slamming into my car was the best way to get our attention? Really?"

Yuna shrugged. "Wasn't my intention, but it worked, didn't it?"

Seraphina glanced between the two of them, feeling the tension immediately building. She already knew Yuna hated Electra and had every reason to, so she quickly changed the subject. "Yuna… what are you doing here?"

Yuna scoffed, her arms crossing over her chest as she leaned against the side of her car. Her sharp gaze flickered between Seraphina and Electra before she let out a dry chuckle.

"Is that really a question, Seraphina?" she asked, tilting her head. "You seriously don't know why I'm here? I guess you must have completely forgotten about me, huh? Best friends and all."

Seraphina's stomach twisted at Yuna's tone. There was bitterness there, but beneath it, something else—disappointment.

Yuna continued, her voice edged with irritation. "I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. After all, you've been hanging around the girl who almost killed my sister and is also the reason I got suspended for an entire month. And judging by the look on your face, you didn't even remember I was coming back, did you?"

Seraphina's lips parted slightly, but no words came out. She hadn't kept track of Yuna's suspension. Hell, with everything that had happened, she barely remembered what day of the week it was.

Before she could muster up an apology, Electra spoke up, her tone dripping with boredom. "You know, Yuna, instead of whining about it, you should really be thanking me."

Yuna's eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

Electra smirked, stepping forward slightly. "I mean, if I hadn't gotten you suspended, you would have never realized you needed a glow-up. Look at you. You actually look… decent now."

Seraphina let out a quiet sigh, closing her eyes briefly as Yuna's expression darkened.

"You're still as insufferable as ever, I see," Yuna muttered, shaking her head. "Some things really don't change."

Electra shrugged, looking entirely unbothered. "And some things do. Like your personality, for example. Didn't take you for the dramatic type, but here you are, making a whole scene just because Seraphina didn't mark her calendar for your grand return."

Seraphina finally stepped in, placing a hand on Electra's wrist in an attempt to keep her from pushing Yuna's buttons further.

"Yuna, I'm sorry," she said, her voice softer now. "You're right—I should have checked in with you. I should have been a better friend. But things have been… complicated."

Yuna's lips pressed into a thin line. "Complicated," she repeated. "Right. Complicated enough for you to forget about the one person who actually had your back before you became the princess's favorite handbag."

Seraphina flinched at the words. "It wasn't like that," she insisted. "I just—"

"Save it." Yuna held up a hand, cutting her off. "I really don't want to hear excuses, Seraphina, but I do believe that you and I have a lot to talk about."

Electra's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "There's more to talk about besides bitching about your friend having someone else?" she echoed. "Now that sounds interesting. Do elaborate."

Yuna ignored her, her gaze fixed on Seraphina. "You owe me a conversation. Alone."

Seraphina hesitated, glancing at Electra, who raised a brow.

"And why exactly does she need to talk to you alone?" Electra asked, crossing her arms.

Yuna smirked slightly. "What, afraid she'll remember who her real friends are?"

Electra chuckled, stepping even closer. "Oh, sweetheart, I don't do insecurity. If Seraphina wants to talk to you alone, that's her call. But if you think I'm just going to stand here and let you guilt-trip her into whatever nonsense you have planned, then you're even dumber than you look."

Yuna's smirk vanished in an instant. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing about you."

Seraphina sighed, stepping between them before things escalated further. "Enough. Both of you."

She turned to Yuna. "If you want to talk, we'll talk, but not here, and not while you're acting like this."

Yuna let out a dry laugh, and her eyes flickered between Seraphina and Electra before she finally responded, her voice laced with mock amusement.

"Of course, I wasn't planning for us to have a heart-to-heart right here," she said, her smirk never faltering. "I'm assuming you're on your way back to school, so we can talk later—when you're not with your new boss."

She tilted her head slightly toward Electra, the sarcasm in her voice unmistakable.

Electra scoffed, barely sparing her a glance before gesturing toward the back of their car, where the dent from Yuna's car was still visible. "You seem to be forgetting something," she pointed out.

Yuna placed a hand over her chest in mock sincerity, her smile widening. "Oh, how terribly thoughtless of me," she drawled. "My deepest apologies for the tragic accident that has befallen Her Highness's precious vehicle."

She turned her gaze to Seraphina, her expression playful. "I'd be more than happy to cover the damages, of course. Just let me know where to send the check."

Electra let out an exasperated scoff. "You really think you're funny, don't you?"

Yuna grinned. "Oh, I know I am."

Electra rolled her eyes before turning away and addressing the driver. "We're leaving."

And without another glance at Yuna, she strode back toward the car.

Seraphina, however, remained where she was for a moment longer. Her eyes lingered on Yuna, searching for something—some trace of the Yuna she knew.

Yuna must have sensed it because her smirk softened just slightly, and for a fleeting second, the mask of sarcasm slipped.

"Don't overthink it, Sera," she murmured.

But Seraphina wasn't sure she could do that. Because for all the sharp remarks and forced humor, something about Yuna felt different. Off.

Finally, she turned away and walked back toward the car, sliding into the passenger seat as Electra closed the door beside her.

As their car pulled away, Seraphina glanced at her reflection in the window, her mind still stuck on Yuna.

Something was wrong.

She just didn't know what yet.