Elysium: Desired by the Cold-hearted Princess [GL]-Chapter 35: The next level payback

Third-person Pov

Electra stood on the edge of the abandoned pool—a place that had been long forgotten by most of the other students, which was also the perfect place for her plans. It was already nighttime, and the perfect silence was broken only by the muffled splashes coming from the center of the pool.

She watched Yura's body thrashed weakly against the water with her hands and feet bound tightly with rope, a dark cloth covering her head to hide them from her view, and duct tape sealing her mouth to stifle any cries for help.

Electra watched with a cold, satisfied smile as Yura struggled to keep her head above water, her movements growing more frantic with each passing moment.

"Have you texted Yuna?" she asked, her voice calm, and she didn't take her eyes off Yura's flailing body.

Irina stepped forward, holding up Yura's phone. "Just sent it," she replied, a hint of amusement in her tone. "I read a few of her previous messages and used her usual texting style, so Yuna won't suspect a thing for now."

"Good," Electra nodded approvingly.

The plan was simple: lure Yuna here under the guise of her sister needing help, let her witness Yura's struggle, while they would have disappeared without a trace.

Electra figured that the psychological blow that would cause Yuna would be more effective than any physical harm, but for now, they needed to ensure that Yura didn't drown before her sister arrived.

A soft gurgling sound drew Electra's attention back to the pool. Yura's struggles were becoming weaker, her bound limbs hindering any effective movement, and Electra's brow furrowed slightly.

"Penelope," she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument, "get in there and keep her afloat. Can't have her dying on us just yet."

Penelope grimaced, her lips curling in distaste. "I always get the dirty work," she muttered under her breath.

Despite her reluctance, she slipped off her shoes and waded into the cold, murky water. The chill bit at her skin, and she shuddered as she moved toward Yura.

"Careful now, babe," Electra called out softly, a hint of mockery in her voice. "We wouldn't want you catching a cold."

Penelope shot her a glare but said nothing. Reaching Yura, she grabbed a fistful of the fabric covering the girl's head and yanked her upwards, pulling her face above the water.

Yura gasped sharply through her nose, her breaths ragged and desperate. Even with her mouth sealed and vision obscured, the instinct to survive drove her to suck in as much air as possible. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

"Easy there," Penelope whispered sarcastically. "Wouldn't want you drowning before the show's over."

On the poolside, Electra crossed her arms, her gaze impatiently. She could hear the faint beeping of a phone—Irina checking for a response from Yuna, and the anticipation thrilled her.

To her, this was more than just revenge; it was a message—a message that no one disrespected Electra Vale without consequences.

"Any word?" she asked without looking away from Yura.

Irina glanced up. "Not yet, but she should be here soon."

Deena stood near the entrance of the pool area, her eyes scanning around impatiently. "I'll keep watch," she offered, already moving toward the overgrown pathway leading back to the main campus.

"Do that," Electra replied. "We need to clear out the moment she arrives."

Penelope shifted in the water, her patience wearing thin. "She's getting heavy," she complained, adjusting her grip as Yura's body sagged.

"Just a little longer," Electra said dismissively. "Think of it as building character."

Penelope rolled her eyes but held on. Yura's breaths were audible now—sharp inhales through her nose, and her bound hands twitched desperately.

Irina's phone buzzed softly. She glanced at the screen and smirked. "Yuna's almost here," she announced, triumph evident in her voice. "She bought it the text, hook, line, and sinker."

Electra's eyes gleamed. "Perfect." She turned to Penelope and made a subtle gesture. "Time to wrap it up."

With a sigh of relief, Penelope released her hold on Yura, letting the girl's head slip back under the water. She swiftly moved toward the edge of the pool, hoisting herself out with ease.

Electra watched as Yura's struggles intensified briefly, her body instinctively fighting against the suffocation, and the sight stirred something cold and satisfying inside her.

"Let's go," she ordered.

Irina, Roxana, and Penelope nodded, gathering their belongings quickly, while Electra took one final glance at the pool.

Yura's body was barely visible now, her movements slowing.

"She'll make it," Electra said confidently, noticing Penelope's brief hesitation. "Yuna will save her. That's the whole point."

They moved quickly toward the back entrance, a narrow gate partially concealed by overgrown vines. Electra led the way, her steps unhurried, and behind them, the sounds of Yura's muffled splashes faded.

***

Yuna sprinted through the overgrown grass and broken pavement that led to the old swimming pool, her chest heaving with panic as she scanned the dark surroundings.

The text from Yura had been a single word: help. Then it was followed by an even more distressing message—her location. Yuna's intuition screamed at her that something was horribly wrong, especially because she knew that Yura would never come out to the old swimming pool, especially not at this hour.

Seraphina trailed closely behind Yuna; her own breath labored from trying to keep up.

"Yura!" Yuna shouted, her voice echoing.

She spun around, her eyes wide with fear, as she turned to Seraphina. "Do you see her anywhere?" she asked, her voice trembling as she spoke.

Seraphina, her heart clenching with fear, squinted into the darkness. The broken security lights made it almost impossible to see anything clearly, but just as she was about to shake her head, her gaze caught a sudden, subtle movement in the pool.

"Yuna!" Seraphina shouted, pointing toward the water. The ripples expanded slowly outward, the evidence of something—someone—struggling under the water.

Yuna didn't hesitate. She kicked off her slippers and sprinted toward the pool's edge, leaping into the water without a second thought.

The cold water engulfed her, but she forced herself to stay focused, searching the dark pool with frantic eyes and outstretched arms. Her fingers brushed against something, and she gripped it tightly, realizing it was Yura's arm.

With every ounce of strength, she pulled her sister's limp body to the surface and toward the pool's edge, coughing and gasping for breath.

Seraphina fell to her knees, eyes wide with horror, as she reached to help Yuna drag Yura's soaked form out of the water. Her heart pounded wildly as she took in the sight of Yura—drenched, eyes closed, with ropes tied on her wrists and ankles.

A hood that had been pulled tightly over her head was slipped off, revealing her wet hair, pale face, and a duct tape-covered mouth, making it clear this wasn't an accident.

"Sera, please get the ropes off her hands and feet!" Yuna shouted, her voice cracking.

Seraphina's fingers fumbled with the tight knots, but she managed to loosen them enough to free Yura's legs and hands, but the ropes left red marks, and Yura's skin was alarmingly cold.

Yuna ripped the duct tape from Yura's mouth, wincing at the faint sound it made as it pulled away. She leaned down, pressing her ear to Yura's chest, willing herself to hear the gentle rise and fall of breath, but there was nothing. Just silence.

"Come on, Yura, please," she whispered, pressing her ear against Yura's chest.

The silence that met her there was deafening, and her eyes widened with terror as she looked up at Seraphina.

"Seraphina…" her voice cracked as she sat up, her hands hovering helplessly over her sister's unmoving body.

Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision until all she could see was a distorted image of Yura's seemingly lifeless face. "My sister's not breathing, Seraphina. Yura's not breathing."