CINDERELLA ¹ ╮

{Ch.27}

━━━━━━━ ☆☆ ━ OPHELIA sat in the car with Elijah in anticipation while he drove to the high school.

He sighs suddenly drawing Ophelia's attention. "What's wrong?" She asked him.

"I haven't been completely honest with you," Elijah admits carefully.

Ophelia gives him an odd look but stays quiet.

"I think I know who your other soulmate is but I do not think it is wise to seek him out," Elijah told her vaguely.

Seeming a bit nervous over the matter. Confusing Ophelia because it was unlike Elijah to seem nervous.

"What- How? Why? When did you find out?" She rapidly questioned while turning her body, being held back by the seatbelt but still trying to face him.

"I knew it when I meet you. Your connection to my brother. The one who's after Elena, Niklaus," Elijah admitted hesitantly.

Ophelia stared at him. Her mouth agape. Before closing it slowly.

"Why- why shouldn't I seek him out?" She asked quietly.

In her experience especially with Katherine. Everyone deserved a second chance at love.

If he is her soulmate then surly he deserves a second chance as well. Just as she had given Katherine.

Elijah sighs, his grip tightening on the wheel, it would be a painful grip to any human, thankfully he wasn't one.

He licks his suddenly dry lips before speaking. "He may persevere you to be a new weakness of sorts..."

Ophelia gives him an odd look. "I don't understand," She admits giving him a helpless look.

"He is paranoid. Over a millennia of being hunted by our father has driven him mad," Elijah admits hesitantly.

"Shouldn't we be working to help him then?" She asked furrowing her eyebrows together in confusion.

Elijah sighed. "I used to think there was hope for Niklaus but it seems I was wrong. I doubt he will except a vulnerability with open arms," Elijah explained to her.

His eyes flitting toward her as he drove. "You would be better off if Niklaus never finds out about you," Elijah advises.

Ophelia shakes her head in denial and disbelief.

Tears began to form in her eyes before she could even process her own feelings.

"I- I don't." She began to stammer. The words getting stuck in her throat.

The car ride began to grow quiet, the gentle hum of the engine filling the silence between Ophelia and Elijah.

Ophelia stared out of the window, her mind lost in a maze of thoughts and emotions she struggled to unravel.

Elijah glanced at her from time to time, concern etched on his face.

"Ophelia, you seem lost in your thoughts. Is everything okay?" Elijah's voice broke the silence, pulling Ophelia back to the present moment.

She sighed, turning to look at him with a mixture of sadness and confusion in her eyes.

"I don't understand. Why I'm so sad, Elijah. It's like this heavy weight in my chest that won't go away. —And my eyes, their leaking again,"

Elijah nodded trying to be understanding, his gaze filled with empathy.

He pulls over so he can safely comfort her.

"Sometimes our hearts feel things that our minds can't quite grasp. It's okay not to have all the answers right now," Elijah softly comforted while turning toward her.