The Selection Series is property of Kiera Cass, not myself.

I hope you guys will enjoy this! After finishing the series, I couldn't help but think about what would've happened if the series had ended differently, and how everyone's lives would be different.

I would love to get some feedback about the story, so please review and let me know what you thought, good or bad!

Follows and favorites are also appreciated. Thanks so much for reading!

Even now, just looking at his face brings me to tears. His neatly styled blond hair, his warm brown eyes, his brilliant smile - no matter what I do, I can't escape him.

It's not like his image is in short supply, after all. He's Illea's charming prince. And Kriss… the beloved princess. That part is even harder to think about. It hurts me to dwell on the idea for more than a moment, when I see a fleeting image of their smiling faces, pasted on the front page of a newspaper. I can't bring myself to watch the Report anymore. My family has to come relay the information to me afterwards.

The reality of Dad's death is finally sinking in, too. When I find myself sobbing in my room, I can still imagine him comforting me, telling me how proud he is. The thought only makes me cry harder.

It's been nearly two months, and my family has begun to force me to leave my room. It can't be easy for them, having to take care of me while we all mourn for my father, but even the guilt of being a burden isn't enough to pull me from the depths of my sorrow.

Besides, we're much better off now. As threes, everything is easier to come by. There are leftovers and electricity every day. I'm glad that I did that much for my family; May and Gerad look so much happier. The knowledge that no one in my family will have to go hungry is enough to at least let me be guiltlessly miserable.

The hardest part is that I still love him. I love him even though he hates me. I love Maxon Schreave more than I've ever loved anyone, even Aspen, and I'm sure that this time I'll never recover from my broken heart. No amount of sympathy, no sum of money could ever fill this hole. I'm empty, like a conch shell, full of nothing but the whispers and memories of our love.

My last day in the palace was most definitely the worst day of my life. It would have been so much easier if I hadn't loved him; surely, it still would have been sad, but it wouldn't have felt like my very being had been ripped out of my body to be trapped forever inside that beautiful cage.

From an outsider's point of view, it was amazing what my maids managed to do. My makeup made the puffiness of my eyes less noticeable. My hair was curled, falling in soft waves that framed my face. It wasn't the regal look of a queen, but I guess it was fitting – I wasn't going to be royalty.

My dress was deep blue, the skirt's shimmering fabric under a layer of tulle. The top of the dress was lace, elegant but still able to cover the scar from my bullet wound. The sweetheart neckline would have felt just right if I had my songbird necklace on; instead, the space there looked empty. I'd given everything I had in the hopes that I would be the princess, but nothing I could have given was enough. I had given Maxon my heart, and yet here I was, leaving the palace alone.

This was all my fault, of course. If I had just realized my feelings for Maxon sooner, if I had refused to acknowledge that I still had feelings for Asper… this could have been the best day of my life. I'd built our relationship on lies, and it was bound to fall apart eventually. My eyes started to water again. The hurt in his eyes haunted me whenever I closed my eyes. The scene played itself over and over in my head. My apologies were useless. All I had left were the love letters, the broken promise of our future together. Yours forever. He must have been hurting as much as I was. I guess it wasn't enough to make him forgive me.

The room was flawlessly decorated, clearly the work of Silvia. Everybody's murmurs and speculations filled the room. I could hear people who were confident I would be the princess. How would they react when Maxon proposed to Kriss? How would I react?

Sitting there, I couldn't help but hope that he would change his mind. I wished with all my heart that he would turn to me, his smile comfortingly familiar, and tell me that I was his. But when he spoke to me, there was no warmth. There was nothing but venom.

"I'd like my letters back. I don't know what I was thinking."

"I'll be glad when you're gone."

It's funny how in a room full of people, no one knows when you're falling apart.

After an eternity, the room was finally silenced so that the live broadcast could begin.

"Good morning, Illea!" Gavril greeted. "Today is the highly anticipated finale of the Selection. We'll all find out who Maxon has chosen to be the princess of Illea! Without further ado, Prince Maxon." Gavril stepped aside and the cameras focused on Maxon.

Rising from his seat to my left, he stepped forward. There was no podium, as that would prevent the cameras from getting a good shot of the proposal, but he projected his voice well. "This experience was life changing. I'd like to thank the families of all 35 ladies for allowing me the privilege of meeting their beautiful daughters, and the ladies themselves for being so kind to me. I've spoken with America and Kriss, and I regret that I'll be sending them one of them home today."

Did I hear his voice waver? Did that mean that he was telling the truth? He had just said that he wouldn't miss my presence.

"I won't drag this out any longer, as there will be time for a more proper speech later." I could feel the tension in the room as he turned around. His eyes caught mine, and I was desperately hoping once again that I would be his choice, despite it all. But then he focused on Kriss, and I thought I was going to throw up, or burst into tears, or perhaps both.

He got down on his knee and pulled a small box out of his pocket. He drew in a deep breath. "Kriss Ambers, will you marry me?"

The room immediately broke into applause; it was obvious what her answer would be. I could feel the tears leaking out now, but I held back the sobs. Kriss and I had promised that we would be happy for each other, no matter what the outcome was. I quickly wiped the tears away and realized that there was nothing left I could do, but try to start and accept my fate.

I wasn't Maxon's one and only.