Welcome to the first, real chapter. The last one was an introduction of sorts. From now on, you'll get actual information and stuff.

Sorry for taking longer than usual for my standards! Normally I update a couple of times a week but I've been super busy so I couldn't write as much and I literally lost two chapters when I first wanted to update so I had to rewrite before I could get back to updating.

thanks for everything!

The morning after my meeting with Maxon, the alarm clock started ringing way too early. With a groan, I shut it up and stood up. I slowly walked into the bathroom and jumped into the shower where I spent time thinking about the visit my ex-boyfriend had paid me at the office. His eyes really had reeled me in but I was already in before he looked at me with those eyes. I was going to do it anyway because even though I haven't seen him in eight months, he is the love of my life and I am still in love with him. I thought I'd gotten over him but I haven't and I now know that no matter what he would ask of me, I would do it without a doubt.

With a sigh I turned off the water and stepped out. I quickly dried off and tied a towel around me before stepping back into my room.

After the Selection ended, I went back home with my family and stayed inside for four weeks. I got a lot of mail for 'suitors' who all offered marriage but I declined each and every one of the offers and wallowed away inside. I didn't want to face the public and wanted to stay inside so I wouldn't be reminded of Maxon. I didn't even watch the Report because I knew that I'd see her with him and I knew my heart would break all over again.

That lasted until Celeste crashed into our house and anounced to my family and me that she was taking me on a getaway. She had a ticket for us to go to Italy for a while before we'd come back at the beginning of the following month. I didn't even had a say in it as she worked together with my mother sister to get me out of the house. I wasn't even allowed to pack before Celeste styled me into a nice outfit and dragged me outside. A car was waiting in front of the door but still, the papperazzi managed to get a lot of pictures of us. As soon as our plane touched down in Italy, even more reporters were waiting for us and Celeste managed to make me give an interview. Later on I learned that it had become somewhat controversial in Illéa and had even been brought up in the Report but no one answered to it.

Celeste had made me change yet again on the plane. When we had left Illéa, I'd been forced to dress in something casual and comfortable but still presentable. I have no idea where she even got the extra outfit from but all of the sudden, about twenty minutes before touchdown, she procured a new outfit and forced me to change in the bathroom. When I got off the plane, I was dressed in a somewhat risqué attire. It consisted out of a leather skirt with a loose, large key-hole t-shirt tucked in and thigh high boots. Obviously not my style but Celeste insisted that I wanted to make a statement and that this was the way to do it.

Yes, I've avoided the public eye for a month. Yes, I was heartbroken. Yes, I declined marriage offers.

No, I am not pining after the prince anymore. No, I will not hide anymore.

I'm back... better than ever!

Celeste led me to where a handsome young man was standing next to a camera, shouting our names. "Miss America! Will you answer a couple of questions?"

"Of course." That was the first controversy about this. I willingly accepted the offer of an interview from an Italian reporter as opposed to an Illéan one. I ignored Gavril Fadaye for goodness sake but I smiled and accepted the offer from an Italian nobody.

"Miss America, how have you been?"

"I have been good, thank you! I've been getting used to my new life but I'm good."

"What does your new life consist of?"

"To be honest, I have no idea! I took time after the Selection to work on myself and just finally breath, something I haven't been able to do for so long. I am not going back to my old ways of performing music that barely pays rent. I am going to go forward in my life and I am going to support my family in any way I can." Strike two, I criticized the Illéan caste system.

"That's nice." He smiled and I wanted to believe it was genuine. "What are you doing here in Italy?"

"I have, yet again, no idea! I was spending time with my family when Celeste anounced to us that she was taking me on a trip to Italy. I have no idea what we will be doing but I trust her to show me a good time here. I hope I can see Princess Nicoletta but I doubt she will be able to meet me with her busy schedule."

"I hope you can see her again! She has been busy but maybe, just maybe she can clear her schedule to meet up with a friend." He smiled again and thanked me for the interview.

After that, Celeste and I had an amazing trip in Italy. Like the interviewer had said, Nicoletta had cleared up some time and invited the two of us to the palace for a dinner and a night out on the town. The other two women were obviously used to it, I was not and was quite awkward there.

When we came back to Illéa, Celeste and I found ourselves in a large condo in Angeles that Nicoletta had provided us with along with the office. We got to work and started hiring our team of gladiators in suits. She really did support us and helped us through it all. It was because of her that we were here.

Succesful.

I was able to provide for my family. They stayed in Caroline because they wanted to but they had visited and promised to do it at least once a year.

"America," Celeste walked into my room after I'd finished buttoning up my shirt, "do you need help with the Royal case?"

"Yes, so get your butt down to the office and start calling Nicoletta. I have a feeling that if we're going to against the palace, we're going to need another palace backing us up. I know Clarkson well enough to know that if he ever even suspected us doing this, he'd hang us for treason. Even Maxon wouldn't be able to save us. Which is why this is a case for the two of us. The others don't know about his visit and we're keeping it this way. I will not be responsible for their death, I don't even like having you in on it but I know that he would never believe that I was able to keep it from you when we live and work together."

"Damn it, you're good."

"I'm the best." I smirked, picking up my bag and strutting out, "I'm the best because I was trained by the best."

"That you are."