Tess's POV

My long, white dress floats behind me as I walk down the aisle. I clutch my two fathers' arms, while one hand holds my bouquet. They give me away to Matthew, and I couldn't be happier. Matthew smiles and kisses the back of my hand. We're finally doing it. We're finally getting married.

Suddenly, Matthew cries in pain and clutches his chest. The guests don't make any note of this; they keep watching as if the ceremony is just going on as usual. Matthew drops to the ground, yelling in agony.

"Matthew!" I cry. He's writhing in pain, and his face drains of any color. His blue eyes roll to the back of his head, and he lies limp and lifeless in my arms.

I bolt upright, the abrupt motion making my head swirl. I clutch my head and pull my knees to my chest, burying my face. I can feel myself shivering, but I'm not even cold. I can't tell if I'm crying. I just feel so empty, like I'm missing a limb.

Matthew wordlessly places a hand on my shoulder and pulls me to his chest. He kisses my forehead, and I eventually calm down enough to assure him I'm alright.

"It's fine," he says. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

"What time is it?"

"Four in the morning," he replies.

"Matthew—"

"Too many things going on in my mind."

His finger brushes a patch of skin on my right arm, the spot just below my shoulder. "What is this?" he asks.

"It's a scar from a smallpox vaccination. I got it when I was a baby, probably before I was with my adopted family." It's a strange topic to talk about, so I ask, "Do you want to go outside?"

Matthew takes off the blankets and stands. He holds his hand for me to take, knowing that I clearly won't be able to go back to sleep again, and I take it. He leads me to the balcony, the air chilly during the summer night. Crickets chirp and buzz, singing while the rest of the orchestra is fast asleep.

"What were you thinking about?" I ask, leaning on the balcony railing.

He shrugs. "I don't know. Just things I could have done differently in my life. Sometimes I wish I could this better, or said something smarter. I know it's impractical to think on things that have already happened, but still."

"I know what you mean," I say, looking at the guards standing by the border of the gardens. Do they ever get tired? "I regret being drunk the night I kissed you."

He breathes a laugh. "If you weren't drunk, maybe we would have never kissed at all."

"I still would have fallen in love," I say a bit ruefully. "And if I didn't, I still would have cared about you to some degree."

"But if my brother eliminated you, you'd be home in Midston, with no knowledge that you're a princess."

I look at my hands. "I'd be in college, working to get a medical degree."

"Even with the caste system gone?"

"Even then."

A silence hangs in the air between us, even though the cicadas and crickets continue to hum. "What if we just met on the street?" he asks. "What if we were just two regular people who happened to stumble upon each other?"

"I don't know," I say. "I'd probably think you're a handsome guy who has a million brokenhearted girls behind him." I see him smirk out of the corner of my eye. "I'd say your smirk is just troublesome and that you'd leave me brokenhearted too. I'd walk past you and remember you as just the person I bumped into." I glance at him, only to look at the stone bench in the gardens again. "What do you think?"

"I'd be awfully sorry that I delayed your arrival to some place in need of your presence. But then I would look at you and see how beautiful you are, and I wouldn't be sorry at all."

It coaxes a smile out of me. "How do you think our first kiss would be?"

Matthew doesn't respond. Instead he places a finger on my chin and turns my face to his. I blink. "You know you can't change history."

He smiles. "Yeah, I know."

He places his lips on mine, soft but sure. It's not passionate and burning, but I can tell how much he really loves me. My heart flutters, and I feel like a middle-school girl with a major crush on the popular boy. "Probably something like that," he whispers.

We stay out on the balcony until it's four thirty-nine. Matt takes me back inside, and he falls asleep, but sleep seems so impossible to me. So I leave his side and wander the palace.


Tess's POV

"Tess, we have an issue," Maxon says, leaning back in his chair.

"I'm sort of regretting greeting you good morning," I say, sinking down to a chair.

The king smiles. "It's not a major issue, and I'm sure we'll resolve it." He hands me an envelope that's already been opened.

"What is this?" I ask, taking it.

"It's a letter from a girl claiming to be the true Missing Princess of Italy."

I frown. "Excuse me?"

"Just read the letter."

The neat, cursive handwriting is thick and hastily written, as if she needs to be at the palace immediately. The words are in Italian, but it's no struggle for me to decipher it.

Dear King Maxon and Queen America,

Months have gone by since the knowledge of the location of the "Missing Princess of Italy" was exposed. The problem is, I am the true princess. I have the birthmark and the etiquette to prove it. Unlike the impostor at your palace that is engaged to your crown prince, I am a true Italian. I was born and raised in Italy, and I know exactly how foreign policy works. I assume she knows nothing of the Italian monarchy, and the only thing this Teresa knows how to do is look pretty and fund things such as charity galas. What has she ever done for the actual country? She is only thinking of herself. The Teresa Renaldi Cancer Foundation? I would not have named it after myself, as I see that as the opposite of humble.

I would have claimed to be the true princess long ago, but when I finally had enough knowledge of my country's princess, I was kidnapped by the Italian Mafia. I am the true princess, otherwise they would not have taken me at all. I was in captivity for nine years. I was finally able to escape several days ago, and by the time you get this, I will be at my small, empty house, thinking how I should be at the palace.

I have arranged a flight to Illéa to explain more of this situation. I have also sent this letter to my birth parents, the king and queen of Italy. I am looking forward to seeing you.

Sincerely, Teresa Francesca Renaldi de'Medici

I nearly crumple the entire letter into a ball. "This is absurd!" I say, throwing the letter back on Maxon's desk. "Who in their right mind would do this?"

"Not to worry, Tess," he says calmly. "She will be arriving tomorrow at the palace. Nobody would think she's the princess. And besides, even if she is, we'd rather have you in our family than her."

I smile. "Really?"

"Really."

Then I think of a thing that would compromise my entire engagement to Matthew. "Maxon, didn't we sign a contract with the Italian monarchy saying that in addition to a better trade system the princess of Italy would marry the Matthew? I mean, if she turns out to be the actual princess, there goes my marriage with the man I love! She'd have my life, and everything I thought would be right would be even more wrong. Maxon! What are we going to do?"

I'm panicking and hyperventilating. I start to get light-headed. "Tess, listen to me closely," Maxon says. "You will do everything you can to present yourself as the true princess. You have the birthmarks, the proof that you are the real Teresa de'Medici. Understand?"

I take deeper, slower breaths. "Yes."

"Besides, she'll look nothing like you," he assures me. "What could go wrong?"


No one likes that line, Maxon. Also, more on the Alex/Alexa situation next chapter. And oh! I got this chapter out before 1 a.m. That's an accomplishment!

Question of the Day: Do you have any scar(s)? (Mental or physical)

Answer to previous QOTD: I wish everything was free and we could just take what we want because humans are nice like that. Stupid, greedy society. I also wish I could teleport to places. Traveling takes too much time. Time, time, time. I want more time. Lol, I feel like America.

Thanks for the reviews!

LovableL101- Aww you cried again? I love traveling. I wish I could go everywhere and just get pictures and...I wish I could teleport. Like, really badly. And the education thing is something I would say. Thanks so much!

idk0- Well, if/when Matthew dies, Xander would be next in line with probably Maria by his side, if he doesn't have a Selection. Good question. Thank you!

ThisGirlActuallyReads- I KNOW RIGHT?! Jk it may not be what you think. But then again, it could be EXACTLY what you think. Thanks!

EileenAbbey- That sounds like the best thing ever. Ceaseless battery life and wifi everywhere. Literally, my phone was charging all night and I woke up and turned it on and it said 99 percent. I was literally like wtf. Anyways, I'm glad you can relate with my characters :) Thanks so much!

agb1700- Aww thank you! Lurve ya so much!

theoneforever- Hmm, what if it's not what you think? Thanks so much!

Kiren- It depends what your definition of sin is. And would it be sin gone, or the actual act of sinning? Idk I'm probably trying to make this a philosophical question when it's not. And what if? What if Alex loves Alexa? Hmm...Thanks so much!

KhrystineR- Hahaha I cuss WAY worse than that. So you're excused :) And your entire review was EXACTLY what I was thinking so now I have to change it and make Alex heartless :P Jk it's not what was going to happen. You missed the part where they find out Henry is actually a robot. Shit, spoiler alert! Juuuuust kidding. HAHAHA the entire UK. I just want the guys in the UK. When you own the country, can you, like, ship all of them to me? Thank you so much! P.S. Yeah, I'd totes be your best friend :P

SJWrites2014- Yes, it works. Most definitely :) Thanks so much!

PokemonLuver151- Mm books. I'm not really a video game person, but GTA is legit my faves. What do you play? Thank you!

magicalnerd123- Ooh, that's a good one. I would love to meet John Green. He is a literary Einstein, smart yet slightly insane. :P The Alex's. That's funny. Thanks so much!

dakotamo- HAHA lol Alexa is screwed...Dude, she's knocked up :P And Tess and Matt are like in a video game. They had two lives to start with and they just lost one. So yeah, they're screwed :P SPOILER: EVERYONE DIES. I'll definitely do an Alexa POV in the future, but I don't think there will be an Alex POV. I just feel like there are too much POV's then it's going to be confusing. I hope you understand :) Thanks you so much!

fantasybookgirl- Mad pregnant women are like bulls and everyone is the immobile, flying, red cape. :P I have no experience with MPW (mad pregnant women) so yeah. :) Thanks so much!

Athenachild101- HAHAHA funniest story. You were 4, though. That doesn't count :P I mean, I'm not even American but they let me be a GS. Yay me! Thank you!

Abby2014- New reviewer! I think...Oh well. Ass-kicking scenes are fun to write :) Thanks so much!

LittleMissTori- Your life isn't boring. Evidence: Zach and Tyler. Haha thank you so much!

HikariTheNormall- Haha iPad is just failing everyone :P This review was hilarious to read (and a bit challenging without the A's, but I managed). Thank you so much!

winterprincess- "Alexa had better think this through before doing something stupid." Sounds like America. Lol thank you so much!

WinteryRose- Ooh, I'd save that gift for college. I want to go to Stanford University sooooo bad. But yeah. :) Thanks so much!

princessofillea22- Another new reviewer! Aww this review was the absolute sweetest ever! That is so nice of you! I'd definitely be writing and publishing if I actually had a good plot idea ;) A personal mall sounds the best. Thank you so much!

ReadLikeYouMeanIt- Aw that's so nice! Especially since I just complimented you :P Thank you so much!

Love ya!- AcademicGirl