Chapter 24

Alyssa had never felt more unsure and nervous than she had that morning. As she stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself dressed as the future queen, she realized how crazy she had been to accept Luther’s proposal. She had only agreed to it because she was scared and didn’t want anyone to find out the truth. Not to mention the fact that the bride present was the wrong one, which made everything worse.

Today was the day of the engagement, and after days of preparation and etiquette classes, she still didn’t think she was ready to do this. The thought of going out there terrified her. She found herself looking over her shoulder a lot more recently, thinking someone, the real Allisa would jump out of the nearest bush and scream at her for being an imposter.

She knew that even though Luther had made this decision to protect her, he was still trying to forcefully keep her with him as long as he possibly could. These days, she caught herself lost in thoughts about Allisa, what she was doing and how she would react if she found out about what was happening.

Just then, Rin and some maids walked into her room, giggling and carrying a big vase full of flowers. “It’s from his majesty himself,” Rin said, giving Alyssa a teasing look.

Alyssa smiled at them and took out the card and read what was on it. “Be strong, together we will overcome it all.” Somehow his words made her feel secured and safe. She smiled gently, feeling relieved.

“Lady Allisa is smiling,” Jenny, one of the maids, said happily. “And if she is smiling, it only means his Majesty gave her a love letter.”

“Will you tell us what’s in it?”, Rin asked, stretching her neck to get a peek at the contents of the card.

“Of course not” , Alyssa told her, tucking the card into her dresser. “Its meant for my eyes alone”.

“ It must have been something flirtatiously if the lady is refusing to show us”, Sarah, one of the maids said and they laughed.

Alyssa laughed with them, feeling more relaxed for the first time since she woke up that morning. She had always gotten along with the maids, and she was glad that she had adapted quickly to her new life. She was only here for a while, she reminded herself silently. Allisa would return, and she would leave for good.

It was a strange feeling, knowing that her time in this world was coming to an end. She had grown accustomed to the wealth and power that came with her new identity, but she knew it was only a matter of time before the real Allisa returned.

As her mother walked in, Alyssa was reminded that it was almost time for the engagement party. Her mom looked stunning in a beautiful red gown, and Alyssa couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. “I knew this gown would be perfect on you,” her mom said, holding both of Alyssa’s cheeks.

“It would be perfect, after all, you chose it for me,” Alyssa replied, her smile widening. She appreciated her mother’s support, even the poor lady was oblivious about her identity. She wondered what the woman would say and what she would do if she ever found out the truth.

Ever since they arrived in this world, Alyssa had been pampered and well taken care of by Mitchell’s mother. There were times when she felt guilty for the lie and times when she couldn’t help but enjoy the attention and the love that came with it. It was something she missed when she was still in her world. Her stepmom always treated her cruelly, calling her a bastard and never offering any motherly love. Being here in this world, however, was different. She had the love of parents and respectful maids, and the offer of being a queen.

Mitchell’s mom urged Alyssa to hurry up, saying that the king was waiting for her. Although she hadn’t set eyes on him for days, she doubted if he was really eager to see her. The car drove straight to the ballroom, and Alyssa got down feeling like a queen. She walked into the room with her parents, feeling like she didn’t belong there.

As they made their way to the party, Alyssa’s nerves returned. What if someone found out the truth? What if Luther’s intentions weren’t pure? She tried to push the thoughts from her mind and just enjoy the night, but it was easier said than done.

He was standing with his back to her, talking to a couple of men. For a while, she let herself stare at him, taking in his perfect body and the way his hair curled at the front. When he turned and saw her, she continued to stare, not wanting to show any weakness. He gave her a strange look before smiling at her, causing her heart to race. This had happened before, on the day he had proposed to her. Alyssa didn’t understand why she felt this way and gently hit her chest to calm herself down.

He came over to them and greeted Alyssa’s parents before turning to her. “You look so beautiful, Mitchell,” he said, taking her hand in his and kissing it. Alyssa felt weird about the situation and tried to pull her hand away, but he held it tightly. “If you will excuse us, my wife-to-be and I will be going over there to say hello,” he said to her parents before walking off with Alyssa.

As they walked, Alyssa couldn’t help but speak her mind. “You really had to do that?” she asked referring to the kiss.

“What?” he asked, looking at her curiously.

“The kissing part. You shouldn’t have-“ Alyssa didn’t get to complete her sentence as he bent down and gently kissed her lips. She stood there, stunned, staring at him. “You should get used to it because I will be kissing you all the time. It’s part of the plan,” he said, smiling at her.

Alyssa couldn’t believe it. She had agreed to the plan, and now she was trapped. Everything had happened so fast, and she didn’t know how to react. As they continued their walk, Alyssa felt more and more lost. She didn’t understand why Luther was treating her this way, and she was unsure if she could handle being married to him.

Throughout the party, Luther was attentive and kind to Alyssa. He introduced her to other guests and made sure she never felt alone. Alyssa was grateful for this though. She didn’t think she would have been able to go through with this, putting on a straight face without breaking down if he wasn’t right beside her. She turned to him and smiled. Maybe he wasn’t so had after all.