Chapters 21-22

I read 24 pages.

"I never said he was stupid. Only corrupt."
"He's considered good enough to marry me!" Maria said.
"What?" Matt couldn't believe what he was hearing. (Pages 208-209)

Matt was incapable of speech. How could anyone want Maria to marry Tom? He was such a--such a rotten little pustule! It was unthinkable. (Page 209, 3rd paragraph)

During Matt and Maria's conversation here, you can tell Matt is jealous at the thought of Tom and Maria ever getting married, and he is definitely shocked that anyone would want them to get married.

Chapter 21 Summary: It is time to being preparation for Emilia and Steven's wedding, and Matt watches the guests as they come in. Matt saw Maria get off the hovercraft, but noticed she slipped away to the music room instead. He followed her to the music room, where she was waiting for him in the secret passage. They talk for a bit, and Matt explains to Maria how he is different from other clones. Maria brings up how Tom is "considered good enough to marry" her, and Matt is definitely unhappy with that possibility. I don't think Tom and Maria will marry, unless they are absolutely forced to. Changing the subject, Matt shows Maria the photo of Epseranza Mendoza from The History of Opium. Matt suggests that Maria should try to contact her mother, because she could keep Maria and Tom from having to get married. It is so obvious Matt is jealous and doesn't want Tom to have Maria. Knowing Emilia will be looking for her, Maria sneaks back to where everyone else is. It is time for the wedding, and Matt watches from the peephole in the secret passage with a pocket telescope. During the ceremony, El Patron passes out and falls out of his chair. We later find out that he had a heart attack. Everyone rushes out, leaving Steven and Emilia alone at the altar. It seems like something always goes wrong during events like this at the Alacran Estate.

Chapter 22 Summary: Matt begins to panic, because he thinks El Patron is going to kill him for organs, but he is not completely positive. Maria goes the secret passage and tells Matt to stay put until she can come back to get him. She says they can take her dad's hovercraft and pretend Matt is her new eejit servant. Matt waits for Maria to come back, becoming thirstier by the minute. Maria finally comes back with water, and news that El Patron is doing better. He changes into an eejit uniform Maria got from Tam Lin, and they make their way out to the hovercraft. Trying to get out of the passage, they are unable to find the peephole in the wall. Maria finds a scorpion on the wall and explains how El Patron used to use the passage to spy on people. It only works for El Patron, so enemies could not sneak in. The scorpion only shows up in red light, and El Patron presses his hand against the scorpion to open the wall. By doing this, he can enter and exit the house without being seen by the security cameras. If anyone else presses the scorpion, a jolt of electricity goes through their arm, and the whole passage fills up with a poisonous gas. Since Matt is El Patron's clone, Maria suggests it could work, since they have the same DNA. It is basically a now or never situation, so Matt decides to press the scorpion, but not before Maria and Matt declare their love for each other. How sweet! He presses the scorpion, and it opens. Whooo! They eventually ended up on the hovercraft landing field, where they walked to the right hovercraft. When they board the hovercraft, Emilia and Steven show up. Maria tells Emilia that their mother is alive, but Emilia says she has known that for years. If I were Maria, I would be very upset with Emilia. Steven tells Matt he has to go to the hospital, and he tells the bodyguards to take Matt away. Matt feels betrayed, because he always thought Steven and Emilia were somewhat friends. Maria screams for someone to help him, but no one listened to her.