The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0399

I stayed in my room from then out as much as I was able. Staying near Elva helped me keep in mind my promise to her. I would not abandon her again. And so long as I was in my room, I was safe from running into Nicholas and Bridget and seeing whatever was going on between the two of them unfold.

Elva seemed happy to have me near, and we played a lot, including the game I had promised where we sat in the window and counted the different kinds of birds we could see down in the gardens.

While Elva was awake and active, we had a great time. Even when her tutors arrived and she learned, I sat quietly and listened, proud of how smart my little girl was.

But times where Elva was entertaining herself, or like now, was lying down to rest, my thoughts began to fester and my jealousy burned so brightly it was difficult to control.

Charlotte noticed my unhappiness. She was always around, and as one of the servants, there was no hiding any gossip from her.

She tried to stay tight–l*pped around me for a time, and I appreciated her for it. But eventually, I cracked.

“What is everyone saying?” I asked.

She knew right away what I meant. “About Bridget and Nicholas?”

I nodded.

“The people think they would be a good match. They’ve totally enthralled the nation. There isn’t so much news about… that unpleasantness as before,” Charlotte said.

“The protests?”

“Still ongoing, but not quite as boisterous as before. If this was the royal family’s plan, it seems to be working.”

I could be grateful for that.

“What about the staff?” I asked. “What do they think about Bridget?”

star–struck,” said Charlotte. “Who can blame them? You think we’d all be used to seeing celebrities working here. But a movie star? That’s

15 BONUS

Someone who acted rude to

hardest to ask. “Do you know anything about

here then,”

but… if you’ve heard anything…”

to gossip,” Charlotte admitted, after a moment. She worried her bottom l*p like

I said. “I know it will hurt me, but… I have to hear it Charlotte. I’d rather hear it from you than learn it

“Very well.”

near the sewing machines still arranged in the

that, I gave Charlotte

Prince Nicholas were practically inseparable as they grew up. They were constantly with each other. Sometimes Prince Julian

She was holding something

“Charlotte?”

cook, she was here then. She said they often held hands. One day, when she caught Bridget alone, Bridget told the cook that she was going to marry Prince Nicholas

Bridget’s family moved away and she went with them. From what I hear, Prince Nicholas was totally heartbroken. He wouldn’t leave his room. for large chunks of time. Many times, I heard he flew to see her, or

as it so often goes, time and distance continued to stretch things out between them. Visits grew farther apart. Phone calls were fewer. Eventually they grew apart. The cook says Nicholas turned into a different person after that. Someone harder,

+16 BONUS

me that’s about when Nicholas left

was when he

into

them from every which way, trying to find the ways that would hurt me the least, I could only focus

angle, it seemed as if Bridget had been Nicholas’s true

he changed when he went to the Academy, when he met me, then who was I but a rebound? All those months we were together. All those

far too much. He had meant

his love for Bridget