The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0403

“I heard he had dated another person after he was with me,” she said. “Back then, he had a little more freedom so I suppose anything is possible.”

That wasn’t a compliment, but then, her entire demeanor had seemed to shift now that we were alone. Her smile had an edge. Her voice was curter. This felt less like the cute actress persona she had at the ready for the rest of the world, and more like this might be her true self.

“I wouldn’t have believed it if Nicholas hadn’t confirmed himself to me these past few days,” Bridget said.

I felt a hint of pride. Nicholas didn’t talk about Bridget, but he did, it seemed, talk about me.

“We had a very happy relationship together while we were at the Academy,” I said. “He is the kindest man I’ve ever known and he treated me with such respect and passion…” All of it was true, but I may have been talking it up a bit more than necessary, out of my jealousy.

“You had no idea who he was. Is that right?” she asked.

“He was Nicholas.”

“But you didn’t know he was a prince.”

“No. He didn’t tell me that.”

She smiled a bit as she tilted her head. “A shame that he thought to keep so many secrets from you. When I knew him, he prided himself so much on his honesty.”

“He is still an honest, stalwart kind of man,” I said, a little annoyed at her implication otherwise.

“Maybe he is now, after your split. But you must admit that the man kept secrets from you. His lineage, for one. His closeness to me, for another.”

Unfortunately, she was right. I did have to admit that. Even though I hated to.

“He had his reasons,” she said.

“I’m sure.” Bridget tilted her head, her movie star smile slipped back into place. “I suppose I have nothing to worry about then.”

the way she said that. Like she was crossing me off as a threat, just like she did everyone else. Maybe she truly did not

this morning. His scent was

so confident that

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gave me an upset stomach, and my friendliness was much harder to fake all the sudden. Bridget didn’t seem to care

like me. It can feel a bit… isolating. I’m sure you

like the way she was saying it, suggesting so easily that I was obviously an

irritation. Yes, she was right. I did understand how isolating it could feel to believe none of the other girls liked you. To be so

star with a huge following, but loneliness was a universal experience. Money and fame didn’t

but… potential love interests weren’t

rely on you, Piper, to be my friend,” she said, and she seemed

feel alone, not even someone I

lucky to be your friend,

the room.

Julian’s flirtation has

You are

laying the charm on thick. His

seemed to put the blinders on him. He didn’t once look at me. He didn’t acknowledge me at all. His entire focus was

it with these princes? Bridget comes back and they both

214

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Julian offered his arm. “It would

any girls ever tell you no?” She slid her arm

frankly, though it was still attractive on

Was he thinking that she did, when she

about that circumstance, and not really anyway to find answers. I wondered if the cook Charlotte talked about would

to help Julian, but it would be wrong to pry into his life more than I already

For now, at least.