The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0622

The butler showed me to Susie's room, and then quickly excused himself outside of her door. When he was gone, I knocked.

"Go away!" Susie called in a watery voice. She was crying.

I knocked more insistently as I pushed open the door.

*I said -* she started, cutting herself off she say me. "Piper?"

"Hi, Susie," I said.

"Oh, Piper!" She was sitting at her desk, the tears running down her cheeks. As I entered the room, closing the door behind me, she jumped from the chair and ran to me.

We shared a hug. Relief flooded through me.

I stepped back after a moment, to look her over. She didn't seem too worse for wear. Other than the crying, she didn't show any signs of abuse or neglect.

"What are you doing here?" Susie sniffed. "I'm sure word has gotten around by now."

*Rumors don't matter. Come back to palace."

*If you've heard the rumors, you know why I can't."

"Everyone will forget, the moment you appear. They'll all just think it's gossip and it won't matter," I say. "Since Jessica is the only other contender for Joyce, you wouldn't even have to face elimination."

*Piper," she sounded so sad. "I can't come. It's just not rumors. My parents... They know the truth about me."

*How could they?" I asked. She wasn't showing yet. Sure they might suspect, but to have real proof?

"I told them," Susie said.

I startled, speechless.

"I didn't want to lie anymore about any of it," Susie said. "I don't want to have to pretend to have feelings for Joyce, when the only one I really want is Mark."

the ring in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding

Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with

anything would have kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have

laughed a

before he did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My presence was

"True."

parents knew who I was..."

blushed a little. "I talk about you

I pulled her into another hug. How grateful I was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time

to give you this." I held my

at it and

says it's overdue," I told her. "He

the ring from my palm and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her

covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I asked her,

Or even if that didn't matter to me,

will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't

She continued looking at the ring for

want to see him,"

headed for the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the butler to guide

her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she smiled too, though

really is a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself off when Susie and I returned to the

*Susie..." her mom said.

Susie's eyes were on Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd already put on

word

stepped forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer

bow. "Please allow me

both

love with your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot live

of her

mother was quicker. She touched her

baby is mine. And I would raise it as my child, with Susie as my

my Beta and a loyal man besides.