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."

in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding it back even

Mark. And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide as saucers. "Mark

your parents wouldn't have

a

a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all, more likely they'd let me

"True."

knew who I

little. "I talk about you

grateful I was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends. She was so sweet and kind, she deserved so many more than

tug the ring from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm out with the ring

at it

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

held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips,

softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's

for it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away

told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you

at the ring for another minute

to see

the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the butler to guide us back downstairs to the sitting

the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she

consistently said "Susie's father

*Susie..." her mom said.

his on her. Then his gaze dropped to

he said, the word overflowing with obvious

closer to Susie's parents, closer than even

said, dropping into a deep bow. "Please allow me to marry your

both went wide-eyed.

am in love with your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot

know of her condition!"

touched her husband's arm. "He

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

"He is my Beta and a loyal man besides. He will