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."

my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding it

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

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

a little at

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

"True."

parents knew who I was..."

about you often. You

much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time

pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm

looked at

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

inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a precious,

Then, in the next, she began to cry again.

"And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his

worry about that," I told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it get away. You have to follow your

looking at the ring for another minute

want to see him," she

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

help my smile. When

consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself off when Susie and I returned to the

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

word overflowing with

closer to Susie's parents, closer than even

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

both

am in love with your daughter," Mark said. "I

of her condition!"

mother was quicker. She touched her husband's arm. "He

do," Mark confirmed. "The baby is mine. And I would raise it as my child, with

said. "He is my Beta and a loyal