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."

weight of the ring in my pocket near doubled,

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

wouldn't have let him inside, he

laughed a little

door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all, more likely they'd let me in to see you than some strange

"True."

parents knew who I

little. "I talk about you often. You were

was to be in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear

ring from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you

at it

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

up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a

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

matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this. He can't

to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it

the tears. She continued looking at the ring

to see

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

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

personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

the word overflowing with obvious

forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than even Nicholas

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

both went wide-eyed.

daughter," Mark said. "I cannot

of her

She touched her husband's

I would raise it as my

for this man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta