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."

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

are down in the sitting room with

have kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have let him inside, he would have scaled the walls and climbed

laughed a little

as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My

"True."

knew who I was..." I

talk about you often. You were my

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 getting friends. She was so sweet and kind, she deserved so many more

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

looked at it and

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

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

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

if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing

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

the tears. She continued looking at the

to see him,"

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

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

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

*Susie..." her mom said.

Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze

the word overflowing

closer to Susie's parents,

a deep bow. "Please allow me to marry your

both went

am in love with your daughter,"

of her

quicker. She touched her

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

man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a