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."

doubled, and I regretted holding it back

in the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes

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

laughed a

did anything drastic. Nicholas had 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

"True."

knew who I was..." I

"I talk about you often. You were my first

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

me to give you this." I held my palm out with the ring sitting

at it and

told her. "He wants

up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it

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

even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this. He can't

find a way to get it to work. If this

She continued looking at the ring for another minute or two,

want to see him,"

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

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

Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

he said, the word overflowing with obvious

Susie's parents, closer than even Nicholas was

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

both went

daughter," Mark said. "I

know of her condition!" Susie's

was quicker. She touched her

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

"He is my Beta