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."

near doubled, and I regretted holding it

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

wouldn't have let him inside,

a little

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,

"True."

parents knew who

little. "I talk about you

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

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

looked at it

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

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

moment, pure awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began

even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark

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

at the ring for another minute

see

doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't

slid the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she

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 dropped to her hand, where

word overflowing with obvious

moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than even

deep bow. "Please

both went wide-eyed.

your daughter," Mark said.

of her condition!" Susie's father

She touched her husband's arm.

Mark confirmed. "The baby is mine. And I would

can vouch for this man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a loyal