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."

in my pocket near doubled, and

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

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

a little at

he always does, that his arrival at your door might

"True."

knew who I was..."

a little. "I talk about you often. You were my

life! Though how much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time

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

at

her. "He wants

up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched

awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in

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

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

away the tears. She continued looking at the ring for another minute or two, before

to see

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

finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw

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

Susie's parents, closer than even Nicholas

a deep bow. "Please allow me to marry your

parents both went wide-eyed.

your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot live

don't know of her condition!" Susie's father

touched

"The baby is mine. And I would raise it as my

my Beta