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."

pocket near doubled, and I regretted

you know. Mark. And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's

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

laughed a little at

he always does, that his arrival at your door might

"True."

parents knew who I was..."

about you often.

in her life! Though how much it hurt to hear she

told me to give you this."

at

I told her. "He wants to ask

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

Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's

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

get it to work. If this

looking at the

want to see him,"

the doorway. With Susie leading, we didn't need the butler

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

consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself off when

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

word overflowing

closer to Susie's parents, closer than even Nicholas was

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

parents both went

daughter," Mark said. "I cannot live

know of her condition!"

mother was quicker. She touched her

is mine. And I would raise it as

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