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 I regretted holding it

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

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

a little at

door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all, more likely they'd let me in to see you than some strange

"True."

parents knew who I was..."

blushed a little. "I talk about

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

to give you this." I

at

overdue," I told her. "He wants

to her, to inspect it. She

features. Then, in the next, she began to cry

it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would

worry about that," I told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this

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

see him," she

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

help my smile. When she saw it, she

is 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.

his gaze dropped to her hand,

the word overflowing with

Susie's parents, closer than

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

parents both went

in love with your daughter," Mark said. "I cannot

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

touched her

baby is mine. And I would

man," Nicholas said. "He is my