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."

the ring in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding

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

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

a little at

did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way.

"True."

knew who

blushed a little. "I talk about

lurched and I pulled 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 friends. She was so sweet and kind, she

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

at it and

told her.

palm and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as

face, softening all of her features. Then, in the

if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away

to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you

looking at the ring

see

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

couldn't help my

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

*Susie..." her mom said.

Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd

he said, the word overflowing with obvious

to Susie's parents, closer

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

both went wide-eyed.

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

know of her condition!" Susie's father

was quicker. She touched her husband's

baby is mine. And I would raise it as

Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a loyal man besides. He will treat your