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

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

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

laughed a little at

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, more likely they'd let me in to see you than

"True."

parents knew who

little. "I talk about you

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 deserved so many more than just

to give you this." I held my

looked at it and

I told her. "He wants

the ring from my palm and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a

all of her features. Then, in the next,

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

way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it

continued looking at the ring for another minute or two,

to see him," she

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

couldn't help my smile.

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

*Susie..." her mom said.

eyes were on Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to

said, the word

Susie's parents,

bow. "Please allow me to marry

parents both went

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

of her

quicker. She touched her husband's arm.

And I would raise it as my

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