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

the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went

wouldn't have let him inside, he would have

laughed a

always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is,

"True."

knew who I was..." I

little. "I talk about you often. You were

much it hurt to hear she had such a hard time getting friends. She was so sweet

"Mark told me to give you this." I held

looked at it

it's overdue," I told her. "He wants to ask

to her, to inspect it. She touched it with

of her features. Then, in the next, she

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

to get it to work. If this is what you want,

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

want to see

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

way, Susie slid the ring onto her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it,

as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself off when Susie and I returned to the

*Susie..." her mom said.

on Mark, and his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd already

said, the word

closer to Susie's parents,

said, dropping into a deep bow. "Please

parents both

daughter," Mark said. "I cannot live without

of her condition!" Susie's father

She touched her husband's arm.

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

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