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."

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

Mark. And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with your parents,"

have kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have

a little at

were able to stop him before he did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door might open the way. My

"True."

who

talk about you often. You were my first

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

tug the ring from my pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm out

at

told her. "He wants to ask

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 precious,

softening all of her features. Then, in

go for it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this.

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

looking at the ring for

want to see

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

her finger. I couldn't help my smile. When she saw

consistently said "Susie's father

*Susie..." her mom said.

his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her

word overflowing with

moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than

dropping into a deep bow. "Please

parents both went wide-eyed.

am in love with your daughter," Mark said. "I

her

touched her husband's arm.

would raise it as

said. "He is my