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."

doubled, and I regretted

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

have kept him away. If your parents wouldn't have let him inside,

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 presence was required for this. It is,

"True."

parents knew who

little. "I talk about

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 deserved so many more than

pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm out with the ring sitting in

looked at

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

closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her

Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I asked her,

even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would be throwing his whole life away with this. He can't be Nicholas's Beta

"Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If

continued looking at the ring for another minute or two,

to see him,"

we didn't need the butler to guide us back downstairs

I couldn't help my smile. When she saw it, she smiled too, though hers was

a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was

*Susie..." her mom said.

on her. Then his gaze

word overflowing with obvious

forward, moving closer to Susie's parents,

deep bow. "Please allow me to marry your

parents both went wide-eyed.

with your daughter," Mark

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

mother was quicker. She touched her husband's arm. "He

Mark confirmed. "The baby is mine. And I would raise it as my child, with Susie as my

my