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

sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide as saucers. "Mark

If your parents wouldn't have let him inside, he would

a little

before he did anything drastic. Nicholas had a plan, as he always does, that his arrival at your door

"True."

parents knew who I was..."

talk about you often. You

hurt

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

looked at it

overdue," I told her. "He wants to ask you

up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it

moment, pure awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the

will never go for it," she said. "And even if they did. Or even if that didn't matter to me, Mark would

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

the ring for another

see

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

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

really is a personal matter, Prince Nicholas, as I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He cut himself

*Susie..." her mom said.

his on her. Then his gaze dropped to her

said, the word

Susie's

into a deep bow.

both went

with your daughter," Mark said. "I

of her condition!" Susie's father

touched her husband's arm.

would raise it as my child,

"He is my Beta and a loyal man besides. He