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."

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

are down in the sitting room with your parents," I said. Susie's eyes went wide as saucers.

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

laughed a little at

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

"True."

knew who I

blushed a little. "I talk about you often. You were

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

pocket. "Mark told me to give you this." I held my palm out

looked at

her. "He wants

palm and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She

face, softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began to cry again. "What's the matter?" I asked her, stepping

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

about that," I told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie,

continued looking at the ring for another minute

see him,"

doorway. With Susie leading, we

onto her finger. I couldn't help

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

*Susie..." her mom said.

Then his gaze dropped to her hand, where she'd

he said, the word

forward, moving closer to Susie's parents,

deep bow. "Please

parents both went wide-eyed.

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

her condition!" Susie's father

She touched

I would raise it as my child,

this man," Nicholas said. "He is my Beta and a loyal man besides.