The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

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 weight of the ring in my pocket near doubled, and I regretted holding it back even this long.

And Nicholas both. They are down in the sitting room with

parents wouldn't have let him inside, he

laughed a little

at your door might open the way. My presence was required for this. It is, after all, more likely they'd let me in

"True."

parents knew who

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

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

me to give you this." I held

looked at

her.

and held it up closer to her, to inspect it. She touched it with only her fingertips, treating it as a precious,

awe covered her face, softening all of her features. Then, in the next, she began

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. He can't be Nicholas's Beta

that," I told her. "Nicholas will find a way to get it to work. If this is what you want, Susie, you can't let it

blinked away the tears. She continued looking at the ring for another minute or two,

want to see him," she

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

finger. I couldn't help my smile. When

I've consistently said "Susie's father was saying. He

*Susie..." her mom said.

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

said, the word overflowing with

stepped forward, moving closer to Susie's parents, closer than even

Mark said, dropping into a deep bow.

both went wide-eyed.

love with your daughter,"

don't know of her condition!"

touched her husband's

is mine. And I would raise it as my child,

is my

well."

father said.