Crippled Luna's Farewell Half A Life Without My Alpha's Deadly Deception novel Chapter 166

Her heart ached with a deep, unshakable sorrow.

But she had learned her lesson. Her own love life had been turbulent, just like her mother’s. Yet, unlike Laura, Sarah had managed to walk away before it was too late.

She wouldn’t let history repeat itself.

She spent the next hour sitting with her mother, speaking to her even though Laura did not respond. When it was time to leave, Sarah felt like she was carrying a stone in her chest.

…

After leaving the Jaria Sanitarium, neither of them was in the mood to go home and cook, so they decided to find a restaurant to eat at.

The moment they stepped inside, the warm scent of freshly baked bread and spices filled the air, momentarily easing some of the tension in her shoulders.

But that relief was short-lived.

Because across the dining hall, she spotted them.

Linda.

Jenna.

And Clark.

They were seated at a private table, laughing as if they had no worries in the world.

Jenna was the first to notice them. Her expression twisted into a smirk, and she clung to Clark’s arm, making a show of whispering something in his ear.

Clark stiffened slightly but nodded politely in acknowledgment of Sarah’s grandmother.

Linda, on the other hand, didn’t even spare them a glance. She sat with her back straight, her expression indifferent.

It was as If they didn’t exist.

Sarah’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. She wasn’t here to start a fight.

She turned to the host and gave their name for a table. The young man nodded and gestured for them to wait.

A few minutes later, he returned, looking visibly uneasy. “I’m terribly sorry, but we’re fully booked at the moment.”

Sarah’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Fully booked?

That was unlikely. She had been here before, and this restaurant rarely ran out of space.

It didn’t take much to figure out what had happened.

Linda’s doing. Of course.

“Is that so?” she said calmly, her voice betraying no emotion.

The host nodded quickly, avoiding her gaze.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Sarah?”

“A table just opened up.... one of our reservations canceled. If you’d like, we can arrange a private dining box for you right away.”

The eagerness in his tone was unmistakable.

Instead of accepting the offer, Sarah spoke evenly. “No need. We’ll dine elsewhere.”

There was a finality in her voice that silenced any further persuasion from the staff.

She turned to Cody, her expression softening just slightly.

“Thank you,” she said, sincerely acknowledging his support.

“You’re welcome,” Cody replied. His voice lacked any warmth, but there was no hostility either.

He didn’t dislike Sarah. He never truly had. He understood why people judged her.... Her marriage to Alpha had been seen as opportunistic, her rise to power filled with whispers of manipulation.

But Cody had also witnessed another side of her, one few acknowledged.

For years, she had carried the weight of their family and the pack’s affairs with unwavering resilience. She had endured scrutiny, betrayal, and loneliness without ever breaking.

Sometimes, he found himself admiring the calmness she maintained, even under the harshest criticisms.

Without another word, Sarah and her companions exited the restaurant, their figures disappearing into the night.

Cody let out a quiet sigh before stepping inside.

His gaze landed on the restaurant manager, whose face was slick with sweat, a forced smile plastered onto his lips.