Crippled Luna's Farewell Half A Life Without My Alpha's Deadly Deception novel Chapter 167

“I.... uh.... hope there were no misunderstandings, sir,” the manager stammered, wringing his hands. “We.... of course, we value all our guests. It was never our intention.... ”

Cody didn’t respond. He simply gave the manager a cold glance before continuing further into the establishment.

... ... ...

That evening, back at home, Sarah settled into her chair, her fingers gliding over the keyboard as she reviewed the files Colton had sent.

The glow of the screen illuminated her face, casting sharp shadows across her features. She read through the documents methodically, her mind absorbing each line with unwavering focus.

The familiar rhythm of work brought her a sense of stability.

She had long since learned that emotions were unreliable companions; logic, strategy, and persistence were what truly mattered.

Just as she was making notes on an important section, the distant sound of an approaching car broke her concentration.

Sarah’s hand hesitated over the keyboard. A moment later, she heard a door slam outside. Then, a child’s voice pierced the quiet evening.

“Mom!”

Her expression shifted immediately. She pushed back her chair and walked to the window, parting the curtains slightly.

Below, she saw Alex jumping out of a car, his small frame illuminated by the dim streetlights. His excitement was evident.... his arms outstretched, his face beaming.

Sarah’s brow furrowed. Her gaze flickered toward the car, and a sense of unease settled in her chest.

She turned away and reached for her phone, noticing several missed calls. All from Arnold. A bad feeling crept into her stomach.

Tapping on the screen, she saw a single unread text message:

**“I’m going away for the weekend, so take care of Alex.”**

Sarah exhaled slowly, her grip tightening around the phone.

Arnold hadn’t even bothered to ask if she was available. He had simply assumed she would take responsibility. Again.

With a measured breath, she stepped away from her desk.

The door to Sarah’s room burst open with a sudden force, and before she could react, a small figure had already lunged at her.

“Mommy!” Alex’s voice was filled with unrestrained joy, his arms outstretched as he expected her to catch him the way she always did.

But this time, Sarah instinctively leaned back, a barely perceptible hesitation passing through her.

“Oh…” His fingers curled around the charm, his enthusiasm momentarily dampened.

Still, he had missed his mother. He hadn’t seen her in a month, and that alone was enough for him to shake off the mild disappointment.

Alex tucked the charm away and changed the subject. “Mom, you know my friend Abby? She has this really pretty knitted snowflake charm. Almost as nice as the one you made for me before! When are you going to make another one for me?”

Sarah raised an eyebrow. “I thought you didn’t like those? You always said they were cheap.”

Alex hesitated for a second before wrapping his arms around her neck, pressing his small cheek against her shoulder. His voice was softer this time. “I like them now,” he murmured. “I like everything you give me, Mommy.”

Something in Sarah’s chest tightened.

She lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair away from Alex’s forehead, her fingers lingering against his skin.

He was growing. His face was subtly changing, losing its baby... like roundness. There was a slight sharpness forming in his features, a faint resemblance to Arnold becoming more apparent.

For a brief moment, she wondered if Alex would grow up to look just like his father.

Before she could dwell on the thought, Alex suddenly pulled away and scrambled off the bed.

“Oh! I almost forgot!” He dug through his book bag once again, determination in his small movements. “Mom, I got you a present when I was abroad!”