Crippled Luna's Farewell Half A Life Without My Alpha's Deadly Deception novel Chapter 79

Chapter 79 

The old lady didn’t even glance at Arnold. Instead, she turned to Alex with a bright smile, pulling him into a warm hug. 

Alex, on the other hand, looked guilty when he saw Sarah. His arms hesitated before he reached out to hug her as well. 

But the moment he got close, Sarah caught a faint scent–one she recognized all too well. 

Linda. 

Her perfume lingered on Alex’s clothes. 

A small, almost imperceptible flicker crossed Sarah’s face. But she said nothing. 

Instead, she pulled back smoothly, creating distance without making it obvious. 

Alex blinked, slightly caught off guard. 

There was no anger, no confrontation–just a quiet withdrawal. And somehow, that unsettled him more. 

Dinner passed peacefully, filled with laughter and conversation, but Sarah remained quiet. She listened, nodded at the right moments, and smiled when expected, but her mind was elsewhere. 

As the evening wound down, the old lady made it clear that Sarah should stay the night. 

More specifically, in Arnold’s room. 

There was no room for argument. 

And so, when bedtime came, Sarah found herself in the same space as Arnold. 

Inside the grand bedroom, Arnold sat at his desk, busy with work. His sharp profile was illuminated by the soft glow of the desk lamp. 

Sarah, meanwhile, curled up on the couch, flipping through a book she wasn’t really reading. 

Neither spoke. 

The silence between them was not tense, but it was heavy. 

They were used to this kind of distance. 

Chapter 79 

By the time it was late, Sarah finally started to feel drowsy. She put the book down and crawled into bed, keeping to the very edge, making sure there was plenty of space between them. 

She doubted Arnold would stay. 

But as sleep pulled her under, she felt surprisingly warm. 

Safe. 

Like she was surrounded by something familiar. 

A gentle warmth stirred her from sleep. 

At first, she didn’t think much of it. But then- 

A soft breath brushed against her ear. 

Sarah’s body stiffened,her mind snapped awake instantly. Slowly, carefully, she opened her eyes. 

And that’s when she realized- She wasn’t alone. 

Arnold was wrapped around her. His strong arms encircled her waist, his legs loosely tangled with hers. His steady breath fanned against her hair. 

They were close. Too close. 

And worst of all, it felt natural. 

Sarah remained still, her heart pounding. 

How had this happened? 

She distinctly remembered falling asleep on the far side of the bed. There had been plenty of space between them. 

So why was she now in his arms? 

She moved slightly, trying to slip away. 

The moment she did, his hold instinctively tightened. 

Her breath hitched. 

Then, half–asleep, he murmured, “Sleep a little longer.” 

His voice was low, drowsy, laced with warmth. 

14:07 

Chapter 79 

And before she could react, a soft kiss landed on her forehead. 

Sarah’s entire body froze. Her mind screamed at her to move, to push him away, to say something. 

But her heart? 

For just a moment- 

It hesitated. 

Sarah froze. 

Her breath hitched, her body stiffened, and her mind spun in turmoil. 

Arnold’s warmth still lingered against her skin, but his soft words–*“Sleep a little longer“*–echoed in her ears, cutting deeper than she expected. 

He wasn’t talking to her. 

He wasn’t holding *her*. 

In his sleep, he had mistaken her for someone else. 

Linda. 

A sharp pain squeezed her chest. 

Her eyes burned slightly, her throat tightening as she fought the wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. 

She clenched her jaw, forcing herself to swallow down the lump rising in her throat. 

Then, without hesitation, she tore herself from Arnold’s arms.