Crippled Luna's Farewell: Half A Life Without My Alpha's Deadly Deception

Chapter 129

Arnold’s voice came through, casual but with an undertone of something unspoken. “Are you free today?

Alex wants to hang out with Abby.”

Cole leaned against the wall, glancing toward Sarah, who had gone back to reading but seemed slightly aware of his presence. He replied evenly, “I’m taking Abby out today. Maybe another time.*

Arnold let out a short chuckle. “You’ve been going out more lately.”

Cole smirked faintly, though there was an edge of something else in his expression. “Abby’s been opening up more. She’s not as reserved as before.”

They exchanged a few more words before ending the call, but as Cole slipped his phone back into his pocket, something lingered in his mind.

Arnold knew all of this knowledge–probably even more than Cole did–but he had never been willing to

teach Sarah.

His eyes darkened slightly at the thought.

The marriage between Arnold and Sarah had always been surrounded by rumors.

Many people say that it was Sarah’s underhanded tactics that forced Arnold to have to marry her in the first place.

Cole had believed it too, once. But after spending time with her, after seeing how she carried herself with quiet dignity, it was getting harder to reconcile that image with reality.

And then there was Linda–the woman who had somehow inserted herself between them.

If anyone had been underhanded, wasn’t it Linda?

Still, Cole couldn’t ignore the fact that Arnold had always resented the very idea of ‘mates‘—that he had

resisted his connection to Sarah not out of hatred, but perhaps out of defiance.

A rebellion against fate, against something he couldn’t control.

even aware of what he

passed quickly, their conversation stretching longer than either had

begun as a simple exchange about economics had seamlessly drifted into other topics–philosophy, literature, even the nature

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Luna’s Farewell: Half A Life Without

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Chapter 129

to talk to

just knowledgeable; she had a sharp, analytical mind, the kind that dissected ideas layer by layer, always probing deeper.

the time they realized how much time had slipped away, the sun was

glow bathed the room in warmth, making the atmosphere

closed her book, her fingers resting lightly on

face. “Thanks for today,” she said, her

“It was helpful.”

leaned back in his chair, a relaxed smile forming. “You can ask me anything, anytime. I

off guard by his gentleness. She had expected

but this–this warmth–was unexpected. It lingered between them, like an

promise.

the other side of the room, Elisa had been getting along

had been a constant

the time they were all preparing to leave, a strange but comfortable atmosphere had

them.

Sarah step away, he found himself speaking without much

expression unreadable, but there was something steady in her voice.

next time.”

of the car giving her space to think. Cole was different from what she had expected–attentive,

herself, they were simply acquaintances.

time in sharing her observations with Alexander. She leaned against the doorframe of his office, arms

cousin–in–law.”

up at her with a