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

Chapter 169

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Sarah glanced at him and said lightly, "A friend."

But Alex's frown deepened.

A strange feeling bubbled in his chest.... an odd, uncomfortable kind of panic. He didn't know why, but he didn't like it.

Didn't like that his mom was talking to another man.

Didn't like that she was smiling.... not the polite, distant smile she always had for him, but something else.

He stepped closer, tugging at her sleeve. "Mom, stop talking on the phone," he said, his voice small but firm. "Play with me."

Sarah blinked, surprised by his sudden demand.

Alex's small hands clenched slightly when his mother dismissed him. His eager expression faltered, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Go play by yourself for a while," Sarah said, her tone light but firm. She didn't even look up from her laptop, fingers continuing to tap against the keys.

Alex stood there for a moment, his heart sinking.

He had been excited to spend time with her, thinking she would finally give him her attention. But instead, she was busy. Again.

"But, Mom...."

"I'm on the phone, Alex." Her voice was calm, final.

Alex felt something twist in his chest.... something that made his throat feel tight and his eyes burn. He turned on his heel and stomped away, going back to his room without another word.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Leo continued their conversation late into the night. It wasn't anything particularly important.... just small talk, light complaints about work, and the occasional teasing. But to Sarah, it was a welcome distraction.

By the time she hung up, the clock read past ten.

She rubbed her temples, exhaling softly.

The next morning, Sarah stepped into STARLINE Studios, greeted by the hum of activity.

the middle of a staff expansion, and she had been swamped with additional responsibilities. Meetings, interviews, and paperwork piled

between sorting through files and finalizing reports, she checked her phone.

"Soon."

been

stretched into

Three. Then four.

the while, the tension between

ask about his day. He ate quietly, finished his homework without complaint, and even stopped asking her

Sarah noticed it.

yet, with so much work pressing on her, she did nothing

when her

glanced at the caller ID....

a forced cheerfulness. "Dad sent

straightened slightly in

"Yeah... They're waiting outside."

tapped lightly against the desk. She had deadlines to meet,

She could refuse.

She wanted to refuse.

a pang of guilt

ignored him when he asked

up for

pause. "Mom will

surprised

she assured him. "Wait for

gathered her things to leave, her phone buzzed

from the

has already picked

stared at the

fingers curled slowly around the device

he hadn't waited

in the car, Alex sat quietly, his small hands

his mood lifted. The moment he saw Arnold and Linda waiting inside the hotel box, he ran

"Daddy! Aunt Linda!"