Crippled Luna's Farewell Half A Life Without My Alpha's Deadly Deception novel Chapter 173

As he took his seat, Dalton’s initial surprise faded into quiet observation. He glanced toward the stage and immediately caught sight of Arnold. His brows furrowed slightly.

*She’s not here because of him, is she?*

For some reason, that thought unsettled him.

His attention shifted back to Sarah. He watched as she remained fully engaged with the conference, jotting down key figures, nodding slightly at points that seemed to align with her research. Her posture was upright, poised, with not the slightest indication of distraction.

And yet, Arnold....who was supposed to be focused on the event....kept glancing toward their side.

Dalton noticed it more than once.

A flicker of something....mild confusion, faint intrigue....passed through his mind.

Why was Arnold looking this way so often? And why did Sarah, in contrast, seem completely indifferent to his presence?

The contrast unsettled him.

The meeting eventually came to an end, and as attendees began gathering their things, Sarah packed up her notes methodically, wasting no time. She rose from her seat, ready to leave, her steps precise and measured.

Arnold, standing not too far away, watched her retreating figure for a few moments before he moved.

Dalton, still seated, narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched Arnold follow her.

Outside the conference hall, with several executives and media figures lingering nearby, Arnold spoke in a voice loud enough to be overheard.

“It's raining outside, you'll slip easily in high heels,” he remarked, his tone carrying an odd familiarity. “Be careful in a while.”

The words were casual, but the way he said them made them seem weightier than necessary.

Sarah stopped briefly, turning her head slightly in his direction. There were too many eyes on them for her to ignore the comment completely.

She offered a polite, measured response. “Thank you for your concern. I will pay attention.”

Her words were civil, her voice calm. But deep inside, something in her stirred.

An old memory surfaced.

Last year.

At a formal gathering, they had been with a group of acquaintances at a restaurant. She had slipped....not hard, just enough to stumble slightly.

Arnold had been standing nearby.

And yet, in order to avoid suspicion, in order to keep his reputation untangled from hers, he had refused to help.

She had never forgotten that.

Arnold, however, acted as if he hadn’t heard her. His voice was steady, unfazed.

“Hold the umbrella steady.”

The words were an order, not a request.

Before she could protest further, he effortlessly carried her down the steps, his movements unaffected by her resistance. The onlookers, executives, and business representatives still lingering outside turned to watch the scene unfold.

Arnold, undeterred by the attention, inclined his head slightly toward them. “I’ll take my leave first. Let’s arrange another time to meet.”

Sarah clenched her jaw. With so many eyes on them, she had no choice but to play along, though the entire situation felt suffocating.

“Thank you, Alpha,” she said through gritted teeth. “Now that I’m down the steps, I can walk by myself....”

But Arnold didn’t stop. Instead, he kept her securely in his arms, heading toward his waiting car. His grip didn’t waver, nor did his expression.

He glanced down at her, his voice quieter now but still laced with something unreadable.

“You did lose weight.”

Sarah stiffened at the remark, her eyes narrowing slightly. It was a simple statement, yet the way he said it held layers....concern, observation, maybe even something else.