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

Chapter 71 Silence fell.

Sarah blinked, momentarily surprised, but quickly composed herself. Rising smoothly, she followed the professor without hesitation.

Linda's nails dug into her palm, a cold weight sinking in her stomach. **She was chosen. Again.** Arnold watched her go, an emotion flickering in his eyes that even he didn't fully understand.

Charles, ever observant, let out a quiet chuckle. “Now this is getting interesting," Arnold remained silent, his expression unreadable.

But deep inside, something gnawed at him. A feeling he had long ignored.

Regret.

Everyone present was stunned.

Professor Colton was a man of prestige, known for his harsh standards and rare acknowledgments.

To be personally called out by him was no small matter. It meant something.

Leo was well known.. he owned the renowned Starline Studand was one of Colton's most valued disciples.

It was understandable that Colton would summon him. But Sarah? Whispers spread through the audience. Slooked at her with curiosity, others with envy.

Who exactly was she? Sarah, feeling the weight of the stares but maintaining her composure, followed Professor Colton alongside Leo.

She kept her head high, her steps steady. She refused to let others see any hesitation in her.

Inside the private meeting room, the air was heavy with authority.

The space was minimalistic, lined with dark wooden shelves filled with thick books and past project documents.

14:04 Crippled Luna's Farewell: Half A Life Without My Alpe 53.8% Chapter 71 A faint scent of aged paper and ink lingered in the air.

Colton stood at the head of the table, his gaze sharp and unreadable.

His presence alone was enough to make most people nervous.

Without preamble, he turned to Leo and asked, "What have you been working on lately?" Leo straightened, his expression stiff. “I've been focusing on expanding our latest line, incorporating-" Colton waved a hand, cutting him off. "Not enough. I expect more from you." His voice was firm, leaving no room for debate.

Reaching into a leather folder, he pulled out a stack of documents and placed them in front of Leo. "Seven days. Finish this." Leo glanced at the papers and visibly winced. His shoulders tensed, and he let out a quiet sigh before nodding.

"Yes, sir." There was no argument, no complaint. He knew better than to protest.

Sarah observed the interaction, a small amused smile tugging at her lips.

It was almost entertaining to see someone as accomplished as Leo being scolded like a student.

But beyond the amusement, she felt something deeper-an old, familiar longing.

The bond between teacher and student. The challenge. The expectations. It was a world she once belonged to.

Then, unexpectedly, Colton turned his gaze to her. “Sarah.” She straightened at the sound of her name.

"I remember you," he stated, his tone thoughtful. "We met at the reception a while back. But I feel like I've seen you before that.” His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her. "Have you ever been part of my graduate program?" Sarah's fingers curled slightly against the fabric of her skirt. She nodded. "I was enrolled once." Colton's expression didn't change, but his tone turned sharper. "Then why didn't you continue?" Silence settled for a moment. A strange, heavy feeling pressed against Sarah's chest.

She hesitated before answering. "I... gave up." 1404 O Crippled Luna's Farewell: Half A Life Without My Al 54.0% Chapter 71 Colton frowned. "Why?" The words were simple, but they cut deep.

Sarah's heart clenched as memories surfaced. The moment when she had received her The excitement. The dream that had been within reach. And then-giving it all up, watching it slip joy. The e letter. The away by her own choice. Her voice was quieter now. I was dealing with sfamily matters"..

For the first time, Colton's expression shifted. A flicker of something-understanding, perhaps-passed through his eyes. He didn't speak immediately.

Sarah inhaled slowly. "I had to go home. Be responsible and fight my battles." Her responsibility was that she got pregnant and wanted to stay hto raise her child..

The room felt impossibly still

Leo, who had been silent until now, squinted at her. Once so close that m Sarah would have been his direct ve junior, hel understood what a remarkable talent Sarah had in her, and for so many years he had lamented the incident.

Colton exhaled through his nose, his expression unreadable once more. "I ΟΜ see." His voice had lost had lost sof its N earlier sharpness. He glanced at the papers on the table before shifting his gaze back to her. "Do you regret it? The question hit harder than she expected.

Sarah looked down for a moment, then back up, meeting his gaze with quiet strength. "No," she said firmly. "Not for a second." At that point in her life, Arnold and Alex were the two most important people to her. Her world had revolved around them. Every decision, every choice, had been made with them in mind.

But standing in front of Professor Colton now, she realized something had changed.

Sarah straightened her posture and met Colton's steady gaze. "I was delayed by family matters before," she explained, her voice calm but firm. “But I've decided to return to my career now." Colton studied her in silence, his sharp eyes assessing her. The weight of his gaze made her heartbeat quicken slightly, but she held her ground. She had ctoo far to waver now.

After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Back then, I had decided to recruit both you and Leo," he said matter of factly. "But since you gave up, only Leo was admitted in the end." Sarah's fingers curled slightly, but she didn't look away, Colton continued, his tone unwavering. "If you are still willing, I am still willing to be your teache For a brief second, Sarah felt her mind go blank. Had she heard him correctly? mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliI0fiflO&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1