NovelEnglish
Chapter 0126
“Thanks, Elsie,” I say softly. “It’s good to be back.”
With that, I make my way back into the house, each step carrying a different weight, a different
emotion. As I reach the top of the staircase, I hear Karl’s voice drifting from the living room, and my
heart does a strange little leap. Maybe Elsie’s smirk held more truth than I’d like to admit.
Just then, I hear the familiar ping of my phone and my thoughts snap back to the present. Reluctantly, I
pull it from my pocket and see a message from Ethan. He’s asking a question about inventory, and I
know that I should let it wait until I get home. But before I know it, I’m typing out a reply, unable to resist
the urge to be a boss for five minutes.
I’m halfway through responding when the sound of footsteps approaches behind me. “Ahem.”
Startled, I whip around to see Karl standing on the step below me. He has a knowing look on his face,
and a sparkle in his eye.
He moves closer, and for a split second, I’m transported back to a time when this was an everyday
occurrence.
“You’re not working, are you?” he asks, gesturing to the phone in my hand. “You’re supposed to be
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtenjoying the weekend off.”
With an embarrassed shrug, I avert my gaze. “Maybe a little.”
Karl reaches for my phone, gently taking it from me. “Abby, Ethan and the restaurant will survive just
fine without you for a couple of days. Just try to relax. Please.”
I look at him, partly exasperated but mostly grateful. He always had a knack for cutting through my
excuses. “Okay, okay. No more work. I get it.”
A smile brightens his face, and it’s a smile I’ve missed more than I care to admit. “Well, look,” he says,
“I just finished up a couple of things here, and now I’m free until my meeting. How about some coffee at
that cafe you used to love?”
…
The cafe hasn’t changed much since I was last here three years ago.
The aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, mingled with the comforting scents of baked goods.
Even the barista seems to remember us, shooting a discreet, knowing look our way.
Karl orders our drinks—black coffee for him and a hazelnut latte for me, just like old times—and we
decide to take them to go. Stepping out, we make our way to the nearby park where I used to lose
myself in books and Karl occasionally joined me, pretending to read but really just watching the birds.
That was before he started spending too much time as an Alpha, and leaving little time for me. For us.
“It’s… Just as I remember it,” I say, taking a sip of my latte as we walk along the stone pathway.
He smiles. “Some things never change.”
But some things do. Like us. Like me. And yet, the more we walk, the more the lines blur. The trees are
still tall and majestic, the air is fresh, and the world around us feels like it’s stuck in a time capsule—a
snapshot of our happier past.
Suddenly, Karl nudges me. “Don’t look now, but I think we’ve got some fans.”
I glance sideways to see a couple pointing discreetly at us. A young woman approaches, cautiously but
curiously. “Alpha Karl!” she greets, her gaze sliding over to me. “And… Luna Abby…?”
Luna. The word catches me off guard. It’s been ages since I’ve been addressed that way.
Karl offers the woman a polite smile. Much to my surprise, he doesn’t correct her on the title she’s
given me. “Is there something I can do for you?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Oh, no, just wondering if… are you two back together?” she blurts out, her eyes bright with hope—or
maybe it’s curiosity.
“We’re just spending some time together,” I jump in before Karl can answer, feeling a blush creep up
my cheeks. “Friendly visit.”
The woman nods, a little disappointed perhaps, but she backs away with another nod and smile. “Oh.
Well… It’s good to see you, Luna.”
As we continue our walk, the woman’s words hang in the air between us. I was Luna once, and a part
of me misses it—the sense of community, the responsibility, and, if I’m honest, the connection it
signified between Karl and me.
“Sorry about that,” Karl finally says, breaking the silence. “People never really got over you, you know.
Not that I can blame them.”
A blush creeps into my cheeks, and it’s all I can do to look away before Karl notices. “It’s fine,” I lie,
taking a sip of my latte. “It’s perfectly fine.”
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