Abandoned Luna Now Untouchable (Cecilia) novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145 Sweet and Sour Games

Cecilia

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I greeted him with most professional smile as he stepped into the dining room. “Good evening, Alpha Sebastian.”

Alpha Sebastian stared at me for a moment, his expression unreadable.

He took a seat across from me, his eyes drifting to the conspicuous gift box sitting between us. “What’s this? For me?”

“Just a small token of my appreciation,” I quickly explained, leaning forward slightly. “For everything you did in Boulder. I wasn’t sure how to properly thank you, so… this is from my personal collection. It’s a porcelain piece I’ve treasured. I hope you’ll like it.”

His expression grew noticeably colder.

I placed my hands on the table, fingers interlaced, desperately maintaining my smile while he sat in stony silence.

The atmosphere between us thickened with tension.

“Let’s eat before the food gets cold,” Liam suggested from nearby, breaking the uncomfortable

silence.

I picked up my chopsticks, grateful for the distraction.

Alpha Sebastian remained motionless, the air around him dense with displeasure.

I sighed inwardly. He was unhappy–very unhappy. But why?

What was he really thinking?

Despite Liam’s culinary brilliance and the exquisite abalone with its perfect soft center, everything tasted like cardboard in my mouth.

Such a waste of good food.

After a few bites, Alpha Sebastian stood up and walked toward the balcony.

I set down my chopsticks and followed him.

His balcony was more like a small garden–Liam clearly had a passion for plants.

Various flowers and shrubs thrived under his care, their fragrances mingling with the moonlight

and evening breeze, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere…

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“Sit,” he commanded.

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Alpha Sebastian approached a small round table, pulled out a chair for himself, then gestured for

me to join him.

He leaned back cas

legs crossed, gaze fixed on the distant skyline. “I believe Secretary Moore

has something else to say. You can speak freely now.”

My throat tightened.

I took a steadying breath. “Alpha Sebastian, I know this matter was resolved so smoothly because

of your help behind the scenes. You didn’t say anything, but I can’t pretend I don’t know. After

thinking it through, I decided I needed to thank you properly.”

“Thank me properly? With a porcelain piece?” He didn’t turn his head, just slid his gaze slightly

toward me.

His tone revealed nothing of his thoughts.

“I know it’s nothing,” I said quickly, already cringing. “But you don’t exactly need… stuff. Or money.

Or anything, really. You’ve done so much for me, and I–I just wanted you to know I’m going to work

harder. Be more dedicated. Like… fully committed.”

His brow quirked ever so slightly. “Until death do us part?”

I choked. “What? No! I mean–not no, but not–ugh. That’s not what I meant.”

He finally turned, reached for a bowl of grapes on the side table, and started peeling one like he

was auditioning for a fruit–themed art school. Elegant. Painfully slow.

When he finally spoke, his tone was maddeningly calm.

“So let me get this straight… You’re calling it gratitude, but really you’re just doing your job.

Meanwhile, I’m paying your salary. So in this ‘thank you‘ scenario, I’m getting shortchanged.”

My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

After a moment of silence, I abandoned my pretense. “I know what I owe you can’t be repaid so

easily. But besides this, I don’t have anything else to offer.”

He looked up, and for the first time, really looked at me.

“Don’t you?” he said softly. “You know exactly what else you could offer. That’s why you keep

insisting you can’t. You want to clear your conscience–but at the lowest possible price.”

My thoughts laid bare before him, I felt utterly exposed.

Alpha Sebastian’s tone softened. “The fact that you recognize my help and feel you can’t pretend

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ignorance–that’s enough for me. Even if you offered yourself as payment, I wouldn’t accept. I don’t

make trades like that with you.”

And then–because apparently this man lived to confuse me–he held out the peeled grape to my

mouth.

I blinked. “What…?”

“Taste it,” he said. “See if it’s sour. I hate sour grapes. Consider this your official debt repayment.”

I opened my mouth on autopilot and let him pop the grape in.

Big mistake.

It was like biting into betrayal. Sour didn’t even begin to cover it. My entire face contorted like I’d

just licked a lemon during a wind tunnel experiment.

He stared at me, dead serious. “Sweet?”

I nodded too fast. “So sweet. Honestly. Incredible. Peak grape.”

He pushed the entire bowl my way. “Great. They’re all yours. Liam grew them himself–claims

they’re good for… facial nerve stimulation.”

Because they make you grimace so hard, I thought silently.

I forced myself to eat the death–by–sourness grapes.

Though the experience was excruciating, at least they were natural and organic.

Liam emerged with two bowls of ice cream, noticing the grape skins on the table. “You like them,

Cecilia?”

“…Um-”

Not wanting to discourage his enthusiasm or risk being forced to eat more, I quickly changed the

subject. “This ice cream looks delicious!”

“Try it. I made it with the finest cream,” Liam said, handing me a bowl.

I ate and complimented him sincerely. “It’s delicious, truly.”

“Better than the ‘incredibly sweet‘ grapes?” came a sly question from beside me.

I froze, speechless.

“You have good taste, Cecilia,” Liam beamed. “I’ll pack some for you to take home. The grapes are

a bit sour, I admit, but grapes should have some tartness to them.”

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Liam happily went to pack grapes for me.

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I glanced at the remaining grapes on the table and quickly took another spoonful of ice cream.

Alpha Sebastian was eating his portion too, taking one spoonful after another.

So he likes ice cream, ought to myself.

I ate slowly, watching him, thinking that my courage tonight rivaled that of an omega challenging an Alpha.

The atmosphere seemed good now–perhaps I could resolve my other problem too.

Then I could truly rest easy.

“Alpha Sebastian…” I bit my spoon nervously before plunging ahead. “About that other matter… could we also consider it forgotten? Please don’t hold it against me. My behavior was inappropriate, and my hearing was selective. I’m truly sorry about it all. Could we both just forget it happened?”

Alpha Sebastian set down his spoon.

When he looked up at me, my heart nearly leapt into my throat.

I braced myself for a verbal lashing, but he responded with a single, light word: “Okay.”

Okay? Really? No trick?

I felt disoriented by how quickly this was resolved.

Alpha Sebastian’s smile turned playful. “Let old chapters stay in the past. We should both look

forward, ready to welcome new chapters, shouldn’t we?”

I blinked in confusion.

On the surface, there was nothing wrong with what he said, but I couldn’t shake the feeling he had some hidden meaning.

“Why so quiet?” he asked.

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right,” I hurried to agree.

Whatever hidden meaning might exist, getting past this immediate issue was the priority.

“Then we’ve reached a consensus,” Alpha Sebastian concluded.

What consensus?

His words felt like a trap no matter how I interpreted them.

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Chapter 145 Sweet and Sour Games

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I decided I’d overstayed my welcome. Setting down my bowl, I mentioned needing to finish my laundry and made a hasty exit.

Back in my apartment, I hummed a cheerful tune, relieved to have resolved two major problems in one evening. I tossed my clothes into the washing machine and prepared to draw a bath.

Ding dong-

The doorbell rang.

I stood frozen beside the bathtub, momentarily stunned.

I rushed to check my phone and found a message sent just a minute ago: Cecilia, you forgot to take the grapes! I’ve asked the Alpha to bring them down to you. Enjoy them while they’re fresh!