A Second Chance at Forever

Chapter 1422
Bernard seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to reading Yates’ mind. His deep pupils flicked over the shoulder to the
team behind him.
The Sirens, known for their tight-knit operations, often needed no more than a shared glance to understand their leader’s
intentions.
Evan and Gianna slowed their pace, and the others followed suit, halting their approach.
For Yates, using Eleanor as a bargaining chip was nothing more than a desperate ploy of a man at his wit’s end.
They’d play along for now, and the moment Bernard stepped in, the rest would jam the surveillance systems and follow suit.
They had plenty of tricks up their sleeves for dealing with Yates, so it didn’t matter if Bernard went in alone. After all, the Sirens,
Evan, Gianna, Aidyn, Robin-they all had Bernard’s back.
With an air of indifference, Bernard punched in the code, and the white, square walls slid open swiftly from either side.
Bernard strode through the opening, and as he did, the automatic doors snapped shut with startling speed.
The dark corridor lit up, one bulb at a time, leading to the elevator entrance.
Bernard walked along the polished concrete, through the corridor, step by step toward the elevator.
Descending about five floors, a faint light shone through the glass, casting shadows.
It was the incandescent light from the emergency room, reflecting off the elevator glass, slightly glaring. Bernard’s eyes, beneath
his thick brows, met the light as he faced Yates, standing in the corridor.
Between them lay a few yards and countless infrared beams.
One more step from Bernard, and the bullets hidden in the shadows would pierce him.
“Sorry, but we’re adversaries, after all. I have to take my precautions,” Yates said with feigned politeness.
Bernard didn’t entertain his words. Beneath his thick brows, his gaze moved past the infrared beams, surveying his surroundings
with detachment.

“Eleanor?” he asked.
Yates pressed a button on the control panel, and the door to Eleanor’s room began to open slowly.
Eleanor, who had been sitting up on the bed, suddenly looked up at the sound.
The door opened, but, unfortunately, as it did, a bulletproof glass barrier slammed down with alarming speed.
Eleanor was still confined within, only now she could see her surroundings clearly, including the man standing in the corridor.
As the door opened, Bernard lifted his gaze, brilliant as stars, to meet hers. Their eyes locked, fixated on each other, unmoving.
Eleanor stared at the stunning figure before her, and after a long moment, she pushed herself up from the bed, using the
headboard for support, and walked to the door.
She said nothing, only gazed with misty eyes at the man blocked by the infrared beams.
In that moment, it seemed Bernard could see her longing for him in her eyes, and his heart swelled with warmth.
“Eleanor, I’m here to take you home.”
Hearing Bernard’s familiar, soothing voice, Eleanor’s pale lips curved into a soft, tranquil smile.
“Okay.” Her consent meant she was willing to turn back.
And this time, no matter what, he was going to take her with him.
A light smile played across Bernard’s usually stern face, as if her willingness to hold on made all obstacles surmountable.
He looked at Eleanor with deep affection for a long, long moment before reluctantly shifting his gaze to Yates.
“Let her go, and I’ll tell you everything I know.”
As Bernard looked at Yates, the tenderness in his eyes evaporated, replaced by a chill that spread rapidly.
Yates, unfazed by the sudden shift in Bernard’s demeanor, turned his attention away from Eleanor and looked at Bernard
impassively.
“So, you’re suggesting you have information beyond the founder?”

Bernard’s voice, calm and cool, detachedly replied.
“I know who killed your wife.”
Yates’ heart clenched for a moment at the sound of Bernard’s clear and somber voice speaking such calm words.
“How could you possibly know that?”
Bernard didn’t respond, instead shifting his deep, calm eyes back to the woman behind the glass.
“Let her go first.”
Yates, facing the noble visage before him, suppressed his urgency to know the truth, still holding Bernard at bay.
“At this point, the relationship between her and me is beyond repair. I’m obviously going to return her to you. Just speak plainly.”
Yates, seemingly prepared for a last stand with the Sirens’ founder, spoke with finality.
Now utterly fallen and defeated, Yates’ only path was ‘mutually assured destruction.’
Facing the despair apparent in Yates’ eyes, Bernard’s voice dropped colder as he began to recount an indifferent tale.
“The cruel man who killed Pauline was none other than Timothy’s father, the orchestrator of the Darkness-Gregory Howard.”