A Second Chance at Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)

Chapter 1425

Yates’ voice rose sharply, filled with boundless rage that seemed poised to crush Xavier on the spot.

Bernard glanced sideways with a cool detachment, his voice calm and frosty as he nonchalantly

revealed Xavier’s whereabouts.

“Greenfield, Westbrook.”

These locales were Xavier’s usual haunts, but whether he had changed his base was of no concern to

Bernard.

Having relayed the information, Bernard shifted his piercing, solitary gaze from Yates and through the

bulletproof glass, he fixed it onto Eleanor. “Let her go.”

Upon receiving his enemy’s location, Yates followed Bernard’s line of sight to Eleanor.

The murderous intent that filled his eyes began to recede as they rested on the face that bore a

resemblance to another.

Using Eleanor to extract the information he sought seemed to have achieved his goal, but in reality, it

was a complete and utter defeat. Yates lowered his lashes, his eyes fixed on the control panel. A

simple press of the release button would free the couple from this place. He had wanted Eleanor to

stay by his side, to accompany him through the final stretch of life’s journey.”

But now, knowing that Pauline’s death was a consequence of his own actions, it all seemed

meaningless. There’s an old saying, “An eye for an eye,” even if indirectly responsible, one still bears

the weight of a life.

His hands were stained with blood, yet he never felt the guilt, except for Pauline. She could easily

breach his defenses.

Hatred had sustained him, torturously, through the decades. Now, this vendetta that had fallen on his

shoulders was ready to end. Just a hint of regret lingered…

All the effort spent trapping Eleanor, claiming it was for atonement, had amounted to nothing but harm.

The damage done by tearing a couple apart was irreversible, but it could still be mitigated in time.

Having come to terms with his thoughts, Yates withdrew his gaze and raised his finger towards the

control panel.

“Boss.” As his fingertip was about to press the release button, a gun barrel was pressed against the

back of Yates’ head.

“Now that you’ve found your enemy, you want to let go of the bargaining chip? What about our

enemy?” Recognizing the voice, Yates turned slightly, looking at 2-5, the one tasked with guarding the

bio-zone.

“Your enemy has nothing to do with my granddaughter.”

“It has nothing to do with her, but we need to borrow her.”

Yates’ eyes grew colder. “What now? You’re going to defy my orders, choose to stand against me?”

2-5 sneered coldly, “And what else should we do? Follow your orders blindly, to kill or halt on

command?”

“Are we just tools for your personal vendetta?” He asked.

Yates had founded Area Opaca exploiting people’s desire for vengeance against the Siren

Organization.

If not for the Sharp family’s influence, those who had joined would not have revered him as their leader.

Now that he had found his enemy, he wanted to play the good guy and release the hostage, but the

others would never agree.

“Yates, from the moment you ordered Peterson to kill Kermit, we stopped intending to be your pawns!”

They had already begun to waver then, and if not for the goal to take down the Siren Organization in

one fell swoop, why would they stay and risk their lives?

2-5, no longer addressing Yates, looked past his white hair at the man standing coldly across from him.

“Shall we make a deal?”

Bernard, indifferent, stared back without a word, his silence and demeanor that of a king who disdains

all others.

He was known for his unyielding nature, just as 2-5 had learned during his time in the bio-zone. But it

didn’t matter.

After all, this man had a weakness, and just like with Yates, once it was exploited, he’d be helpless.

“I can let your wife go, but you must pay a price.”

Bernard raised his defiant eyes, coldly fixing them on his opponent.

“What price?”

“Your life as an apology.”

Eleanor, trapped in the safe room, felt her heart seize and her face drained of color upon hearing this.

Bernard seemed to notice her fear and turned his eyes slightly to give her a reassuring look that said,

‘I’m here, don’t worry!

Eleanor, her fingers pressed against the glass door, instinctively tightened her grip but suppressed her

anxiety with a faint nod..

He was there; there was nothing to fear.

As Bernard’s gaze returned, his long fingers slowly moved behind him.

2-5 watched Bernard’s hand move, unable to help but sneer.

“Mr. Laurence, your red dot is under my control. I’d advise you not to make any rash moves.”

“Is that so?”

The corners of Bernard’s lips curled up for a brief moment, and with lightning speed, he drew his

weapon from behind his waist.

Stepping back, he aimed the gun at 2-5’s forehead and fired before the sniper could react, blowing 2-

5’s head clean off!

Simultaneously, Yates swiftly turned and reprogrammed the firing sequence on the control panel.

The founder of Area Opaca was a step ahead; the other three operatives were too late.

Yates changed the direction of the infrared beam a split second before it fired, sparing Bernard from

certain death.

As the walls riddled with holes from the infrared beam, Bernard quietly shifted his gaze toward Yates.

The two exchanged a silent look, a mutual understanding that it was time to release Eleanor.

However, just as the bulletproof glass door began to open, the safe room’s emergency door swung

wide first, and two men in black charged at Eleanor.