A Second Chance at Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)

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Chapter 1437

Garrett, clad in a crisp white shirt, stood outside the door, the embodiment of a breath of fresh spring air. Such a stark contrast to the man who had once been bound to a wheelchair, he now stood tall with an air of nobility that seemed unparalleled.

Eleanor’s gentle gaze drifted from his serene face down to his legs. Witnessing those once Immobile limbs now standing firm. and moving with steady steps into the delivery room, the guilt that had been gnawing at her heart began to dissipate.

Garrett had finally regained his strength; no longer confined to a wheelchair, he could now live a life as fulfilled as anyone else’s. Eleanor, who had longed for his recovery, couldn’t help but smile with relief. Yet in the presence of Bernard, she restrained herself from looking too long at Garrett, merely nodding slightly in his direction before shifting her gaze away.

Garrett’s eyes, too, dared not linger on Eleanor. ‘Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying goes. Some missed connections, if they cannot be let go, must be suppressed deep within the heart.

After all, she was now another man’s wife and soon to be a mother. Despite being tormented by a myriad of nightmares, Garrett understood the importance of self-restraint.

Following Sigrid to Hailey’s side, Eleanor stood up to make space, cradling the baby. Bernard, sitting on the couch, caught a glimpse of the two passing by without a backward glance. His eyelids fell, and when he looked up again, his gaze was laced with indifference.

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Because Eleanor had come to sit beside him, tugging at his sleeve to show him how adorable the sleeping baby was. At that moment, Eleanor had eyes for nothing but the babies, seemingly unaffected by Garrett’s presence.

Bernard peered into the eyes that reflected his own image and, uncharacteristically, his lips curled into a half-smile as he reached out and gently touched the baby’s tiny mouth.

Feeling the softness of the infant, the icy mask in Bernard’s eyes began to melt away. Eleanor’s soft voice then whispered, “Isn’t he cute?”

With a slight arch of his brows, Bernard responded, “Ugly cute.”

Eleanor playfully glared at him. “If you say someone else’s child is ugly, your own child will turn out the same.”

Bernard scoffed with an air of arrogance. “Our child, ugly? Impossible.”

Their whispers, though soft, were clear as day to Garrett. Eleanor’s current happiness was palpable, even without looking, he could feel it.

Suppressing the turmoil within him, Garrett congratulated Hailey with a smile. “Hailey, you’ve become a mother. As your brother, I don’t know what to say except congratulations.”

Hailey returned the smile graciously. “Your congratulations are more than enough. What more needs to be said? We’re siblings for life.”

Nodding warmly, Garrett’s gaze fell to the baby girl in Hailey’s arms. “May I hold her?”

“Of course.”

Hailey handed the baby to Garrett, and as he felt the little bundle’s softness, the emotions he’d kept at bay began to fade. Turning around, Garrett caught a glimpse of Eleanor holding the baby boy. She was looking down, not at him, yet he couldn’t help but remember something Eleanor had once said.

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She had dreamed aloud, “Garrett, when we’re married, we’ll have twins-a boy and a girl. You’ll carry our daughter, and I’ll carry our son. As we grow old, we’ll watch them grow up together. How does that sound?”

The baby in his arms stirred, pulling Garrett back from his reverie just in time to avoid Bernard’s cool, distant gaze. He quickly looked away, as if caught in a guilty act.

For a moment, living out that old promise was enough, even if they were each holding someone else’s child…

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Garrett composed himself, held the child a bit longer, asked for the babies’ names, and after a short chat, he had his people deliver an array of nourishing gifts before he took his leave.

Once Garrett had left, Eleanor glanced at him, a silent question in her eyes. She wondered whether her deliberate distance was right or wrong, given his ongoing battle with severe depression.

As she searched for answers, Sigrid offered one, “Garrett’s legs may have healed, but his depression is still serious. At one point, the pain from his treatment nearly drove him to suicide, but he said…”

To spare Eleanor any guilt, Sigrid cut herself off, adding only, “Don’t worry, he’ll keep living.”

Eleanor looked at Sigrid for a few seconds before nodding gently, “Please, help him.”

“It’s no trouble,” Sigrid replied, then looked at Eleanor thoughtfully. “If I say that after spending time with him, I think Garrett is a good man, would you find that strange?”

As Sigrid spoke, Chase McCall, who had come to offer his congratulations, reached the doorway of the delivery room. He heard her words loud and clear.

In that sudden moment, hope escaped from his eyes, leaving them empty.

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