A Second Chance at Forever

Chapter 1440

When Bernard heard the name Caleb, a fog of regret clouded the cool depths of his eyes, and he felt a tide of remorse rushing in.

His thick, long lashes drooped, casting a faint shadow beneath his eyelids.

He was still for a long time, until the pain hidden in his eyes was sufficiently veiled, and then he looked up with a guarded expression to meet Robin’s serious gaze.

“What’s the name of the guy who looks like Caleb?”

“Zephyr Clark.””

Zephyr Clark. Bernard rolled the name around in his mind and nodded subtly.

“I just happened to be back in town for some business and thought I’d drop in to tell you.”

The truth was, a simple phone call would have sufficed, but Robin had made the effort to come in person. The intention behind this seemed pretty clear. Bernard was well aware of Robin’s unspoken motives. Still, Robin was never good at controlling his emotions, acting on impulse.

Lately, he had a peculiar dream where Eleanor stumbled and lurched towards him; he caught her firmly and told her, “Alright, I’ll take you away!

After waking from such a dream, Robin sat up in bed, staring out at the bleak view for a long time, unable to shake the feeling. That dream reignited a flicker of emotion in a heart that was supposed to have moved on.

Now, his gaze dropped to where their fingers were intertwined, skin touching skin in harmonious accord, a reminder to him that it was all just a dream, a longed-for fantasy. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

“Thanks.”

Bernard’s heavy heart withdrew from the serpentine maze of his thoughts, and when he looked at Robin again, he could sense what was on his mind. Following Robin’s gaze, he glanced at his own hand, clasped with Eleanor’s, and for a moment, he felt a pang of envy from Robin.

“Mr. Spencer.” Bernard’s voice was cold as frost, snapping Robin back to the present.

He looked up, only to meet Bernard’s detached and weary gaze.

“Thanks for saving my wife, and I appreciate you coming all this way to tell me.”

The emphasis on “coming all this way” was unmistakable. If Robin couldn’t detect the underlying jab, he would be as foolish as Elbert Pine.

“It was no big deal; there’s no need to thank me.”

After saying this, Robin walked around the front of the car to the passenger side, opened the door, and prepared to get in. Bernard’s indifferent voice followed him.

“Aren’t you staying for dinner?”

Robin, hand on the car door, shot him a look..

“Do I look like I’m in need of a charity meal? Do I need to stay at your house for dinner?”

He wasn’t about to endure that pain again.

“Well then, let me send you a parting gift as a token of my gratitude.”

It was Eleanor who spoke, softening Robin’s mood slightly, though he was far from pleased.

“When I saved you, I must have been out of my mind. If I had to do it over, I definitely wouldn’t save you, so quit it with the thank-yous. They’re driving me insane.”

Watching Robin’s impatient expression, Eleanor paused, sensing his apparent indifference. Yet, she was grateful not just for being saved, but for the sustenance he had left her- the drawer full of food.

In those dire circumstances, every apple and every glass of milk Robin had provided were unforgettable. In her heart, Eleanor cherished this kindness. Before Robin could slide into his seat, she sincerely said, “Thank you, Robin.”

The man in the car hesitated for a moment before nonchalantly buckling up and starting the engine swiftly.

As the car turned and drove away, it was only then that Robin allowed himself to openly glance in the rear-view mirror, watching the shrinking figure…

He couldn’t quite articulate the feeling, just a sense of hollowness. Did he want her? He did, but she wasn’t his to have. Even looking felt like overstepping his bounds. In the end, all he could muster was a sense of helpless acceptance.

Robin’s feelings for Eleanor were deeply buried, and he kept a respectful distance. Bernard played along, never addressing it directly.

But he could see that Eleanor treated Robin differently, a difference that began with the food he left her. Watching the monitors, Bernard had seen Eleanor cry all night over Robin and eventually sit on the bed, clutching the apple he left.

At that moment, Bernard knew that in Eleanor’s mind, only Robin, who was willing to die for her, mattered. Whether it was gratitude or something else, Robin had become special to her.

This change made Bernard uncomfortable. He wasn’t sure how he had endured it, watching from behind the cameras, but thankfully, that was all in the past.

Squeezing Eleanor’s hand, Bernard brought her back to the present. “Honey, I’m heading to Chiang Rai Tomorrow.”

Eleanor looked into his heavy eyes. “Are you going to see Zephyr?”

Bernard gazed into the twilight, watching the clouds descend on the horizon. “I need to see if Caleb has come back.”

Caleb was gone and not coming back. But when face to face with his spitting image, who wouldn’t mistake the stranger for Caleb?

Eleanor didn’t shatter Bernard’s hope but spoke calmly, “I’ll come with you.”

Bernard’s lips parted to object, but Eleanor continued, “If possible, the three of us might be able to eat together, with you cooking, right on the steamboat…”