A Second Chance at Forever (Eleanor and Bernard) novel Chapter 1373

Eleanor felt a chill run through her as she watched Yates, the old man with hair as white as winter frost and eyes red with a vengeful fire. His hatred had morphed from personal vendetta into a vendetta against the world.

The variety of deaths in Area Opaca seemed to satisfy his thirst for bloodshed, his addiction to the kill.

She knew all too well that Yates' psyche had been twisted by hate to the point where human life meant nothing to him. Convincing him to stop was likely impossible.

Without saying a word, she simply gazed at Yates, slowly realizing a painful truth—Sometimes, loving someone too deeply can be a curse.

"So, Eleanor, do you think I'm wrong?" Yates asked, his voice cutting through the silence as he set aside his memories and looked intently at the face that so resembled Pauline's.

"You shouldn't take so many lives just for revenge," Eleanor said, pausing before clarifying her thoughts. "You should find the person who killed Pauline and seek your revenge on them, not drag innocent people into this."

"I can't find them!" Yates replied, his voice rising with emotion. "Do you know what it's like to want revenge but not know who your enemy is? The helplessness, the despair—it's driving me insane!"

No wonder Sophie and Mr. Ben had defected to Area Opaca with a list of Siren Organization members—they too were desperate to find the enemy.

"Would you disband Area Opaca if you found your enemy?" Eleanor asked, bringing Yates back to a semblance of calm. He looked at her, hesitated, then nodded faintly.

"No one wants to live with hatred forever."

Once he had his revenge, he could follow Pauline into the beyond and finally find peace.

Eleanor recalled Evan's guess of the mastermind behind Area Opaca that they must bore a grudge against Bernard or Mr. Penrod. Now that Bernard had joined Area Opaca as a puppet master, it seemed clear there was no bad blood there.

That left Mr. Penrod, but he was from her mother's generation—how could he be responsible for Pauline's death?

She suspected the key lay with the Siren Organization and began to probe Yates indirectly.