A Second Chance at Forever (Eleanor and Bernard) novel Chapter 1410

Bernard's deep-set eyes, edged with a hint of frost, bore into the space before him as his voice, low and resonant, broke the silence. "I didn't have to dig, Mr. Penrod. You would've come looking for me anyway, wouldn't you? Did you guess I'd make it back alive?"

Mr. Penrod passed his walking stick to Aidyn before settling into the sofa with an air of entitlement. "Given your skill set, surviving wasn't a gamble."

Bernard pivoted, his tall frame turning to face the self-assured Mr. Penrod, now lounging comfortably. "So, what brings you here then?"

Mr. Penrod leaned back, legs crossed in an almost lazy pose. "Since you’re aware of the Darkness, there's no harm in telling you."

Bernard before him, bathed in the dimming light of dusk, regarded Mr. Penrod with an unflinching gaze. "If I hadn't known about its existence, would you have kept it from me forever?"

Mr. Penrod didn’t answer directly, opting for a lighter tone. "I didn't tell you because Darkness is no good Samaritan."

The golden hues of twilight caressed Bernard, yet the warmth seemed to elude him.

His voice, steady and frosty, cut through the air. "So, it's not deliberate secrecy but outright deception. Do you think I'm easy to manipulate, Mr. Penrod?"

Denial came swiftly. "I've invested more time, thought, and effort in you than in my own kin, Evan and Gianna Penrod. There's been no deceit. Why would I manipulate you?"

A cold laugh escaped Bernard. "Is that right?"

Mr. Penrod remained silent as Bernard advanced, towering over him with a scrutinizing gaze. "The Siren Organization has been around for ages, yet you wiped its existence from the record, claiming it was founded for me. Isn't that deception?"

In the face of his accuser, Mr. Penrod fell momentarily silent. "I did withhold that from you intentionally, but I didn't think it concerned you."

Bernard was prepared for the confession, yet disappointment crept in. "Is it truly irrelevant to me, or have you not used me enough to disclose the truth?"

Mr. Penrod, faced with suspicion, chose silence. "Bernard, Darkness was an enterprise started by my father's generation. It’s ancient history and not something to leverage against you."

Bernard responded with icy detachment. "Mr. Penrod, you knew full well that Darkness took Pauline's life, leading Yates to create Area Opaca to hunt down the Siren Organization. Isn't withholding the truth from me a form of use?"