A Second Chance at Forever

Chapter 1490
It was a moment that defied simple emotion for Bernard as he cradled the squirming bundle of life in his arms. For the first time,
he truly grasped why Eleanor had risked everything for a mere 10% chance. Parenthood has a way of unlocking a primal
willingness to sacrifice oneself for the continuance of one’s offspring-a noble instinct indeed.
Eleanor’s eyes reddened as she watched Bernard with their child, bathed in a warm glow. of sunlight, his lips curled in a soft
smile. She knew, without a doubt, she would make the same choice again and again-to bring this child into the world, no matter
the cost.
Cedric, ever the joker, snapped a photo with his phone and sent it off to their cousin group chat, excluding Bernard, [Holy
smokes, our dear old Bernard is actually cradling a baby!]
No sooner had he sent the message than Hailey elbowed him. “You bonehead, you sent it to the family group chat...”
Cedric’s grin froze as he fumbled to retract the message, only to see Bernard beckoning him over with a curled finger. “Hand it
over,” Bernard said, calm yet commanding.
Cedric clutched his phone to his chest, refusing to give it up. “Come on, I was sending the guys some... uh, racy videos. Sent it
to the family by mistake. Hailey here told me to take it back before Eleanor sees. I’ll show you some other time.”
The excuse was so poor that Bernard didn’t even bother to respond. Instead, he locked eyes with Hailey and made an offer she
couldn’t ignore. “I’ll give you a 30% stake in the nightclub. You’ll run Midnight Bar and keep it at the top.”
Hailey didn’t hesitate for a second-a testament to her respect for the almighty dollar. “He said, ‘Holy smokes, our dear old
Bernard is actually cradling a baby!”
To curry favor with the big boss, she even spilled the beans about a secret brothers’ gossip group titled “Annoying Bernard, Why
Don’t You Just Fly Away?”
As Cedric frantically tugged at Hailey’s sleeve, trying to silence her, his face a mix of anger and fear, he beat a hasty retreat.
Bernard, who had already set the baby down, sprang into action, catching Cedric in a chokehold and marching him out of the
room with the promise of a brotherly lesson in humility, “Let’s go. I’ll show you how to fly.”

Cedric, looking utterly dejected, pleaded, “Bernard, I’m all for flying, but please, not the face. I’ve got a big corporate meeting
tomorrow, and I’d rather not show up looking like a punching bag.”
Bernard’s response was unheard, but soon after, Cedric’s wails for mercy echoed through the halls. Hailey snuck a peek and
caught Scott pinning Cedric against the wall, while Aidyn tickled his bare feet with a feather, and Bernard stood by, hands in
pockets, watching the spectacle with apparent delight.
Hailey quickly captured the scene and sent it to the “Annoying Bernard, Why Don’t You Just Fly Away?” group with a caption,
“Everyone, here’s the sequel.”
The group chat exploded.
“Spill the tea quick, then bail from this group!”
“Bailing won’t save us from Bernard’s wrath. I better delete the group with Cedric’s phone.”
“I’d cut ties with Cedric in a heartbeat if it meant Bernard would let us off the hook.”
“This is why I said this group was a bad idea. Now Bernard knows, and we’re all screwed.” “It’s not the group. It’s Cedric who’s
the liability. Any group he makes, count me out.”
“Count me out too. Foot tickling? I can’t handle that kind of torture.”
“You know... I kind of enjoy being tickled.”
That odd confession from the brother in Africa brought a moment of silence, followed by a collective virtual cringe.
“Weirdo.”
“Disgusting!”
“I’m out!”
“I’m gone too...”
One by one, the cousins exited the chat, and Hailey, putting her phone away, felt a twinge of guilt for dismantling their brotherly
bond. But then she looked at her husband, laughing until he cried, and thought, sorry, but her career must come first.

Returning to the hospital room, Hailey showed Eleanor the captured photo and the chat messages. Eleanor chuckled and shook
her head. “They’re just like children who never grew up, so utterly childish.”
Hailey agreed. “Cedric turns into a chatterbox under pressure from your husband, firing off messages like a machine gun. If only
he spent his time more productively.”
Eleanor held their baby, smiling contentedly. “Cedric’s retained his childlike spirit because life’s been kind to him. He’s had few
troubles, and that’s precious.”
Hailey nodded, recognizing the stark contrast between Cedric’s charmed life and Bernard’s trials. Both from the same family, yet
their fates were worlds apart, as if all the hardships were reserved for Bernard alone.