A Second Chance at Forever novel (Eleanor and Bernard)

Peterson had always harbored a bit of resentment towards Starry. He could sense that she had feelings for him, yet she married someone else. The guy she chose was nothing but a silver-spooned layabout, whose only redeeming quality was his family's wealth. Peterson could never wrap his head around what Starry saw in him.

But now, he understood. Starry was drawn to the man's talent for sweet-talking women, and his darker side that Peterson had never wanted to see. In a moment of bitter reflection, Peterson scoffed at the mess Starry had gotten herself into. He thought she had made her bed and now had to lie in it.

Yet, deep down, Peterson was troubled, especially when haunted by dreams at midnight. He would see Starry with a bruised face, begging him for help.

Sleep would elude him, and he'd find himself standing by the window, gazing at the room across the yard where Starry lived before her ill-fated marriage.

His memories were filled with the dream version of Starry, clutching his hand, pleading, "Peterson, save me, I'm dying... please come save me..."

news of Starry's suicide attempt. That's when he realized

marrying Alan, Starry had been enduring domestic abuse. When it became unbearable, she would seek refuge with the Sharp family, but Peterson's mother, citing familial bonds, would urge her to endure, to avoid

and then beating her, starting with fists and escalating to weapons. Their eight-year-old daughter was not spared either. After a particularly brutal beating that left the

and pulled Alan towards the balcony, intending to end it all. But Alan, with

in stone. Without a word, he let his bodyguards restrain Alan and proceeded to shatter Alan's legs and, in a pretended accident, castrated him. After delivering this

behind bars before being released. Once free,

Starry in the hospital. Coincidentally, he overheard a conversation between his mother and

argument, he asserted his authority as the head of the Sharp family and warned her to stay out of

the sight of Starry's desolate figure in the hospital bed, staring out