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The Second Goodbye is Forever
The Second Goodbye is Forever
Author: Southern Eucalyptus

Chapter 1

Author: Southern Eucalyptus
The air went dead.

Dylan quickly grabbed the bracelet and made a show of pulling it off. "I'm so sorry, Claire—I had no idea this was your love token. I'll give it right back to Wesley."

Beside him, little Maya's face tightened. She pointed an accusing finger at me. "Dad knew exactly how precious it was, and he shoved it at Uncle Dylan on purpose—just to embarrass him. Dad, you're a total jerk!"

Claire stared at me, her eyes fixed and heavy with exhaustion. "Wesley. How much longer are you going to keep this up? I brought you back here because I wanted us to actually make this work."

All I felt was bitter absurdity.

Back then, if Dylan wanted something and I took even a second too long to hand it over, I'd pay for it. Now I was being obedient—and she still wasn't happy.

I turned, picked up the limited-edition watch Claire had just given me, and held it out to Dylan. "Is the bracelet not enough for you? Here. Take this too."

Claire's face went ashen. She shot up and swept the birthday cake off the table with one arm.

Cream splattered across my shirt. The porcelain plate shattered on the floor.

"Wesley, do you have to be this sarcastic and calculated? Just to hurt me?"

"I'm not."

Claire shut her eyes and forced herself to breathe. "I know you're still angry that I put Dylan in the ambulance first. But he was hemorrhaging—he almost didn't make it. And I've spent all these years searching for a heart donor that matches you, because I never wanted that kind of tragedy to happen again. Wesley, please. Stop sulking. Just try with me. Okay?"

I gave her a hollow nod.

Maya shot up from her chair, fuming. "Mom already apologized! Why are you still so cold? No wonder nobody in this family likes you except Grandpa."

That landed like a blow straight to my heart.

I let out a cold laugh. "Good. Because aside from your Grandpa, I don't like a single one of you either."

Claire went rigid. Her eyes turned icy to the core. "Fine. Since you don't care about anything and don't like anyone, here's the new arrangement—starting today, Dylan and I will sleep in the master bedroom. You can move down to the servant's quarters."

I didn't argue. I just turned and walked calmly upstairs.

Behind me, Maya clapped her little hands and cheered. "Yes! Now I get to sleep with Mom and Uncle Dylan every single night!"

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  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 9

    Claire still wouldn't let it go.She threw herself into a frantic search for the person who had helped me fake my death all those years ago—as if finding them could reverse time and bring me back.After months of chasing down the faintest leads, she finally traced the trail to the southwestern border. She flew there overnight.But the person she found wasn't some back-alley swindler. It was an elderly man in military uniform.Claire dropped to her knees. "Please. Tell me where he is."The old man shook his head gently, his tone calm but absolute. "I helped him back then because I owed his father a life debt. So I forged his death certificate and got him out."Claire's eyes lit up. "Then this time—""Not this time." He cut her off, voice flat. "Last time, he was alive. I could hide him. This time, he's dead. I can't save a dead man."He tossed a sealed envelope into her lap. "Read it. This is what he never got the chance to tell you back then."Claire's hands trembled as she to

  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 8

    Claire refused to believe I was dead.Even after the medical staff confirmed it over and over—even after my body had gone cold and stiff—she still hovered beside me, red-eyed, and had me gently placed into a custom-built ice chamber she'd ordered constructed overnight.She started tearing through every piece of evidence she could find. Every security camera in the house. Every hospital record within reach.She was convinced I was still alive."He faked his death once three years ago. He can do it again."On the third day, she drove to the hospital to bring my father back to the Harrison house.But when she pushed open the door to his room, the bed was empty.Claire froze. "Where is he?!"The head nurse kept her eyes lowered. "Barry Kingston... passed away three days ago.""That's impossible! I gave him the best medical care—the best doctors, the best medication! How could he just die?!"The nurse pulled out a voice recorder and handed it over with both hands. "We found this..

  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 7

    The ambulance siren faded into the distance. The blood at the amusement park was hosed down and wiped clean in no time.Dylan brushed off his shirt and headed toward the parking lot without a backward glance.Maya stood frozen, staring at the wet patch of ground where the water had washed everything away. "Uncle Dylan... aren't we going to the hospital?"He didn't even turn around. "Hospitals are full of germs. I have a weak constitution—what if I catch something?"Maya stared at Claire's belly, nodding as if she understood. Right. Uncle Dylan couldn't go to the hospital—he might get sick. Mom always said he was fragile."Then... then we wait for Mom to come back, and we'll go see Dad together?"Dylan didn't answer. He'd already opened the driver's side door and slid into the passenger seat.Maya pulled open the back door and stared at the empty row of seats. A chill crept up her spine. She whispered, "Uncle Dylan... could you sit in the back with me? I'm... I'm scared to be alo

  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 6

    The blade sank into my chest. Blood burst out in a hot rush.My artificial heart stopped—completely.My body went weightless, drifting upward like smoke. Through blurred vision, I watched Claire's face twist into something broken. She screamed my name."Wesley!"My soul grew lighter. I saw myself collapse in her arms, blood pouring from the wound. She clamped both hands over it, pressing hard, trying to stop the flow. But the more she pushed, the more it gushed—seeping through her fingers, spilling everywhere, unstoppable."Wesley! Wesley!" Her voice cracked as she called my name over and over. "Look at me! Don't sleep! Don't you dare close your eyes!"Maya stood frozen, mouth open, no sound coming out.Claire's eyes burned red. She whipped her head around and screamed at the crowd. "Call an ambulance! Now! Someone, please!"People scattered. Paramedics rushed in within minutes. One of them pressed two fingers to my neck, then peeled back my eyelid. Her face fell."Ma'am... I'

  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 5

    The hospital room was deathly silent. The doctor gave me a helpless look. "I'm sorry. He was triggered by a severe shock. There was nothing we could do."I collapsed onto the floor, hollowed out completely.While going through my father's things, I found a voice recorder tucked beneath his pillow. I pressed play.Dylan's voice came through—soft, venomous, dripping with cruelty. "Barry, I feel sorry for you, so let me tell you the truth. I was never adopted. I'm Mom's biological son. You and my father spent your whole lives fighting each other—and in the end, you raised his kid for decades. Isn't that hilarious?"Oh, and that old house you and Wesley fought so hard to keep? Mom transferred it to my name the day I turned eighteen. Thanks for taking such good care of it for me...""You could never beat my father, and your useless son will never beat me. His wife, his daughter, his money—it's all going to be mine. You two have been my lucky charms all along."My father had been in a

  • The Second Goodbye is Forever   Chapter 4

    That night, I drank the milk Claire handed me like always.After the two of them crept out quietly, I got up and followed.They led me all the way to a luxury apartment. Through the gap in the door, I saw Dylan sitting comfortably on the couch. Claire fed him fruit with gentle hands and massaged his legs."I'm sorry I couldn't be with you these past few days. You've been through so much."Maya curled up beside her, pouting. "It's all Dad's fault—he's so petty, he wouldn't let Mom bring you back home."I shoved the door open, my voice trembling. "You said you sent him away. Claire, how much of your words are actually true?"Claire stepped in front of Dylan, squaring off against me. "Wesley, that's enough! Dylan has never tried to take anything from you. He's been here without a name, without status, just keeping me company. He's already suffered enough. Can you stop being so selfish for once?"Dylan straightened up, emboldened. "Come on, Wesley. You're older, and you've never kno

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