Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem novel Chapter 1604

The scarred man didn't hide the truth. He told Evan everything.

Evan clenched his fists, his jaw tight. His chest heaved with fury, and his eyes burned with rage.

Elliot watched him, worried, expecting another outburst now that he knew the truth. But Evan didn't lose control. He was furious for a moment, then he stood up and said in a hoarse voice, "Let's go back and spend a little more time with Bernard. Then we'll find a good place to bury him."

"Evan..." Elliot and the scarred man said his name in concern.

Evan sniffled forcefully. "Don't worry about me. I'm devastated, but I won't be impulsive.Mom and Bernard both said that acting in the heat of the moment only leads to ruin. I will get revenge for Bernard, but not now! I'll listen to him. I'll grow up first, become stronger, and then I will avenge him, and his mentor, and his mentor’s wife, and the entire Warner legacy!"

Evan then looked at the scarred man. "Great-uncle, you shouldn't be sad either. Bernard is gone, but you still have me. I'll stay with you. I'll take care of you when you're old, I'll help you get your revenge, and together, we will restore the Warner family to its former glory! Just give me a little more time. I'll try to grow up fast. Trust me, I will find the killer, and I will avenge Bernard!"

The man pulled the little boy into his arms, his eyes welling up with tears again.

...

Bernard was laid to rest three days after his passing. His grave was on a mountaintop, a spot Evan and the scarred man had chosen together. Not only was the view beautiful, but it was also a high place Bernard loved. He often came here to rest when he was alive. For three days, Evan had been incredibly strong, only breaking down in tears when the casket was sealed.

After Bernard was buried, Evan fell ill, his fever spiking to over 104 degrees, making him delirious. With the old woman there, there was no fear of permanent damage, but he wouldn't be leaving the mountain anytime soon. So, Elliot went back to the signal station to call Tarquin.

Tarquin was at the hospital with Keaton when he saw the call. He had been waiting for Elliot's call for days. He quickly stepped out of the infusion room. "Elliot."

At the sound of Tarquin's voice, Elliot's composure shattered. His eyes reddened, and tears streamed down his face. He'd been through so much, was so sad and worried about Evan, that his nerves were stretched to their breaking point.

"Elliot?" Tarquin called out again.

"He's gone," Elliot confirmed. "Bernard is dead. Waaah..."

Tarquin felt a tightness in his chest. "How?"

"When he faked his death all those years ago, the bad guys injected him with poison," Elliot explained through his sobs. "All these years... Great-Grandma has been helping him suppress the toxins. But as he got older, his body got weaker, and he couldn't fight it anymore. The poison took over. Waaah..."

Tarquin's face darkened. "When did this happen?"

"Three days ago."

Tarquin fell silent. Three days ago. That was the day Elysia had cut her hand. After that, she hadn't been herself. She was always distracted, suffered from insomnia, and when she finally did sleep, she'd wake up from nightmares, crying. It seemed there really was such a thing as a psychic connection.