No Second Chances Left

Tonight was the celebration for Carter Holdings' successful completion of a five-hundred-million-dollar acquisition.

It should have been Olivia's moment of triumph.

It was also the third day after I had been discharged from the hospital.

Three days ago, I'd undergone liver surgery.

Before I left the hospital, my doctor had warned me repeatedly:

“No alcohol. At least for now.”

But no one expected Ethan to be the first problem of the night.

Whether he did it deliberately or not, he knocked over the entire champagne tower.

A whole row of glasses came crashing down, spilling across our biggest client, Mr. Harrison.

The entire ballroom fell silent.

Ethan's eyes immediately turned red.

He gently tugged at Olivia's sleeve.

“Olivia, I'm sorry.”

“I really didn't mean to.”

He looked as if he'd been the one who had been wronged.

Olivia's voice softened immediately.

“It's okay.”

“You didn't do it on purpose.”

Then she turned to me.

“Ryan.”

“Go apologize to Mr. Harrison.”

I froze.

Even Mr. Harrison frowned.

“Mrs. Carter, this has nothing to do with your husband.”

“I know.”

I didn't move.

“Why me?”

She glanced at Harrison before lowering her voice.

“Because you're good at this.”

That part was true.

I had once been one of the top M&A attorneys in New York.

After we married, I gave up my shot at partnership at a prestigious law firm and joined Carter Holdings as its General Counsel for Olivia.

For the past five years, I had been involved in nearly every major acquisition, financing deal, and high-stakes negotiation the company handled.

Then Olivia became more and more successful.

And I gradually stepped behind her.

She stood in the spotlight.

I handled the problems no one else saw.

Including tonight.

I walked over to Harrison.

“Mr. Harrison, I'm sorry this happened.”

His expression softened slightly.

“Forget it. Accidents happen.”

It should have ended there.

But Olivia came over.

She was holding two glasses of champagne.

She handed one to me.

“Have a drink with him.”

I looked down at the glass.

Then back at her.

“You know I can't drink.”

Olivia paused.

“I know.”

“You know I had surgery three days ago.”

“I know.”

She seemed to notice my mood and softened her voice.

“Ryan, do this for me.”

There it was again.

Do this for me.

Five years ago, I would have agreed without hesitation.

But now, I simply stared at the glass in her hand.

And I thought of that wooden box.

The one hundred black tokens inside.

And the rule we'd made together.

Second Chances.

Suddenly, I understood.

This was number ninety-seven.

Olivia clearly hadn't been keeping count.

She didn't even realize how close we'd come to the end.

I reached out and took the glass.

Then I walked toward Harrison.

“Mr. Harrison.”

I raised my glass.

“Here's to the deal.”

Then I finished the entire drink.

At that moment, Ethan's voice came from behind me.

“Olivia, I'm really sorry.”

Olivia had already walked over to him.

“It's okay.”

She reached up and straightened his champagne-soaked collar.

“Just be more careful next time.”

“What if you got hurt?”

Ethan smiled.

“Got it.”

Then he gently took her hand.

“You're too good to me.”

Olivia smiled back.

For a moment, I was reminded of years ago.

She used to look at me that way, too.

Back when I was still practicing law, there were nights when major deals kept me at the office until dawn.

Olivia used to stay with me.

She'd sit across from me while I worked through contracts and deal documents, never once complaining about the late nights.

Sometimes, she'd simply say,

“Finish your work. I'll wait.”

Back then, I thought we'd always be on the same side.

Until she started giving that patience to another man.

I looked away.

My throat tightened from the alcohol.

It didn't matter.

I told myself.

There were only two left anyway.