Chapter 3 Second Chance

The ticking of the clock on Carter's office wall was the only sound filling the otherwise silent room. He sat hunched over his desk, a stack of papers in front of him, his mind consumed with numbers and deadlines. His world, the one he had meticulously crafted over the years, was built on control and precision. The structure was his comfort zone, and everything in it had its place.

But as much as he tried to focus, his thoughts kept drifting. He couldn't shake the memory of the conversation that had lingered in his mind for the past few weeks-the conversation with his mother and Zane's mother, the one that had made him realize how far apart he and Zane had drifted. How far he had pushed everything he had once cared about. His family. His future. The possibility of love.

The buzz of his phone broke through his thoughts, startling him. He glanced down at the screen, and his stomach dropped when he saw the name: Father.

His hands shook slightly as he answered the call. "Dad?"

"Get to the hospital. Now. It's your mother... she's had a heart attack," his father's voice came through the phone, thick with panic.

Carter's blood ran cold. His mother. His usually strong, unshakable mother was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life. He could hear the urgency in his father's voice, and it was enough to snap him into action.

"I'm on my way," Carter said, already standing up from his desk. He didn't bother to grab his coat or his briefcase. He didn't need anything but to get to her, to make sure she was okay.

His mind raced as he drove to the hospital, the streets blurring past him. How had things gotten so out of control? Was this his fault? He didn't have answers. He just had to get to her.

At the hospital, Carter arrived to find the room filled with familiar faces-none of them offering him any comfort. His father sat at his mother's bedside, looking pale and drained, his hands clasped tightly together as he stared at the floor. Across from him, Noah was seated, his face blotchy with tears, his hand resting on Ethan's shoulder. Ethan looked worried, his face a mask of concern, but he didn't speak.

Carter's heart twisted in his chest as he approached the scene. His mother, usually so vibrant and strong, looked frail and pale on the hospital bed. The sight made his throat tighten, and his breath caught in his chest.

"How is she?" Carter's voice cracked as he stepped into the room, unable to tear his gaze away from his mother.

Noah stood up suddenly, his eyes flashing with anger. "You're the one who's too busy to care, Carter! Too involved in your work to be here for her!" His voice was harsh, full of resentment. "You came last. Even Zane and his family were here before you. They cared enough to show up. But not you."

Carter froze. He could feel his brother's fury like a physical blow, but he didn't have the words to fight back. He couldn't justify his absence. There was no excuse for it. His mother was in pain, and he had been too caught up in his own world to be there when she needed him.

Noah's words struck deeper, and before Carter could even process what was happening, Noah slapped him across the face. The sound echoed in the room, sharp and painful. The force of it made Carter's head snap to the side, but he didn't say anything. He didn't defend himself. He stood there, rooted to the spot, with the sting of his brother's slap burning on his cheek.

No one said a word. The room was heavy with tension, thick with judgment. Ethan, though visibly shaken, said nothing. Zane and his family, who had quietly listening everything, exchanged glances, but they remained silent. No one would come to his defense. Not this time.

Carter, his face flushed with humiliation, didn't react. He simply stood there, his eyes focused on his mother, and he couldn't bring himself to say a word. His own guilt weighed too heavily on him. He had failed her.

And then, as if everything had gone still, his mother's faint voice broke through the silence.

"Carter..." she whispered, barely audible, but strong enough to make everyone in the room stop and listen. "Come here, my son."

Carter swallowed hard and slowly made his way to her bedside. She reached for his hand weakly, her frail fingers curling around his with surprising strength. Her eyes, tired but kind, met his.

"I know I've pushed you," she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I know I've asked too much of you, but... Carter... please... do this for me."

Carter's chest tightened, his throat constricting as he tried to hold back the tears threatening to spill. "Mom," he choked out, his voice trembling.

"Please, Carter," she continued, her breath shallow. "I want you to be happy. I want you to settle down... I know it's been difficult for you, and I know you don't want it... but please... marry him. Zane... marry Zane."

The words hit Carter like a punch to the gut. His heart skipped a beat, and his stomach churned. He had avoided this for so long, and now his mother, frail and vulnerable, was asking him to do the one thing he had feared the most-to marry Zane.

Carter looked at her, his expression unreadable. His mind raced with everything he had been avoiding-the past, the hurt, the unresolved feelings. But now, with his mother lying in front of him, asking him to take the step he had resisted for so long, he knew what he had to do.

He swallowed hard, his voice steady but soft. "Okay, Mom... I'll marry him."

The room was quiet, everyone frozen in anticipation. His father, Noah, Ethan, Zane and his family-they were all waiting, their eyes on him.

Noah blinked in surprise, his face softening just a little, but his eyes remained wary. Ethan looked almost relieved, a small, quiet smile tugging at his lips.

But the question still hung in the air. Everyone turned to look at Zane except Carter, their eyes now on him.

Zane stood still, his expression unreadable, his gaze fixed on the back of Carter. For a long, tense moment, no one spoke.

The entire room held its breath as they waited for an answer from Zane, the weight of everything pressing down on both of them. Carter had agreed, but now it was Zane's turn. Would he accept this second chance? Would he take the step they both had been avoiding for so long?