Chapter 5

Zach's paintings were displayed at the center of the exhibition, where a huge fire had broken out. Carter wet his shirt with some water before dashing into the area and grabbing that painting.

Before he could leave, a huge glass display case toppled over and hit him. The excruciating pain caused him to drop the painting. He let out a muffled groan and fell onto his knees.

The next second, a figure sprinted past him and picked up the painting from the ground. Misty, after making sure that the painting was unharmed, looked visibly relieved. Only then did she turn around to check on her husband.

"Carter, you alright?"

Carter did not reply. He wondered if the thick smoke or the pain had caused his eyes to tear up.

Dodging her touch, he scrambled up from the floor. "I'm fine. Hold onto that painting."

She listened and guarded the painting in her arms. A sarcastic look flashed across Carter's eyes as he helped her out of the fire. Blood trickled from his wounds, leaving behind menacing traces.

Carter had no idea when he had fainted. When he stirred awake, he found himself in the hospital.

Misty sat by his bed tearfully. When she noticed he had woken up, she threw herself at him. She worriedly asked, "Darling, how do you feel? You lost so much blood that I nearly thought you were going to die!"

While speaking, she started to cry. "I'm sorry. I got you into this mess."

Carter did not know what else he could say. He felt tired to the bones. Misty was genuinely concerned for him and reflecting on her actions, yet she had never put him before Zach.

Her love for Zach was fiery, while he could only be the victim of her passionate love for another man. If given a choice to change the past, he would certainly not marry Misty.

Misty mistook Carter's lack of response as a lack of energy. She tucked him in and whispered, "Darling, rest up. I'll check on Zeke now. He's hurt too."

"This is your fifth chance." His eyes fluttered open.

Misty stopped in her tracks. Her eyes met his calm gaze. Moments later, she finally retracted her steps. "I won't visit him then. I'll stay by your side."

However, once she confirmed that Carter had fallen into a deep sleep, she quietly took her bag and sneaked out of his room.

At the same time, Carter, who she had thought to be fast asleep, opened his eyes slowly. He had been seriously injured and had to undergo surgery for a fracture in the back of his shoulder blade. Because of the surgery, he had to be hospitalized for a month.

During his hospital stay, Misty divided her time between their home and the hospital. But at the hospital, she spent most of her time in Zeke's room with the excuse that no one was there to take care of him.

Utterly heartbroken, Carter felt his heart go numb. He said nothing more and focused on his recovery.

…

20 days later, accompanied by his assistant Taylor Upton, Carter visited the cemetery in his wheelchair for his parents' death anniversary.

In the past, Misty would visit his parents' graves on their death anniversary. To his disappointment, Misty was nowhere to be seen, even after he waited the whole day at the cemetery.

He mumbled to his parents, "Dad, Mom, I'm afraid I'm going back to being alone." He wiped away the dust on their framed photos with a sad smile. "But I think it's great to live alone."

At least, he wouldn't have to suffer from heartbreak if he was alone.

When Carter wrapped up everything and was about to leave, Misty showed up late with a bunch of fresh lilies in her arms. "Carter, I'm so sorry! Zeke suddenly ran a high fever. I fussed over him for a while and almost forgot that it was your parents' death anniversary. Why didn't you remind me?"

"Are you Zeke's doctor?" Carter cut her off in a flat tone. "Or are you his family? What's your relationship to him?"

Misty tried to argue, "But he's…"

He stopped her again. "Are you trying to tell me he's Zach's little brother?"

Misty nodded after some hesitation. Carter stared squarely at her. "But I dislike Zach or anything related to him."

He thought, 'Do you really think I should be understanding of you on all matters related to Zach?'

He warned her, "Misty Lawrence, you've just wasted your sixth chance."

Ever since Carter seriously considered a divorce, Misty had wasted six out of the eight chances he offered her. The alarming speed at which she put Zach before him made him snicker. He had all the reason to believe that their divorce would arrive sooner than expected.