He Promised To Be My Right Ear But Failed Chapter 01

He Promised To Be My Right Ear But Failed Chapter 01

I had partial hearing loss in my right ear.

When we were kids, Miles Sterling always stood on my right.

He told me why once.

“That way, if anyone talks trash about you, I’ll hear it before you do.”

Years later, we got engaged. The invitations had already gone out.

Everyone said I was the lucky one, with a guy who’d had my back since we were kids.

Then Blair Delaney transferred to Miles’s company.

She was gorgeous, sharp, and had a smile that never quit.

The first time we met, her eyes locked on my hearing aid. She stared at it a beat too long before turning to Miles.

“So… can she even hear your pillow talk?”

My face went cold, and Miles only frowned.

“She has no filter. Don’t let it get to you.”

It was the day of the wedding rehearsal.

I was standing outside the door when I heard Blair reading my vows through it.

“Miles, I promise to be your ears, your crutch, and your lifelong burden.”

The whole room laughed. So did Miles.

“Stop messing around. She’ll get upset again if she hears.”

Blair tilted her head.

“So you’re still going through with it?”

Miles didn’t answer right away.

“The invitations are out. What am I supposed to do, call it off?”

I stood at the end of the hall. The umbrella he’d given me was still dripping in my hand.

The rain had stopped.

But I couldn’t make myself walk through that door.

…

When Miles came out, my head was down, and I was wiping the rain from my hands.

His footsteps slowed, then stopped.

“When did you get here?”

I looked up.

“Just got here.”

Blair trailed out behind him, all smiles.

“Audrey, relax. We were just messing around in there. You couldn’t hear any of that, right?”

She planted herself on my right, my bad ear.

Miles shot her a look.

“Cut it out.”

Blair pouted playfully.

“Fine, fine. It’s not her fault she can’t hear. I’ll make sure to stand on her good side from now on.”

She made it sound like she was doing me a favor.

The groomsmen and bridesmaids laughed anyway.

I looked at Miles.

He used to be the first one to shut it down whenever someone cracked a joke about my hearing.

He used to tell me it wasn’t my fault.

That they were the ones who should be embarrassed, not me.

But now, all he did was take the paper from Blair’s hand and pass it to me.

“Don’t read into it. She just has no filter.”

I took the paper.

Half the words were crossed out.

What I’d written was [Thank you for being my right ear for over a decade.]

Blair had changed it to [Thank you for putting up with me for over a decade.]

I ran my finger over the line. The paper went limp under my wet fingers.

Miles reached for it.

“I’ll get a new one printed.”

I stepped back.

“Don’t bother.”

His hand froze in the air.

“Audrey Hayes.”

The way he said it told me everything. He wasn’t worried. He was annoyed.

Blair cleared her throat.

“Don’t be hard on her, Miles. She probably thinks I’m stealing her thunder.”

Miles pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What’s the problem now?”

Blair smiled at me.

“It’s her big day, and I’ve been hogging all the attention. Can you blame her?”

Someone spoke up, trying to smooth it over.

“Hey now, let’s calm down. Just wedding nerves.”

“Don’t be mad, Audrey. Miles is so good to you.”

That seemed to snap Miles back. He walked over and reached for my hand.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you home. You’re soaking wet.”

His hand was warm.

But all I could hear were the words he’d said. The invitations are out. What am I supposed to do, call it off?

He wasn’t marrying me because he wanted to.

He was marrying me because it was too late not to.

I slipped my hand out of his.

“I’m fine. I’ll get myself home.”

Miles stared at his empty hand. His jaw tightened.

“What’s wrong with you again?”

Again.

That word landed, and my right ear started to ring.

Blair stepped closer, her voice going soft.

“Audrey, I swear I didn’t mean anything by it. Want me to apologize? I’ll apologize.”

She lowered her head, looking like she was about to burst into tears, and Miles caught her arm.

Blair leaned into him and shot me a smug look.

“See? He’d never let anyone bully me.”

The hallway went quiet.

Miles dropped her arm, but his face gave him away.

“She’s full of it, Audrey.”

I nodded.

He watched me, like he was bracing for the fight.

But I didn’t say a word.

I folded the vow neatly and slid it into my bag.

“I’m leaving.”

Miles grabbed my arm.

“The wedding’s in three days and you’re pulling this now?”

My eyes went to the watch on his wrist, the one I’d given him for his birthday.

I’d had something engraved on the inside of the band.

[A lifelong promise.]

He’d laughed and called it cheesy. He wore it every day anyway.

Now that same hand was blocking me, and it felt less like a promise than a chain.

I kept my voice low.

“Miles, I’m tired.”

His frown deepened.

“Then go home and rest. Don’t do this right now.”

Blair peered around him.

“Audrey, there’s so much to get through before the wedding. If you’re not up for it, I can run through the rehearsal for you. I mean, I already nailed the vows, right?”