He Saved A Spot For Her, Leaving No Room For Me Chapter 02

He Saved A Spot For Her, Leaving No Room For Me Chapter 02

At ten that night, Ethan showed up at my Maple Street walk-up.

He carried a bag of plain oatmeal, his hair damp from the rain.

“Your stomach’s a mess. Don’t go to bed on empty.”

He came in and went straight to the kitchen for a bowl.

Back in college, when I had acute gastroenteritis, he carried me on his back all the way to the campus clinic and stayed with me all night in the IV room.

That night he said, “Iris, from now on, you won’t have to go through it alone.”

I believed that for years.

Ethan slid the oatmeal in front of me and crouched down to meet my eyes.

“Today was on me.”

“I shouldn’t have let Tessa register her fingerprint first. And I shouldn’t have called you petty.”

“Iris, I have a big mouth—but I know where my heart is.”

He pulled out his phone and opened the smart lock app.

Tessa’s name was still there.

Ethan looked at me.

“I’ll delete it now.”

His finger hovered over the delete button.

I held my breath.

If he pressed it—

even if it was late, I’d admit he’d chosen me at least once.

His phone buzzed with a video call from Tessa.

He didn’t answer.

Second time.

Third time.

He frowned and declined.

I let out a small breath—then her message popped up.

[Ethan, I think I ruined Iris’s wedding gown.]

His face dropped.

I grabbed the phone.

In the photo, Tessa stood in front of the bridal shop mirror wearing my main gown, the train stamped with a black smudge.

Tears streaked her face.

[I just wanted to try the size for her—but I tripped.]

I looked up at Ethan.

“Why was she trying on my gown?”

He swallowed hard.

“Maybe the staff got confused.”

I zoomed in on the photo.

His hand was on the zipper.

His hand—on her waist.

Ethan went white.

“She almost fell—I just caught her.”

“Then why were you at the bridal shop?”

He shut his eyes briefly.

“I went to confirm your veil.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box.

He opened it. Inside was a pearl hair comb.

The exact style I’d once mentioned in passing—a long time ago.

I’d told him my mom wore something like it at her wedding, but I never found it among her things.

Ethan had remembered.

He said quietly, “I had it custom-made from an old photo. I was going to give it to you on the wedding day.”

My fingers trembled slightly.

He knew exactly how to get to me.

Right then, a video popped up in the wedding group chat.

The shop assistant had accidentally sent a behind-the-scenes clip.

Tessa turned in my gown and smiled back at the camera. Ethan stood behind her, adjusting her veil.

The assistant teased, “Mr. Sullivan has great taste—the bride looks stunning in this.”

Tessa waved her hands quickly. “No, no—she’s the bride, not me.”

In the video, Ethan didn’t correct it right away.

He just bent down and smoothed the hem for her.

The group chat went dead silent.

The coordinator awkwardly deleted it.

Ethan scrambled to explain, “I didn’t hear clearly at the time.”

I looked at the pearl comb, then pushed the box back.

“I don’t want the gown anymore.”

Ethan’s eyes turned red.

“That was custom-made for you.”

“She wore it.”

“I’ll have them clean it.”

I shook my head. “Ethan—the gown isn’t what’s dirty.”

The bridal shop manager called again.

“Mr. Sullivan, Tessa keeps crying—she wants to pay for the gown and begged us not to file a police report.”

Ethan stood up.

I asked, “You’re going again?”

He looked at me, pained.

“She’s alone there right now.”

“I’m alone here too.”

“You’re different.”

Those words again.

I was stronger than Tessa—so I deserved to be left behind.

Ethan walked to the door, then turned back.

“Iris, I’ll come back and get on my knees if I have to.”

“But I can’t leave her there.”

The door closed.

The oatmeal was still steaming.

I logged into the wedding website.

The digital invitation cover had been changed at some point.

The bride’s photo was now Tessa.

Modified by: Ethan.