The Man Who Was My Right Ear Chapter 02

The Man Who Was My Right Ear Chapter 02

Someone laughed again.

Gavin didn’t laugh this time, but he didn’t stop her either.

I looked away from his face and reached for my umbrella.

One of the umbrella ribs had been bent by someone earlier.

When I opened it, the canopy tilted to one side.

I stared at it for a few seconds, then walked into the rain anyway.

Behind me, Gavin’s voice cut through the rain.

“Vivian Rhodes, if you walk away today, don’t expect me to come after you.”

My steps faltered.

Only for a second.

Then I kept walking.

—

The next morning, the wedding planner called to confirm the names on the backdrop.

When I got there, Maya Sutton was standing in the middle of the banquet hall.

She wore a white satin dress.

It wasn’t a wedding dress—yet it made her look more like a bride than any ordinary evening gown ever could.

Gavin sat in the front row, reading through the wedding schedule.

The planner saw me and let out a relieved breath.

“Ms. Rhodes, thank goodness. Ms. Sutton wants to change the main backdrop to her design, but we didn’t want to approve it without you.”

I looked toward the stage.

The original backdrop read: Gavin Morgan & Vivian Rhodes.

Now it was a line of French.

My name was tucked in the corner of the small text below.

Maya Sutton explained with a smile, “Vivian, don’t get me wrong. I just think two names side by side is so basic. Weddings should be classy.”

Before I could answer, Gavin looked up.

“I saw it. It’s good.”

The planner hesitated.

“But it’s the main backdrop. The bride’s name is too small. It might not show up in photos.”

Maya Sutton dropped her head.

“Never mind, then. I was just trying to help. Since Vivian has trouble hearing, a lot of communication stuff must be hard for her.”

Gavin closed the schedule booklet. “Go with Maya’s version.”

“Gavin Morgan, this is my wedding.”

His expression was flat. “It’s my wedding too.”

That one sentence left me speechless for a long moment.

Maya walked over and linked her arm through mine as if we were close friends.

“Vivian, don’t be so serious. Weddings are supposed to be happy. If you keep frowning, Gavin’s going to get exhausted too.”

She was close. Her perfume filled my nose.

I quietly slipped my arm away.

“I don’t like this design.”

Her eyes reddened instantly. “So you don’t like me either?”

Gavin stood up. “Vivian Rhodes, don’t take it out on her.”

I looked at him. “I just said I don’t like the design.”

“You know she was trying to help.”

He walked up to me and lowered his voice. “The wedding is in three days. Do you really have to make things awkward for everyone?”

The staff in the banquet hall all looked down. But I knew they were listening.

My ears couldn’t catch every detail—but I could feel those stares.

Like tiny needles pressing into my skin.

Maya Sutton dabbed at the corner of her eye.

“Forget it, Gavin. Let’s just do it Vivian’s way. She’s sensitive anyway.”

Sensitive.

That word again.

Gavin used to say I wasn’t sensitive—other people just talked too harshly.

Now he was standing on their side.

With his silence, he told me I was.

I took the original design from my bag and handed it to the planner.

“Use this.”

Gavin’s face went cold. “Vivian Rhodes.”

I didn’t look at him.

“I’m the one who signed the contract. I paid the deposit. The wedding decor is my call.”

It was the first time I’d openly pushed back against him in front of others.

For a second, there was real surprise in Gavin’s eyes.

“Does this even matter right now?” His voice was tight.

Maya Sutton stood behind him. “Gavin, stop fighting. I’ll back out if that’s what everyone wants.”

She turned to leave, and Gavin grabbed her wrist.

“No one’s asking you to go.”

I watched his hand.

He was holding on tight—as if afraid she might actually be hurt.

The planner looked even more uncomfortable. “So… which version?”

Gavin stared at me. “Vivian Rhodes, don’t take this so far that we can’t fix it.”

That line was familiar.

[The invitations are already out, what else am I supposed to do?]

So after all these years, our relationship had become nothing more than a situation to manage.

I slowly put the original design back in my bag.

“Then you decide.”

Gavin’s brow relaxed, like he’d finally won some meaningless argument.

Maya Sutton smiled too.

“Vivian, don’t worry. I’ll make sure your wedding is gorgeous.”

Before I left the banquet hall, I looked back.

The white lights hit the stage. The French words were beautiful and cold.

And my name was so small you could barely see it.

I stood there and thought—maybe that’s fine.

If no one could see it, then maybe it didn’t need to be there at all.

My phone buzzed. A private message from the planner.

“Ms. Rhodes, if you’d like to cancel the wedding, we can refund 60% of the deposit per the contract. But we need confirmation by 5 PM today.”

I stared at the words for a long time, my finger hovering over the screen.

Before I could reply, Gavin called from behind me.

“Vivian, send me Maya’s bridesmaid dress size.”