The Man Who Was My Right Ear Chapter 04

The Man Who Was My Right Ear Chapter 04

I reached for my phone. He held it higher.

“Answer me.”

Maya Sutton leaned in to look, her face going wide.

“Cancel the wedding? Vivian, you’re not serious, are you?”

I looked at Gavin Morgan. “Give me back my phone.”

He didn’t move.

“You want to cancel our entire wedding because of a few small things?”

Small things.

I let out a quiet laugh. “Yeah. Small things.”

Gavin’s face darkened.

“Vivian Rhodes, don’t try to threaten me like this.”

“I’m not threatening you.”

“Then what are you doing?”

He set the phone on the coffee table, his finger pressing down on the screen.

“You know both our families have been notified. The venue is booked. Hundreds of invitations are out. If you cancel now…”

“You want to make me the laughingstock of everyone we know?”

I looked at the camellia pinned to Maya Sutton’s chest and felt too tired to argue.

“I won’t.”

“I won’t make you a joke.”

I should have realized by now.

What he cared about wasn’t whether I was hurting—it was whether everything still looked perfect on the outside.

Maya Sutton tugged Gavin’s sleeve gently.

“Gavin, don’t be mad. Vivian probably just wants you to comfort her.”

Gavin let out a cold laugh. “Like I haven’t done that enough?”

He looked at me, his voice flat.

“Vivian Rhodes, it’s always been like this with you, hasn’t it? Since we were kids.”

“Can’t hear something? I repeat it. Feeling off? I have to guess. If someone said one harsh word, you’d tear up.”

“Before, I thought you needed me. But now, I just feel tired.”

I stood there, my right ear buzzing.

Every word came through clear.

Maya Sutton added softly, “Gavin’s had it rough too, honestly. He’s taken care of you for so many years. He deserves to have at least a little say in his own wedding, doesn’t he?”

Gavin didn’t deny it.

My eyes drifted to the white umbrella by the door. Its frame was bent.

When he gave it to me, he’d smiled and said, “If I’m not around someday, this umbrella will keep the rain off you for me.”

I walked over and picked it up.

Gavin frowned. “You’re leaving again?”

I didn’t answer. I just held the umbrella out to him.

He didn’t take it.

I set it at his feet. “I’m giving it back.”

His pupils tightened. “Vivian Rhodes, are you serious?”

Maya Sutton bent down and picked up the umbrella.

“This thing’s pretty old, isn’t it? The ribs are all bent.”

She opened it and saw the canopy tilt badly. “No wonder Vivian doesn’t want it.”

“Put it down.”

The tone of my voice startled her.

Her hand slipped and the umbrella hit the floor.

The tip struck the corner of the coffee table with a snap.

Crack.

The last intact rib snapped.

Silence filled the room.

Only the soft hum of the air conditioner remained.

Gavin looked down at the umbrella. His face finally changed.

But Maya Sutton’s eyes went red first.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Vivian, don’t look at me like that. You’re scaring me.”

Gavin snapped out of it and stepped in front of her.

“Vivian, it’s an old umbrella. I’ll get you a new one if it’s broken.”

I looked at him for a long moment. Then I nodded. “Fine.”

My calm only seemed to irritate him more.

“Don’t give me that attitude.”

I crouched down and collected the broken ribs one by one.

The metal edges scraped against my finger. It stung.

Gavin reached for me. “Stop picking those up. You’ll cut yourself.”

I pulled away. “I’m fine.”

Maya Sutton whispered from behind him, “Gavin, maybe I should go. I feel like Vivian really hates me.”

He rubbed his forehead. “I’ll walk you down.”

He looked at me.

“Stay here and cool off. The wedding will go on as planned. Stop making this harder than it needs to be.”

I kept picking up the broken ribs.

At the door, he paused.

“Vivian. I know you can’t stay away from me. When you’ve calmed down, call me.”

The door closed.

The apartment fell silent.

I put the broken umbrella in a trash bag, then picked up my phone again.

The planner had sent one last message: “Ms. Rhodes, you have ten minutes left.”

I pressed the voice message button.

My voice was flat. “Cancel it.”