He Speaks to Everyone But Me Chapter 02By Novel7s / July 13, 2026 He Speaks to Everyone But Me Chapter 02[Ella’s POV]I thought back to the first time I brought Owen to a college homecoming party.Someone got drunk and pointed at him. “Ella, you married a guy who can’t speak? You after his disability benefits or something?”Everyone laughed.Owen sat beside me, his face going pale.I threw my drink in that guy’s face and screamed myself hoarse.“He had a vocal cord injury. It’s temporary. You don’t get to joke about his condition.”On the way home, Owen grabbed my hand and signed over and over.[I’m sorry.][I’ll try harder.][I’ll learn to speak again.]I hugged him, crying, shaking my head.“It’s okay. I’ll wait. However long it takes.”And I did wait.Three years.I took him to speech therapy, practiced sounds with him, and guided him through my name again and again.“Ella.” “Owen, say it with me.”“El-la.”He always just looked at me silently. I figured he wasn’t ready, so I never pushed. Never blamed him.Three years of eating alone, saying goodnight to no one, explaining away every silent moment as his pain.It hurt.But every time the hurt crept up, I told myself Owen had it harder. Trapped in a world without his own voice, he must have suffered more than I did.So I filled our home with noise.Beautiful sunsets.Strawberries on sale.The ginger cat sunning itself by the flower bed.He couldn’t talk, so I talked for both of us.Now I knew the truth.He wasn’t unable to respond.He just saved all his silence for me.Outside, Becca asked again, “What about Ella?”Owen paused.“Her throat’s injured. She can’t talk for a while.”Becca’s voice brightened, barely hiding her excitement.“Good. At least she’ll be quiet for a bit.”Then she added, almost playfully, “So this stays our little secret, right?”She softened her tone.“But I’ll be nicer to Ella. To make up for it.”Owen laughed.That laugh cut through the door and hurt worse than glass ever could.Right then, I decided. I would walk out of Owen’s silence. For good.
