ONLINE NOVEL XO Christmas with My Ex’s Dad: Chapter 15
I can’t believe this is happening.
My eyes dart to Elliot, who stands frozen, his expression unreadable as he takes in the scene before him. “Elliot…” The words tremble from my lips, shaking with emotion. “I’m so sorry. This isn’t how you should’ve found out. I didn’t mean—“
“Save it, Faye,” he snaps, cutting me off. His eyes meet mine, burning with fury. “This isn’t about how I found out. It’s about what you’re doing! With him!”
A thousand retorts spring to my mind, but I swallow them all down. “Elliot, please,” I plead instead, my voice barely a whisper. “Just let me explain. Give me a chance to make things right.”
“Do you really think there’s anything you can say to fix this?” he scoffs, his anger palpable. “You’re unbelievable, Faye.”
My gaze shifts, and for the first time, I notice the bouquet of flowers clutched tightly in Elliot’s hand. A sickening feeling washes over me as I realize their significance. His eyes follow mine, and he looks down at the flowers, a bitter laugh bubbling up from his throat.
“You know why I’m here?” Elliot sneers, his voice dripping with disdain. “I brought these for you. To apologize. For being such a jerk. For cheating on you. I was going to beg for you to take me back.”
My heart sinks further into my chest, each word twisting like a knife inside me. The truth is that even if I had known what he was coming for, I never would have taken him back…I’ve moved on.
Elliot shakes his head and casts the flowers carelessly to the ground, stomping them under his boot with a venomous glare. “But I guess that’s as good as done now, huh?” he growls, his tone sharp with anger. “Those flowers are worthless. Just like you, Faye.”
The cruel words slice through me, leaving me breathless from the pain they inflict. I can’t let him see how much his words hurt me. “That’s not fair, Elliot,” I say, my voice shaking with barely contained emotion. “You cheated on me. You ended us.”
A cold, heartless laugh escapes his lips as he sneers at me. “Yeah? Well, I bet you were screwing my dad the whole time, weren’t you? God, you’re nothing but a whore.”
The accusation stings more than I care to admit, and for a moment, I’m at a loss for words. But before I can muster a defense, Griffin steps forward, his commanding presence filling the room. His voice is firm but laced with anger as he speaks.
“Don’t you dare call her that, Elliot,” he warns, his eyes locked on his son.
Elliot glares at his father, clearly taken aback by Griffin’s intervention. But Griffin doesn’t back down, his gaze never wavering. “She’s my girlfriend,” he states firmly, “and I won’t tolerate you disrespecting her.”
My heart skips a beat as the word hangs in the air, echoing in my ears. Girlfriend? A tumultuous mix of shock, warmth, and guilt courses through me. I hadn’t realized how much I longed to hear Griffin acknowledge our relationship until now.
“Girlfriend?” Elliot repeats, his voice dripping with disgust. “You’re disgusting, both of you.”
“Elliot,” Griffin says, his voice steady despite the anger in his eyes. “Faye and I didn’t plan this. It just…happened. We tried to fight it, but—“
“Save it!” Elliot interrupts, pointing an accusatory finger at his father. “You’re trash, you know that? I can’t believe you’d do this. You’re supposed to be my father, but you’re nothing but a pathetic old man chasing after my leftovers.”
Griffin’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t rise to the insult. Instead, he meets his son’s glare with calm determination. “You’re angry, and I get it. But this isn’t about you.”
I watch as emotions war on Elliot’s face, the pain evident even beneath his fury. The thought of causing him such anguish twists my insides like a vice. My voice wavers as I speak up, desperate to make him understand. “We never meant to hurt you, Elliot. Please believe that.”
“Believe that?” he spits out, his eyes blazing with contempt. His laughter is bitter and broken as he glares at Griffin and me. “You’re both dead to me. I want nothing to do with either of you.” With that, he spins around and storms out, the door slamming shut behind him like a gunshot.
I stand there, frozen, my breath uneven and my heart pounding in my chest. Blinking back tears, I turn to look at Griffin, who watches me with a softened expression. “I never wanted this,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “I never meant to ruin things between you and Elliot.”
Griffin steps closer, the warmth radiating from him providing a small comfort amidst the turmoil. “This isn’t your fault, Faye. Elliot and I have had problems long before this. He hardly liked me before.” He offers me a sad smile, his eyes filled with understanding. “Maybe he’ll get over himself someday. Maybe he won’t. Either way, I’m not letting you blame yourself for this.”
His words bring a sense of relief, but the tension still lingers in the air, thick and suffocating. As I take a shaky breath, I try to steady myself, searching within for the strength to face the aftermath of our actions.
The ticking of the clock on the wall echoes through the room, drawing my attention as it measures the seconds slipping away. Griffin’s gaze follows mine and he checks the time.
“Do you still want to work tonight?” he asks, his salt-and-pepper hair catching the light as he turns back to me. “I can drive you if you want.”
I shake my head, forcing a small smile despite the lingering pain in my chest. “I’ll be fine. I’ll drive myself. It’s Christmas Eve, so I’ll be off early.” My fingers fumble with the straps of my purse as I gather my things, trying to regain a sense of normalcy after the emotional storm that just swept through us.
Griffin steps closer, the heat of his body radiating towards me like a comforting balm. His lips brush softly against my cheek, leaving a trail of tingles in their wake. “I’ll be waiting for you when you get home,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my skin.
I’d enjoy nothing more.