Christmas with My Ex’s Dad: An Age Gap Holiday Romance (Forbidden Silver Foxes)
Christmas with My Ex’s Dad: Chapter 6

Maybe I should have thought twice before putting them in the room above mine.

Lying in bed, the ceiling above me seems to close in as the faint sounds from upstairs drift down, taunting me. Moans, groans, cries, and the unmistakable creaks of the bed. My jaw tightens, every sound digging into me like a sharp blade. I can’t help but imagine Elliot with Faye, her gentle touches wasted on someone as immature as my son.

She should be with me.

Clenching my fists, I try to shut out the sounds, but the more I resist, the more vivid my imagination becomes. She’s not mine, so it shouldn’t matter. But, it does. The thought of Elliot touching her, making her laugh, burns me more than I care to admit.

My chest tightens as I swing my legs over the side of the bed, muttering under my breath, “This is ridiculous.” I can’t keep torturing myself like this.

I snatch a pillow from the bed and stalk to the living room, the jealousy clawing at my chest like a feral beast. Tossing the pillow onto the couch, I throw myself onto it, and it doesn’t take long for sleep to overtake me.

“Griffin?” A soft voice pierces the silence, accompanied by a gentle touch on my shoulder. Blinking groggily, I find Faye standing over me, concern etched upon her lovely face. “Why are you sleeping on the couch?” she asks, curiosity laced with kindness. “That can’t be comfortable.”

Sitting up, I rub my face with one hand, attempting to banish the remnants of sleep. “Didn’t have much of a choice,” I say gruffly, avoiding her gaze. “Not with you and Elliot upstairs.” It’s harder than I thought it would be, looking at her beautiful face and knowing I can’t claim her – that she belongs to my son instead.

Her brow furrows, and I can tell she isn’t quite sure how to respond. But at that moment, I don’t care. All I know is that my self-control is slipping, and every second I spend here, in her presence, only serves to weaken my resolve.

“What do you mean?” she asks, tilting her head slightly.

My frustration boils over, and I snap at her, “Don’t play dumb, Faye. You know exactly what I mean. I heard you and Elliot going at it all night.”

Her eyes widen as shock and hurt flash across her features. “You heard…?”

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to find a way to explain without sounding like a jealous fool. “Look, I know you’re young, and it’s natural, but damn it, I didn’t need to hear it.”

Faye crosses her arms, her voice suddenly cold. “I worked all night. I told Elliot I was staying at my sister’s because it was closer to my job. I just got back a few minutes ago.”

The weight of her words settles over me like a thick fog, causing my stomach to sink. I look up at her, guilt washing over me like an icy wave. It wasn’t her Elliot had been with all night…

A thousand questions race through my mind, each one more troubling than the last. How could I have been so wrong? Who was Elliot with, if not Faye? And most importantly, why does this revelation leave me feeling both relieved and ashamed?

The soft sound of footsteps shatters the tense silence between Faye and me. My eyes follow the source, locking onto Elliot as he descends the stairs, disheveled and yawning. A blonde woman trails behind him, her wrinkled dress a testament to their night together.

“Elliot,” Faye’s voice trembles as she tries to maintain her composure, “what’s going on?”

He looks startled for a moment but quickly recovers, shrugging nonchalantly. He doesn’t even have the decency to look ashamed. “I didn’t know how to tell you, but yeah, there’s someone else. Her name’s Nara.”

Faye’s face pales, her fists clenching at her sides as if trying to contain the storm brewing within her. “You…you’ve been cheating on me?”

Again, Elliot shrugs, as if his betrayal is no big deal. “I didn’t want you to find out like this, but now that you know, I’m going to leave. I’ll stay with Nara from now on.”

My chest tightens as I watch the scene unfold, my mind racing. The lines between right and wrong blur, and I can’t keep my emotions in check any longer.

I rise slowly to my feet, muscles tensing in barely contained fury. I tower over Elliot, feeling my voice drop low, each word laced with anger. “That’s how you handle this? You humiliate her and walk out without even apologizing?”

Elliot glares at me, his eyes dark and defiant. “Don’t lecture me. You don’t know what’s been going on between us.”

Faye’s face is pale, clearly shaken by the revelation, yet she doesn’t cry. The strength within her amazes me, even now.

Honestly, everything about this woman amazes me.

“You’re a coward, Elliot,” she says, her voice steady despite the hurt so evident in her eyes. “You could’ve talked to me instead of sneaking around like this.”

“We both haven’t been happy for a long time,” he says simply. “You should have expected.”

Faye turns to Nara, her gaze cold and assessing. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

Elliot doesn’t say anything else, as he and Nara walk straight out of the front door.

The silence stretches on, a palpable weight in the air, suffocating me as I watch Faye. Her chest rises and falls with each uneven breath, her composure teetering on the edge. I can’t help but wonder if she’s about to cry or scream.

“Griffin,” she whispers, suddenly breaking that silence. Her voice is quiet, almost lost.

I watch her closely as she bends down, picking up her bag from the floor. With trembling hands, she clutches it tightly against her chest, as though it’s the only thing anchoring her to this moment. “I have something with my sister,” she murmurs.

“Wait,” I say, reaching out to her, but she’s already gone, slipping through the doorway before I can stop her.