Her Dad's Best Friend

Happily Ever After Doesn't Last Forever

The sound of laughter filled the house, the scent of dinner wafting through the air as I set the table. Aiden was in the living room, happily playing with his toys, his little giggles making me smile. Jordan walked in from the kitchen, his shirt untucked, carrying a plate of food with that easy grin of his that always made my heart skip a beat. Life was good. No, it was perfect.

I thought back to our wedding, to the vows we had exchanged, and how everything had fallen into place. We were building a beautiful life together. But, as they say, happily ever after doesn't always last forever.

The knock at the door was unexpected, cutting through the peaceful hum of the evening. I frowned, wiping my hands on a towel as Jordan glanced over at me.

"I'll get it," he said, his brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't seem too concerned.

I followed him to the door, a strange feeling tugging at my stomach. The moment the door swung open, my heart dropped.

It was Chris.

Standing there, hands shoved in his pockets, a sneer on his lips. My ex. The one I had escaped from—the one who had caused me so much pain. Seeing him now, after all this time, sent a cold shiver down my spine.

"Hailey," he drawled, his eyes flicking between me and Jordan. "Long time no see."

I stiffened, unable to believe he had the nerve to show up here, in front of Jordan, in front of my family.

Jordan's posture immediately tensed, his hand resting protectively on the doorframe. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Chris ignored him, stepping forward like he owned the place, his eyes locking on me. "I've been thinking about you, Hailey. Thought we could catch up. Talk about old times."

Old times? The audacity. The memories of what he had done to me—how he'd hurt me, controlled me—flooded back, and I could feel the fear creeping in. But I wasn't that same scared girl anymore. And I had Jordan now.

"You need to leave," I said, my voice stronger than I expected. "You don't belong here, Chris."

But he didn't budge. Instead, his gaze hardened, a twisted smirk forming on his lips. "Oh, come on. Don't pretend like you don't miss me. We had something real, Hailey. You can't just replace that with this," he said, gesturing to Jordan with a dismissive wave.

Jordan took a step forward, his eyes burning with barely contained rage. "I said, get the hell out of here, Chris. Now."

Chris laughed, the sound cold and mocking. "What, are you gonna make me? Come on, tough guy. Let's see what you've got."

Before I could even react, Jordan's fist connected with Chris's jaw, sending him stumbling back. The crack of the punch echoed in the doorway, and Chris staggered, his hand going to his face, eyes wide with shock.

"You bastard," Chris hissed, wiping the blood from his lip.

I backed away, watching in horror as the two of them squared off. Jordan's entire body was tense, his fists clenched, but Chris—Chris had always been reckless. He lunged at Jordan, swinging wildly, but Jordan was faster, more controlled. He dodged Chris's punches easily, his expression cold and focused.

Chris was no match for him. Jordan landed punch after punch, driving Chris back until he was on the ground, groaning in pain.

"That's enough!" I screamed, stepping forward, my hands trembling. "Jordan, stop! He's not worth it."

Jordan stood over Chris, his chest heaving, his fists still raised. For a second, I thought he might go further, but then he took a deep breath, stepping back, his eyes never leaving Chris.

Chris groaned, struggling to get up, his face bruised and bloody. He looked at me, his eyes filled with hatred. "This isn't over, Hailey. You'll regret this."

"No," I said firmly, meeting his gaze. "I won't. I don't belong to you anymore, Chris. I never did."

Jordan grabbed Chris by the collar, dragging him toward the door and shoving him outside. "If I see you near her again, you won't get up next time," he warned, his voice deadly serious.

Chris stumbled away, casting one last venomous look over his shoulder before disappearing into the night.

Jordan slammed the door shut, turning to me. His chest was still heaving, his knuckles raw from the fight, but his eyes softened the moment they met mine.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentler now, concern etched in every word.

I nodded, my body still trembling from the adrenaline. "Yeah... I just... I didn't think he'd come back."

Jordan pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly, his hand running soothingly through my hair. "He's not going to bother you again, Hailey. I won't let him."

I melted into his embrace, the fear slowly ebbing away as his warmth surrounded me. "Thank you," I whispered, burying my face in his chest. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

He tilted my chin up, his eyes searching mine. "You'll never have to find out."

The fight with Chris may have been over, but the scars of my past had resurfaced. Yet, in Jordan's arms, I felt safe. Loved. And more than anything, I knew that together, we could face anything.

Because no matter what came our way, this was our forever.