1996

I stared at Chiara in disbelief as she sat across from Jodi and me, casually dropping the bombshell that she had gone and married her boyfriend of only six months.

Six months - that's barely enough time to truly get to know someone, let alone commit to spending the rest of your life with them.

And not only that, but she had the nerve to do it without even talking to me about it first.

I mean, I know Chiara and I are no longer together, but we have a child - our daughter Destiny - and I still care deeply about Chiara.

I don't want to see her make another mistake that could end up hurting her, or our little girl.

This Cole character she's married is a complete stranger to me. All I know is that he's a businessman and a restaurant owner, which I suppose could mean he has a decent income and is somewhat stable.

But that doesn't tell me anything about the kind of person he is, or whether he's truly ready to take on the responsibility of being a stepfather to my daughter.

Chiara has a tendency to get caught up in the excitement and romance of a new relationship, only to end up bitterly disappointed and hurt down the line.

I've seen it happen time and time again, and I just can't help but worry that this is going to be another one of those situations.

The fact that they ran off and got married in an intimate little beach getaway in St. Lucia, without even discussing it with me first, really rubs me the wrong way.

I know Chiara and I are no longer together, but we will always be connected through Destiny.

Shouldn't I have at least been consulted, or at the very least, informed, before she went and made this major life decision?

I mean, this man is going to be a part of my daughter's life now, whether I like it or not.

Shouldn't I have some say in that?

And then there's the way Chiara is just glowing with happiness, completely unfazed by my obvious discomfort with the whole situation.

She's acting like this is the most natural thing in the world, casually informing Jodi and me that she's now a married woman, as if it's no big deal.

"This man is the love of my life and I'm so happy to begin our lives together as husband and wife," she says, practically beaming.

I just can't wrap my head around it. How can she be so sure after such a short time? Doesn't she remember how quickly things fell apart between us?

I know I shouldn't be feeling this way. Chiara is my ex, and she has every right to move on and find happiness with someone else.

But I can't help it. I still care about her so much, and the thought of her getting hurt again, or of my daughter being hurt, it just makes my blood boil.

I want to protect them both, to make sure they're safe and taken care of. And this Cole guy, he's a complete wild card. What if he turns out to be a jerk, or even abusive? I'll never forgive myself if that happens.

And then Chiara drops another bombshell - our daughter Destiny was there for the wedding. She was part of it, she was thrilled about it.

How could Chiara not have discussed this with me first? Destiny is my little girl too, and I should have had a say in something like this.

What if I had objections, or concerns? Shouldn't I have been consulted? I know Chiara is an adult and can make her own choices, but when it comes to our child, I thought we were supposed to be a team.

I can feel the jealousy and the protectiveness welling up inside me, and before I can stop myself, the words are tumbling out of my mouth. "Don't you think you should have discussed this with me?" I ask, my voice laced with accusation.

I see the way both Chiara and Jodi are looking at me, like I've lost my mind. Maybe I have. This whole situation is just so overwhelming, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm about to lose something - or someone - that I care about deeply.

And then I go and make it even worse, blurting out that I'll kill Cole if he hurts Chiara or Destiny. I know it's an empty threat, and that I would never actually do something like that.

But the thought of Chiara or my little girl being hurt, it just sends me into a blind panic. I can't bear the idea of them being mistreated or betrayed, not again.

I've seen Chiara go through so much pain in the past, and I don't want her to have to experience that all over again.

I can see the look of exasperation on Chiara's face as she tells me not to start. And I know I'm overreacting, that I'm letting my emotions get the better of me.

But I just can't help it. Chiara means the world to me, and Destiny is my whole heart. I want them to be safe, I want them to be happy.

And this sudden, whirlwind marriage just feels like it's going to end in disaster, no matter how much Chiara insists that Cole is "the love of her life."

I guess I just have to trust that Chiara knows what she's doing, even if I don't fully understand it. She's a grown woman, and she has the right to make her own choices, even if those choices don't align with what I think is best.

All I can do is be there for her and for Destiny, to support them as best I can, and to hope and pray that this Cole guy truly is the man Chiara believes him to be. Because if he hurts them, I don't know what I'll do.

My heart and my protective instincts won't allow it.