Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel)

Gabriel's POV

I stood by the window in my bedroom, staring out at the heavy downpour, hoping the rain could somehow drown out the noise in my head.

But it didn't.

The ache in my chest was unbearable. It felt like someone had torn my heart out with their bare hands, and I was still expected to function.

To breathe. To move on.

Clairessa lied to me.

She deceived me.

And no matter how many times I tried to reason it out-tried to stitch together a narrative that didn't hurt as much I couldn't move past it.

The sickest part? My own son was also in love with her.

We both fell for the same woman.

But I didn't just fall. I plummeted.

I let my guard down for her. Let her in like she was my second chance at

something I didn't even believe in anymore.

Love.

I told myself she was different. Safe. Real.

Mine.

But no.

She wasn't.

She was exactly like Angelique. The same games. The same fake innocence. The

same damn sweetness masking manipulation. Deception. Lies.

And I bought into it.

God, I bought into it.

I wanted to hate her to call her every name in the book. Cold. Manipulative. Heartless. Anything that might make the betrayal easier to bear.

But I couldn't. The words wouldn't come.

Even after everything, I still couldn't see her that way-not in my anger, not even in my heartbreak.

My mind tortured me with memories-images from the past month that refused to fade.

That first night at the club... the way she danced-seductive, unapologetic. Her eyes locked with mine across the room, like she already knew the damage she was about to cause.

Then she stumbled toward me, tipsy, laughing as she spilled her drink on my shirt. She flirted-boldly, shamelessly. And yet... beneath all that sexy confidence, I could taste her innocence-like she didn't quite know what she was playing with.

She followed me into that hallway, kissed me like her life depended on it. There was passion in that kiss, but sweetness too. It lit something in me I hadn't felt in years.

She gasped in pleasure, and even when I gave her an out, she begged me to make her forget.

And fuck... I did.

But who knew it was my own son she wanted to forget?

Then the boardroom-the fire in her voice when she stormed into my office and called me out for pretending not to know her. I played it cool, but the second I walked her out, I knew there was no way in hell I was letting her go.

She carefully seduced her way into my life... for revenge. She confessed that much.

She dismantled every wall I'd spent years building, brick by brick, until I was exposed-wide open-and then she left me bleeding in the wreckage.

I let her into parts of me no one had touched in years.

I was vulnerable with her in ways I hadn't been since Angelique-since everything

she tried to destroy, everything I swore I'd never reopen.

God, I didn't even want to finish the thought.

I closed my eyes, trying to breathe through the tightness crushing my chest.

And then it hit me.

I told her to leave.

I threw her out.

Told her I never wanted to see her again.

I meant it.

Didn't I?

Then why the hell was I standing here, wondering if she was still out there?

In the rain?

I didn't want to care. Swore I didn't. I shouldn't-not after everything she'd done.

But I did.

God help me, I still did.

I was at war with myself-every part of me screaming that she didn't deserve my concern. That she made her choice. That she broke me.

But then there was that other part-the one I'd tried so damn hard to silence.

The part that still believed I wasn't a monster.

That I was human.

And humans don't just stop caring overnight... not even when they've been shattered.

Not even when it's killing them.

That was all it took.

I bolted down the stairs, adrenaline overriding logic. I didn't think I just moved.

I pushed open the door to the room she was staying in, checking the bathroom,

the closet-every corner-just to be sure she was really gone.

And then I saw it.

A note on the bed.

Everything else might have been a lie. But my feelings for you were always true.

I clenched the paper in my hand,

anger flaring. She was still trying to use cheap words-words meant to pull

me back into her arms. But not

this time. I wouldn't let them work. Not again.

I stormed out of the room, telling myself I was only going after her because I still had a conscience.

The storm raged outside-thunder roaring, lightning flashing. It wasn't safe. And no matter what she'd done, I couldn't let anything happen to her under my watch.

I grabbed my coat and keys and bolted out the front door-straight into the rain.

I ran into the garage, thunder rumbling above as I pulled open the truck door and got in.

The engine roared as I turned the key. I threw it into drive and sped down the estate road, tires splashing through puddles while rain pounded the windshield.

A voice in my head told me to stop

To turn back while I still could. That this was the right thing-letting her go, leaving it all behind. For her sake. For mine. For Adrian's.

But my foot hit the gas.

I didn't care if it made sense.

I just needed to find her.

The headlights cut through the sheets of rain as I steered down the slick estate

roads.

My eyes scanned the road frantically for her.

Nothing.

The estate was massive secluded, private.

After Angelique and I divorced, and once Storm Innovations blew up, I bought

every surrounding property. Built a world where I controlled everything.

No one came or left without my clearance.

And I hadn't gotten any alerts tonight.

Which meant she was still here.

On foot.

Alone.

Then I saw her.

A petite figure stumbled through the downpour, drenched and hugging herself like

the cold had sunk into her bones.

Clairessa.

I hit the brakes hard, the tires skidding slightly on the wet pavement. "Clairessa!" I called out through the rain, but the storm swallowed my voice.

I pulled up beside her and rolled down the window, yelling louder. "Clairessa!"

She turned, startled-but didn't stop.

"Get in," I said firmly.

She Ignored me, and continued walking.

I eased the truck forward and pulled ahead of her. "Clairessa, for fuck's sake, get

in! This isn't the time to be stubborn-you're soaked!"noveldrama

She stopped, eyes flashing. "I'm not being stubborn. I'm leaving just like you told

me to."

"Yeah, I'd love that," I snapped. "But it's fucking raining and I don't want you to freeze to death trying to prove a point."

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said tightly. "I'll be fine."

"Manage? How?" I growled. “Adrian told me your house burned down Your cards were in there, and you're standing here with nowhere to go. How exactly are you planning to manage?"

She shook her head, wet hair sticking to her face. "I'd rather take my chances out

here."