Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Clairessa’s POV

Chapter 10: Ready To Play The Game

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“Claire, what’s going on?” Jess’s worried voice called from the other side of the door. “You’ve locked yourself in your room and haven’t said a word since you got back from work.” Her knocking became more persistent, almost frantic.

I groaned, dragging myself off the bed. I knew Jess wouldn’t stop until I opened the door. I had locked myself away, wanting nothing more than to drown in my misery and be alone with the storm of emotions swirling inside me. But there was no hiding from Jess’s concern. I reached the door and hesitated, my hand hovering over the lock before finally turning it.

The door opened, and before I could say a word, Jess stepped in, her eyes locking onto my tear–streaked face. “Claire, what happened at work?” she asked, her voice soft, holding my face gently in her hands as if I might break.

“Adrian came to my office today,” I whispered, my voice cracking as the tears I had fought so hard to hold back came pouring out. My chest tightened painfully, each sob ripping through me.

“That bastard…” Jess muttered, pulling me into her arms. “He has some nerve showing up at your workplace.”

“It’s his father’s company, I guess,” I mumbled against her shoulder, feeling suffocated by my emotions. I wanted to be strong, to push the pain away, but it clung to me like a second skin.

“Still doesn’t give him the right to just show up at your office,” Jess insisted, pulling back to look at me. “So tell me, what did he say?”

“Jess… he admitted to cheating on me–more than once. God knows with how many Nicoles.” The words

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Chapter 10: Ready To Play The Game

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tasted bitter on my tongue, and the tears fell harder, my chest heaving with the force of the pain I felt inside.

Jess’s expression darkened, her grip tightening around me. “Oh, Claire… I’m so sorry that the jerk hurt you like this.” She held me close, her voice soothing, but the comfort she offered couldn’t numb the pain inside me. “You’re going to get through this… okay?”

“I don’t know how,” I sobbed, feeling utterly defeated. “Every time I think it’s getting better, I think of him, and it hurts all over again.”

face, forcing me to meet her gaze. “Listen to me. Soon enough, you’re going to forget that bastard.”

the admission I’d been holding back finally spilling out. “Jess… I think I still love him, and it makes me

loved that man for over a year. You’re not just going to stop… unless,” she added,

being with someone else, of giving myself to another man, felt impossible. “I’m

not?” she pressed, her tone

I don’t think I’d be able to give myself to any other man,” I

talking about wild

shiver down my spine, tempting me with the promise of escape

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10: Ready To Play The Game

me. “As much as that sounds enticing, someone

one–time thing” she countered. “Simply intense sex

I argued, my voice trembling. “I

with Adrian’s father,” she shot back,

closed it again, the truth too heavy to deny. “That’s different,” I murmured weakly,

tugging at her lips. “Something different. So how about sleeping with Adrian’s

and I confronted him about pretending not to know me, and all he could do was warn

flashed across Jess’s face, softening her expression. “I’m sorry he was mean to you. But were

at least I’ve been shortlisted,” I replied

sulking; this is

being shortlisted by Gabriel and the possibility of my app getting funded, but all I felt was shame. “I know,

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10: Ready To

love to be in control, not controlled. So I guess Gabriel pretending not to know you was

he said?” I asked, the realization sinking in that Jess

the club,” she admitted, her voice tinged with a knowing edge. There’s a way to handle men like him. You have to act as though they’re

Gabriel Storm wanted to play, and I would show him just how well

the words spilling