Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 159: Everything Was Falling Apart

Clairessa's POV

Adrian parked the car and turned off the engine. I didn't even realize I'd fallen asleep until he tapped my shoulder gently.

"We're here."

I stirred, yawning as I blinked the sleep from my eyes. But the moment I looked around, I sat up straighter.

We weren't at Adrian's loft. We were parked in front of a stunning mansion-like something straight out of a real estate magazine. The place looked more like a private estate than an apartment.

"Adrian, wait..." I gasped, turning toward him. "This isn't your apartment. Where are we?"

He smiled slightly, unbothered. “Well, technically, it's my dad's house just outside the city. One of many," he added with casual pride, leaning back in his seat.

I frowned. “I thought we were going to your apartment—not a private estate owned by your father."

He let out a small sigh. "Look, Claire... I told you the restaurant ran into financial issues. In order to keep the business afloat, I had to let the loft go. It was either that or lay off more people. This place was empty, and I needed somewhere to stay."

The shock was still settling in as I absorbed his words, It made sense, I guess, but still-my heart picked up pace

If this was Gabriel's private estate, what was to stop him from showing up at any moment?

There was no way this would work. I needed to be somewhere peaceful, somewhere I could breathe and figure out what to do next-not spend the weekend living in fear of Gabriel walking through the door.

"I can't stay here," I said suddenly, panic rising in my throat. "What if your dad shows up? Or worse..." I trailed off, realizing what I was about to say.

Adrian had no idea I'd been dating his father, and he wasn't about to hear the truth from me. That was why I was terrified. What if Gabriel just walked in and everything exploded?

Adrian leaned closer. "Relax. My dad won't show up. He and I rarely visit this place—there are memories here, especially ones he'd rather not revisit. He avoids it like the plague. I'm here because this place isn't on his radar. He couldn't care less about this property."

He got out of the car and walked around to open my door, stretching out his hand with quiet confidence.

"Trust me, you're safe. It's going to be just us this weekend," he said. "I promise."

I hesitated, but my fingers found his. What choice did I really have? I had nowhere else to go.

The estate was breathtaking.

The house sat on acres of lush land.

Trees lined the driveway, and the front lawn was so perfectly trimmed it didn't look

didn't look real. Everything

opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing for me to

up in," he said with a

slowly, taking in the warm lighting, the soft-toned

and the glossy wooden

of clean that felt

is where you were

his fingers

I gasped, taking it all

trying to play it off. "Beautiful interior," he said with a short laugh, “but the memories... not so

only been here two days and I already can't

him, unsure

smile. "But who knows, maybe now that you're

"Adrian... This isn't-"

tone teasing. "What you need right now is a

too tired to argue. He was right. I needed to conserve what

happen between us. He knew it. I knew it. There was no point in repeating it

you and your dad rarely visit here,

pays a house manager who lives here and looks after the place.

said, absorbing

led me down a long hallway and stopped beside

a door right beside the

he opened the

revealing a cozy, well-decorated

surprisingly

something

luxury countryside

bed-and-breakfast.

stay here," he said. "Make yourself comfortable. I'll grab

too drained to say

came back with a small

shorts, a spare toothbrush, a bar

be enough for tonight," he said, placing them beside me on

again, and this time, I

in the center of the

I'd be glad to see Adrian-truly