Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 162: Loosening The Chains She Wrapped Around My Son

Gabriel's POV

"Adrian... playing savior to a woman while your business circles the drain? That tells me your priorities are completely out of whack. Why bring her here of all places? What happened to your loft?"

He shot me a bitter look. "You already know what happened. You refused to help out when the restaurant got scammed. So I had to let go of the loft in order to pay staff. Keep the business alive."

"That's not my business," I said flatly. "I gave you a choice: come work at the company or deal with your mess. You chose. Don't come crying now."

Adrian rubbed the back of his neck and looked down.

I continued, "You know how sacred this house is to me. I've always had a no- guest policy here. So why the hell bring her here? A hotel, a friend's place- anywhere but here."

Adrian met my stare. "I've been staying here ever since I gave up my loft. Naturally, she'd stay with me. And no, I can't afford a hotel right now."

"Adrian," I said, stepping forward, "don't you get it? I'm trying to set you on the right path, and you're digging yourself into a deeper hole. She's a distraction." “She's not,” he said, standing firm. "She's the one person helping me get my life back on track. She kept me grounded when I was building the restaurant-you were proud of me then. That was because of her."

A wave of jealousy surged through me like venom. Hearing Adrian speak about my Clairessa like that? He credited his past success to her as if she was some kind of muse who breathed life into his mediocre accomplishments.

It felt like betrayal on top of betrayal.

"Dad," Adrian continued, "if you just gave her a chance while she's staying with us, you'd see it too. You'd fall in love with her. Realize she's exactly the kind of woman you've always wanted for me-"

"That will never happen," I retorted coldly.

He scrunched his face, startled.

"I'm not getting to know her. In fact, I want her out of my house. Now."

"Dad... you can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am. Every damn word of it. I don't want that girl here—and you know how much I hate repeating myself."

"She's not leaving," he snapped. "She can't. She's got nowhere else to go. Everything her cards, her ID, her clothes-burned in the fire. Right now, we're all she has."

I tried not to react. Tried not to let it get to me. But the idea of her being alone... of her sleeping in her car... it cracked something deep inside me.

The thought of Clairessa being alone... vulnerable... softened a part of my heart. But I pushed it down. I couldn't fall for her sob stories-not when I knew better. Those innocent eyes of hers were nothing but camouflage for a deeper game. It was all part of the performance she'd been putting on for months now. She was feeding him whatever lie he needed to hear.

wrapped so tightly around her finger,

even know she's telling the truth?" I asked flatly. "For all we know, the fire never happened. Maybe she made it up to get close to you. Or to us. For

narrowed. "Claire isn't like that. I told

that about the ones who fool

Dad," he said, voice rising. "I saw the flames. I watched her house burn to the damn ground. She didn't even want to come with

dug into me, threatening

now you're playing knight in shining armor?" I shot back, my

stepped closer, defensive now. "She didn't plan this.

I didn't trust it.

Any of it.

up. That she wasn't even

And this... this is my

on a

I am," he

stupid things. Dad, this is my chance to prove I've changed. That I'm serious. I want her

an octave. "I'll wire you some money. You'll book her

do that. Not when she needs me

at me like I

when have you ever cared about my relationships

under your skin like this when you don't even

and fell,

do

his Claire-she was

scream it.

knew the sound of her breath when

name. That her

manipulative

intimate.

But I didn't.

Not yet.

truth first. Real proof. The kind that would

Adrian see exactly who Clairessa Hartwood

her stay," he said,

like any woman I've ever met. She's smart,