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.

so tightly around her finger,

"For all we know, the fire never happened. Maybe she made it up to get close to you.

eyes narrowed. "Claire isn't like that.

who fool them

watched her house burn to the damn ground. She didn't even want to come with me-she was ready to figure it all out on her own. I had

dug into me, threatening to breach the walls I'd built around

shining armor?"

defensive now. "She didn't plan this. If that's

I didn't trust it.

Any of it.

said you two were broken up. That she wasn't even speaking to you," I said, eyeing

were," he admitted, eyes downcast. "But I've been trying to fix things. And this... this is my chance. She needs

in sharply. "You're taking on a burden that isn't

he said, lifting

they say-love makes us do stupid things. Dad, this is my chance to prove I've

wire you some money. You'll book her a hotel and drop her off. You said she's

that. Not when she needs me

me like I was the

about my relationships

get under your skin like this when

rose and fell, breath

do know

his Claire-she was

scream it. Tell

the sound of her breath

name.

just manipulative

intimate.

But I didn't.

Not yet.

whole truth first. Real proof.

illusion and make Adrian see exactly

please... let her stay," he

woman I've ever met. She's smart, strong compassionate-and