Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 167: Chasing After Her In The Rain

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.

that hallway, kissed me like her life depended on it. There was passion in that kiss, but sweetness too. It lit something in

gave her an out, she begged me to

And fuck... I did.

who knew it was my own son she wanted to

she stormed into my office and called me out for pretending not to know her. I played it cool, but the

her way into my

wall I'd spent years building, brick by brick, until I was exposed-wide open-and then she left me bleeding

her into parts of me no one had

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

destroy, everything I

didn't even want

eyes, trying to breathe through the

then it hit

her

I threw her out.

her I never wanted to see her

I meant it.

Didn't I?

the hell was I standing here,

In the rain?

I didn't. I

But I did.

me, I still

me screaming that she didn't deserve my concern. That she made her

part-the one I'd tried so damn hard

that still believed I wasn't a

That I was human.

caring overnight... not even when they've been

when it's

was all

the stairs, adrenaline overriding logic. I

the door to the room she was

to be sure

then I saw

note on

a lie. But my feelings for

paper

to use cheap words-words

her arms. But

I wouldn't let

telling myself I was only going after her because I

And no matter what she'd done, I couldn't let anything happen to her under my

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

rumbling above as I pulled open

threw it into drive and sped down the estate road, tires splashing through puddles

head

while I still could. That this was the right thing-letting her go, leaving it all behind. For her sake. For mine.

foot hit the

care if it