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.

like her life depended on it. There was passion in that kiss,

even when I gave her an out, she begged me to

And fuck... I did.

my own son she wanted

me out for pretending not to know her. I played it cool, but the second I walked her out, I knew there was no way in hell I was letting her

into my life... for revenge. She confessed that

building, brick by brick, until I was exposed-wide open-and then she

into parts of me no one

in ways I hadn't been since Angelique-since

tried to destroy, everything I swore I'd

even want to finish

trying to breathe through the tightness

it

told her to

I threw her out.

her I never wanted

I meant it.

Didn't I?

here, wondering if she was

In the rain?

want to care. Swore I didn't. I shouldn't-not after

But I did.

help me,

she didn't deserve my concern. That she made her

one I'd tried so

that still believed

That I was human.

just stop caring overnight... not even when

even when

all

down the stairs, adrenaline overriding logic.

open the door to the room

corner-just to be sure she

then I saw

note on

might have been a lie. But my feelings

the paper

to use cheap words-words

back into her arms.

time. I wouldn't let them

I was only going after her because I still had a

no matter what

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

garage, thunder rumbling above as I

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

head told

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

my foot hit

if