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.

passion in that kiss, but sweetness too. It lit something in

and even when I gave her

And fuck... I did.

knew it was my own son

out for pretending not to know her. I played it cool, but the second I walked her

seduced her way into my life... for

until I was exposed-wide open-and then she left me

into parts of me no one had

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

to destroy, everything I

even want to finish

eyes, trying to breathe through

it hit

her

I threw her out.

never wanted to see

I meant it.

Didn't I?

standing here, wondering if she

In the rain?

care. Swore I didn't. I shouldn't-not after everything she'd

But I did.

me,

with myself-every part of me screaming that she didn't deserve my concern. That she made

was that other part-the one I'd tried so damn hard

believed I

That I was human.

humans don't just stop caring overnight... not even when they've been

even when it's killing

was all it

the stairs, adrenaline overriding logic. I didn't think I just

open the door to the room she was staying in,

corner-just to be

then I

note on

have been a lie. But my feelings for you were

paper in my

trying to use cheap

her arms.

wouldn't let

stormed out of the room, telling myself I was only going after her because I still had a

wasn't safe. And no matter what she'd done, I couldn't let anything

bolted out the

ran into the garage, thunder rumbling above as I pulled

the key. I threw it into drive and sped down the

head told

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

foot hit the

care if it made