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.

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

gasped in pleasure, and even when I gave her an out, she begged me to make

And fuck... I did.

my own son she wanted

boardroom-the fire in her voice when she stormed into my office and called 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

my

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

parts of me no one had

vulnerable with her in ways

destroy, everything I swore I'd

want to finish

trying to breathe through

it hit

told her

I threw her out.

never wanted to

I meant it.

Didn't I?

was I standing here, wondering

In the rain?

to care. Swore I didn't.

But I did.

help me,

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

one I'd tried

still believed I

That I was human.

overnight... not even when they've

even when

all

down the stairs, adrenaline overriding logic.

the room she was

closet-every corner-just to be sure

then I

note on the

lie. But my feelings for you were

paper in

She was still trying to use cheap words-words

back into her

time. I wouldn't let them work.

the room, telling myself I was only going after her because

safe. 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

thunder rumbling above as I pulled

drive and sped down the estate road, tires

in my head told me to

thing-letting her go, leaving it all behind. For her sake. For mine.

my foot hit the

if it