Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 187: Winning My Way Into Her Heart

Adrian's POV

Corporate bullshit.

That's what this was.

I stared at the screen-project timelines, team performance updates, and task

completion rates. None of it made any damn sense. Dad said this would be easy. Just sit in, observe, learn.

But the moment I opened my laptop, I knew I was in way over my head.

This wasn't my world.

I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be back in my restaurant-sleeves rolled up,

fire beneath the pan, knives gliding clean through ripe tomatoes.

That was me.

This? This was a cage dressed in fancy walls and giant windows.

But I was here because of Dad-and his threat to cut me out of the will.

I wasn't about to let him hand over everything he built to strangers. I was his only blood. His legacy-whether he liked it or not.

Still, I couldn't call his bluff. I knew my father well enough to know he never made empty threats. He'd do it just to prove a point.

And maybe just maybe there was still a part of me that wanted to make him proud. Wanted to see that look in his eyes that said I wasn't a disappointment. Because if I was being honest, I hadn't exactly been the ideal son.

And if I ever wanted him to take me seriously-if I ever wanted to be more than just the screw-up son who blew every shot he was given-then I had to prove it.

Not just with words. With action. With follow-through.

If sitting through board meetings and learning the business was the price to pay, then so be it-no matter how much I hated it.

Because this wasn't just about him.

There was also Clairessa.

She worked at Storm Innovations, and being here gave me a real shot at getting close to her again.

I didn't just let her slip through my fingers-I pushed her away. I hurt her. And somewhere deep inside, I was still bleeding from that.

she was in my life, everything made sense. My restaurant thrived. I thrived. She brought clarity, calm, and something

had dragged her back into my life without

her house burned down, but I wasn't about to waste the chance to use her staying at my dad's place to make

it in her eyes every time she looked at me. But what she didn't understand was that I was never in love

to make a man lose his

why I couldn't let

I met on the regular-the ones who chased the fast cars,

the name or the money. They never gave a damn about me. Never brought

what I had,

woman any sane man would fight

Smart. Homely. The kind of woman who'd walk beside me while I tried to become the man my father always wanted me

the type to lie or play games. Too soft-hearted. Too innocent. That was one of

me. Barely looked at me. Only spoke when I

was pretending. Pretending because I hurt her. But

loving me just like that. That kind of love doesn't disappear

was someone

Shit.

tell me something. A confession.

with him,

finish. I couldn't.

her, knowing her-drives

rebound? Is she still

a fling. She

just any man

get her to sleep

me to wait until

agreed-at

love with

and she

when

refuse to believe she gave herself to someone else. I'm certain my Claire- baby is still a virgin. She was

do now is prove

her so hard, she won't just fall for me again-she'll

I checked the time.

12:04.

Lunch.

sigh-not like I understood a damn thing I'd been

head was spinning. I needed air. Wine. And to see Clairessa.

hadn't replied to the text I sent