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.

my life, everything made sense. My restaurant thrived. I thrived. She brought clarity, calm,

fate had dragged her back into my

house burned down, but I wasn't about to waste the

she looked at me. But what she didn't understand was that

an easy lay-God, she knew exactly how to make a man lose his

I couldn't

the regular-the ones

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

had,

woman any sane man

beside me while I tried to become the man my

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

love with me. Barely looked at me. Only spoke when

pretending. Pretending because I hurt her. But love? It was still there. I could

me just like that.

there was

Shit.

tell me something. A confession.

him,

I couldn't. The thought of someone else

her, knowing

it a fling? A rebound? Is

She only said it

knew wouldn't let just any man touch her-unless he

a long time to get her to sleep with

to wait until

I agreed-at

with her. But

and she

when Nicole

my Claire- baby is still a virgin. She was saving herself—and

to do now is prove

she won't just fall for

I checked the time.

12:04.

Lunch.

understood a damn thing I'd been reading for the

Wine.

morning, and she hadn't replied to the text I sent