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 real. Without

into my life without me even

the chance

the whole Nicole situation-I could see it in her eyes every time she looked

knew exactly how to make a

I couldn't

like the women I met on the regular-the ones

with women who only saw the name or the money. They never gave a damn about me. Never brought peace. Never offered anything

I had, but

different. The kind of woman any sane man

beside me while I tried to become the man my

play games. Too soft-hearted. Too innocent. That

like she'd fallen out of love with me. Barely looked

because deep down, I knew she was pretending. Pretending because I

way she stopped loving me just like that. That

was

Shit.

was about to tell me something. A confession. Something

with him, out

finish. I couldn't. The thought

her, knowing

rebound?

to be a fling. She only said it to get

knew wouldn't let just any man

get her to sleep with

me to

I agreed-at

in love with her.

and

sex. That's when Nicole came into

baby is still a virgin. She was

I need to do now is prove I've

she won't just fall for

I checked the time.

12:04.

Lunch.

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

was spinning. I needed air. Wine. And to see Clairessa. I hadn't seen

and she hadn't replied to the text I sent