Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 188: Standing Trial

Adrian's POV

Tina crossed her arms and gave me a glare cold enough to freeze July. "Yeah, it has."

There was a pause. Then she tossed her hair over her shoulder and added, "Just got back from Madrid, actually. A much-needed escape. Sun, sangria, and absolutely no drama."

I chuckled lightly, brushing off the jab. "Sounds perfect."

"Mm," she hummed flatly. "It was."

Hoping to soften the mood, I said, "You look great. I didn't expect to see you in the corporate world."

She arched an unimpressed brow. "Right back at you. Never took you for the office type."

I gave a casual shrug. "Yeah, well. Family business. I'm working here now."

"I heard," she replied coolly, her eyes narrowing just enough to add weight to her words.

My gaze drifted to Clairessa. She was suddenly engrossed in her laptop, fingers tapping aimlessly-clearly pretending to be busy after I'd caught her mid- conversation.

I refocused on her. "I was hoping to steal you for lunch. Just fifteen minutes." Clairessa blinked, then shook her head with a faint sigh. "Adrian, I don't know... it's your first day. You should be settling in, not sneaking off with me."

"I'm not sneaking," I grinned. "Just taking a well-earned break after an exhausting first day. You should too."

She gave me a pointed look. "It's barely past two. Shouldn't the well-earned break come at the end of the day?"

A slow, smug smile tugged at my lips. "Well, considering my dad owns the place, I figure I get to decide when break time is. Perks of being an only child."

She groaned, clearly irritated. "God. You're insufferable. Do you have to sound so proud of it?"

"Can't help it." I shrugged nonchalantly. "Especially if it gets me a few minutes with you."

Before she could answer, I reached for her laptop-not to close it, just to slide it aside so I could see her better. That's when something caught my eye.

A folder sat on the desk, half-hidden beneath another file. I hadn't meant to look, but the names printed in fine lettering drew my attention:

Gabriel Storm

Clairessa Hartwood

Something about the way it was formatted stirred my curiosity. I leaned slightly, trying to catch more-just a bit closer-

But Jess reached over, casually but intentionally, and slid the folder beneath a stack of papers as if it were nothing.

about it, but before I

I'm hungry too. Let's all go," she said

shot her a brief glare, but Jess just smiled as she tucked the folder into the desk drawer-one of

I assumed was Clairessa's phone. The two of them exchanged a quick, suspicious, wordless signal—before their

go," Clairessa

I needed to hear. I shoved the lingering questions aside

upscale. It was just a short walk from the

"Adrian... isn't this a little too

know me-it's either the

was officially working at the company, money wasn't a problem anymore. I knew my dad would restore all my previous benefits and cards-it was only a

and a sleek red dress approached

Storm. We're excited to have

I corrected

to Clairessa and Jess. "And welcome to you both as well. Shall I seat you and

a

with the kind of pull that came

at a place like

led us across the room, and we took

We ordered.

We ate.

talk—or rather, I did most of the talking. Clairessa barely answered,

still closed off, guarded, not letting

change that... determined to make her

avoided my eyes, keeping her attention mostly on Jess, whispering back and forth

eating, the

She turned to me, her

glass down and met my gaze head-on. "So, Adrian. What exactly do

of water, unbothered. "I

shifted beside me, clearly uneasy

scoffed. "Love? After cheating on her with...

tried, keeping my voice even, though it was obvious neither

hard stare. "And how are we supposed to believe you

quietly. "She just has to feel it. And I'll do whatever

back with

to

that my

she's got options-and that she

to stay calm even as irritation surged through me. She was clearly overplaying her role as the protective best friend,

respectfully between Clairessa