Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 189: Signing The Contract

Clairessa's POV

My fingers tapped restlessly against the massive boardroom table. The contract lay in front of me—official, overly formal for something that should've been a straightforward meeting.

I couldn't understand why Gabriel had chosen the boardroom instead of his office.

Everything felt rigid now, like we were strangers negotiating terms when just weeks ago, we were lovers wrapped in each other's arms, making love like it meant forever, whispering promises to love each other with every fiber of our being, dreaming aloud about a future we thought was ours.

It was all moving too fast for me to process.

I'd texted him earlier, letting him know I was ready to sign. Nicole's lawyer-well, her friend who handled legal stuff-had reviewed the terms. She'd called me back sounding half stunned, half impressed.

"This is a solid contract," she'd said. "Honestly? Almost too good to be true."

There was only one red flag: no end date. The contract didn't specify how long I was expected to keep Adrian "in line," as Gabriel had so bluntly put it.

The original verbal agreement had been thirty days, but that wasn't reflected here. It simply read: until Gabriel decides.

That made me uneasy. When would that be? A month? A year? Longer? There was no way I could tolerate Adrian for that long.

I hated the ambiguity, but the rest of the terms were in my favor. And really, what mattered most was what I stood to gain-I could handle Gabriel. I'd chosen the lesser evil, and if a fight came later, I'd be ready.

With a sigh, I let the thought go. No point worrying about a battle that hadn't started yet.

I glanced at the time on my phone-almost 11 a.m. The meeting should've started fifteen minutes ago, but Gabriel was late. Nothing new there.

He always had a way of making things run on his time, whether I liked it or not. I'd texted him thirty minutes ago to say I was ready to sign.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Gabriel walked in like he owned the place- because, technically, he did. The entire building was his.

He wore a navy-blue suit that had no business looking as good as it did. The top button of his shirt was undone, like he hadn't bothered to fix it before coming in. Somehow, that only made it worse-like he was effortlessly hot.

Damn him.

I hated how my heart still skipped a beat when I saw him. I should've been over this-over him—but I couldn't shake the pull. I wanted to hate him, to make him feel every ounce of the hurt he'd caused me. But it was hard. So damn hard.

His gaze met mine as he sat across from me. "Hello, Clairessa... you look well." His voice was hoarse.

Not this. Not the forced pleasantries. We both knew exactly what this was. He could spare me the act.

to speak, I gave

I hoped he

"I hope

voice smooth and laced with that usual

replied, keeping my

eyebrow, watching me

It says 'until you

his chair, that infuriatingly knowing smile tugging at

on," I pushed. "You

replied smoothly. "And it could be sooner or

quickly you're willing to get

snort, caught between disbelief and disdain. He had the

own son after all that self-righteous talk about honesty. So much for 'I hate lies' when he

just another power-drunk billionaire who'd do

me like I was both a puzzle and a provocation. Then he simply nodded and slid the pen

trembling slightly as

back once

like he hadn't just turned me into a pawn. Like this meant nothing to him. It made me want to slap the

should I

to use me to get what he wanted, then I'd do the same for my app, for

muttered under my breath, then signed-too quickly-trying to mask the surge

my eye, his

of me hoped

I set the pen down and stared at the paper in front of me. "Now

didn't waver. "Now, I formally promote you to Project Coordinator. You'll be working closely with me. And Adrian"-he paused, watching me carefully "will

in my head like a warning

continued. "He reports

had plenty. But I swallowed them-hard.

I said tightly.

"Good."

pressed the intercom. "Tems,

his assistant entered with a clipboard. Gabriel handed over the

Mr. Rodrigo-the company lawyer. And let Adrian know I want him in the

nodded and exited, the door clicking

I wasn't entirely sure. My pulse hadn't settled