Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 204: If I Touch Her, I won't Stop

Gabriel's POV

Adrian flinched at my words-like I'd swung a fist.

Why the hell did he look hurt?

What did he expect? After everything that happened? After showing up late? After playing his part so poorly-so selfishly? Did he really think he could manipulate my emotions?

That wasn't going to work. Not anymore.

"For what it's worth," Adrian said, his voice cracking, "these past few weeks... I gave everything I had to this project. God knows I tried-"

I scoffed, bitterness rising like bile. "You gave your all? And yet you didn't show."

My voice turned cold. "Enlighten me, son. What, exactly, was so goddamn important that you blew off a multi-million-dollar meeting and embarrassed everyone tied to your name?"

He blinked, jaw working, but no sound came out. Finally, he muttered, "I... I don't think you'd understand, Dad."

"No shit."

His face crumpled, shoulders sagging under the weight of guilt he couldn't shake.

I stared at him for a long moment, exhaling a breath full of emotion.

"That's what I thought."

Behind him, Clairessa remained still-her hands tightly clasped in front of her, eyes on the floor, lips pressed into a thin, unreadable line.

"Get out," I said, low and controlled. "Adrian, get out before I say something I won't take back."

"I tried, Dad-"

"And you failed. As always," I snapped, my voice cracking-not from rage, but from the weight of disappointment that had been building for years.

"You want to be treated like a man? Then act like one. Show up. Own your shit. Stop running late and calling it bad luck. Stop fucking around and expecting praise for mediocrity."

His eyes shone, red and wet-filled with that same blend of shame and resentment I'd seen too many times before. The boy couldn't decide whether he wanted to cry or scream.

He turned toward the door, jaw tight.

Clairessa shifted to follow, but I raised a hand. “Not you."

Adrian spun back, panic flashing across his face. "Wait-why?"

He crossed the room faster than I expected, chest rising and falling with shallow, anxious breaths.

"Dad, please. I hope you're not... don't take this out on her."

I narrowed my eyes. My fury deepened.

of it. She kept calling me, asking where I was-I ignored her. I was the one who couldn't get my act together. Don't blame her for my

at Clairessa-guilt

that. If you're mad, be mad at

Her fingers twitched at her sides, but she

like he could somehow fix

reason that pitch even happened. She carried it. She saved it. Don't punish

scraped

stepping in, "is the worst possible time to challenge me,

He opened his mouth.

raised a hand sharply. "Not another

He froze, lips trembling.

handle this. You don't get to shield her

"I'm just saying—"

"Get. Out."

the command. His face twisted-half anger, half heartbreak-but

looked back at Clairessa once more, eyes

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

locked, eyes like stone. She wouldn't even glance his

there a moment, wilting under the weight of her

he

clicked shut behind

Silence.

just the two of us

I didn't move.

Not at first.

Just stared at her.

office, too still-like she didn't know how to exist in

as if looking

eyes danced anywhere but on

She was nervous.

it in

I could

Maybe it was

move-calculating how to

none of

my face in the curve of her neck, and breathe her in until the world ceased to exist. I wanted to

her

second. Every

in, melt

the weeks

in her scent and pretend none

But I didn't.

I couldn't.

paced-back and forth behind my desk like a caged animal. My palms burned. My chest ached from the effort of holding it all

stopped, I'd touch

if I touched her, I wouldn't