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.

All of it. She kept calling me, asking where I was-I

turned, glancing at Clairessa-guilt plain in

you're mad, be mad at

fingers twitched at her sides, but

he could

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

word scraped at my

the worst possible time to challenge

He opened his mouth.

hand

He froze, lips trembling.

to decide how I handle this. You don't get to shield her now like some martyr, after you let her carry your

"I'm just saying—"

"Get. Out."

flinched at the command. His face twisted-half anger, half

once more, eyes soft

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

crossed, jaw locked, eyes like stone. She wouldn't

there a moment, wilting under the weight of

another word, he turned and walked

clicked shut behind

Silence.

the two

I didn't move.

Not at first.

Just stared at her.

still-like she didn't know how to

as if looking

Her eyes danced

She was nervous.

it

could

we were alone. Maybe it was

maybe she was measuring her next move-calculating how to get through this without setting me

of it

the curve of her neck, and breathe her in

her

Every brutal, goddamn

give in, melt against me like she

the weeks

her scent and pretend none of it ever

But I didn't.

I couldn't.

like a caged animal. My palms burned.

if I stopped,

touched her, I