Falling For My Ex's Dad by Oma Green

Chapter 151: Held Hostage By My Own Fears Gabriel's POV The vibrating sound cfirst.

Then the soft thud of my phone against the desk as it lit up again.

Clairessa was calling for the tenth tthis hour.

I tried to look away, tried to focus on the reports in front of me, but my traitorous heart wouldn't cooperate. I reached for the phone, tempted to toss it into the drawer and forget it existed.

But my fingers hovered, trembling slightly. No matter how hard I tried to ignore her call, my chest clenched each tI saw her name.

It was already evening. The sun had set, and I still hadn't moved-sposition, surrounded by silence—except for her persistent calls.

I finally gave in and picked up the phone.

Thirty missed calls.

A dozen unread messages.

Messages lined my screen like daggers pressing against my chest.

I scrolled past each one, feeling my heart betray me.

Babe... have you landed? Gabe, what's wrong? I'm worried.

Talk to me.

I heard you're back. Went to see you but Tems didn't letthrough.

Please talk to me. I'm losing my mind.

I love you! Why are you avoiding me? Did I do something? We can talk about it.

What about our dinner plans? Gabriel Storm I love you! That last one gutted me.

"I love you." How could she say that so sweetly, so easily, while stabbingin the back? It was hard to believe. My sweet, beautiful Clairessa... the woman who melted in my arms, who looked atlike I was her entire world—could really be cheating on me.

I should hate her.

After all, I had evidence, didn't I? That damn picture. Her lips on another man.

Blonde hair. Hands on her waist like he owned her. I should've ended it-blocked her, deleted every damn text, torn her out of my heart and moved on like the cold bastard I'd always been.

But my fingers hovered over the screen, never hitting delete.

Because deep down, I didn't trust Nicole. That viper could spin any lie, serve it with a smile, and make it seem like the truth. I had to give Clairessa the benefit of the doubt. I needed to hear it from her.

I stared at her non my phone. "My Sweet" it read, saved with hearts and emojis something I'd never done for anyone else. The words seemed almost foreign now, but I couldn't erase them.

I couldn't leave her hanging.

So, I replied.

Gabriel: Dinner, 8 PM. I'll send a driver.

Location: Velenia Rooftop. Open air. No crowd. Just us.

The response calmost immediately.

Clairessa: So you're alive! Her sarcastic tone cthrough even in the text, and though I wanted to stay angry, the corners of my mouth lifted into a sad smile.

Clairessa: I'm just happy you finally replied. I'll be ready.

Shit.

I exhaled roughly, running a hand down my face. I couldn't avoid it any longer. I had to see her. Look into her eyes and get the truth-whether it brokeor not. God... I didn't know if I could take it. If she lied, and Clayton confirmed everything was true, it would shatterbeyond repair.

"Fuck." I muttered under my breath.

I rose from my seat, grabbing the whiskey from the shelf. I poured a generous amount into a glass, the amber liquid catching the light before I tossed it back in one go.

The burn did little to numb the ache in my chest.

"We're here," Trey announced from the driver's seat.

I didn't move.

An hour had already gone by since I told Clairessa to meet me, and now we were parked right in front of the rooftop restaurant. From my position in the back seat, I had the perfect view of her.

The windows cdown, and there she was seated by the light, right where I told her to wait. The evening breeze toyed with her hair, lifting brown strands and letting them fall across her face like she was in a movie scene. Her black dress hugged her curves like it had been stitched onto her body, elegant, sultry, and completely her.

God, she looked breathtaking.

It had only been two days, but it felt like a lifetwithout her.

My throat tightened just seeing her. I wanted nothing more than to get out of the car, storm toward her, pull her up into my arms, and kiss the hell out of her until nothing else mattered.

Until all the doubts and evidence and rumors vanished. Until I could believe her- believe in her. Take her hand make love to her like none of it ever happened. My hand rested on the door handle-and didn't move. I was paralyzed, held hostage by my own fears.

Being here was a mistake.

A big one.

The truth was—I didn't trust myself. Not around her. Not when she looked like that. Not with how much I still loved her.

Because love madestupid. Vulnerable. And I couldn't afford another betrayal -not from her. Not when I hadn't even begun to recover from the first.

There was no way I could face her with everything I now knew-or thought I knew.

If I walked in there and stared into those beautiful innocent eyes and she didn't

confess, I knew myself. I knew my rage. I'd push and, hand... if she lied m straight to my face? I'd lose it.

Maybe say things I couldn't take back. Maybe lose her for good.

And I couldn't afford that. Not with her. I couldn't undo what might cfrom a moment of unfiltered anger.

God! If she was telling the truth, and I cat her with accusations and rage- what then? I couldn't risk it.

Maybe the intel was wrong.

Maybe the photo was fake.

Maybe Nicole was behind it all.

Maybe I was a damn fool for even entertaining the thought.

I needed Clayton to cthrough with

cold, indisputable facts. Because until then, I couldn't trust anything. Not her and not myself.

"Trey." My voice cout low and rough. "Drive." I saw the confusion flash across his eyes as he looked atthrough the rearview mirror.

"Drive," I repeated, this tfirmer.

"Yes, boss. But where to? Hor...?" My phone buzzed beside me, cutting him off.

The screen lit up with My Sweet-accompanied by two little heart emojis.

It was Clairessa.

I stared at it, chest burning as I weighed my options.

I couldn't go to her.

I couldn't go heither.

Not to that bed that smelled like her. Not to the silence that screamed her name.

"Work wasn't enough to distractanymore. I needed something stronger.

"The Cave Club," I muttered.

Trey blinked, clearly surprised by the choice. But he didn't question me. He just gave a silent nod and pulled the car away from the curb.

I didn't look back. I couldn't. Because if I did... I might tell him to tūr e around. The content is on m novelenglish.net! Tonight, I needed a drink. Maybe a body I didn't care about. Maybe just something-anything-to blur the image of her sitting there in the dark, looking like everything I wanted but could no longer reach.