LOGINShare
Chapter 17: Keeping Her Safe
Last Updated:
2025-03-16 21:47:40
Related chapters
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 17: Leaving The Trauma Behind
Clairessa’s POVI woke up, my arms instinctively reaching out for Gabriel, but the side of the bed where he slept was empty. A wave of disappointment hit me as I realized he was gone. The memories of last night started flooding back, and I tried to push away the thoughts of that horrible man, Marco. The fear and pain he had inflicted still lingered in my mind.If Gabriel hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what Marco might have done? I shuddered at the thought but quickly pushed it away.It felt like all my hopes were crashing before they even began. I couldn’t help but feel sad, knowing today was the last day of the trip, and we still hadn’t secured an investor. But I didn’t want to dwell on the negatives.I needed to focus on the fact that I was safe. And it was all thanks to Gabriel. He had rescued and defended me in a way no one ever had.There was a tenderness in him I hadn’t seen before. His warmth, his strength—that was what I wanted to remember.With Gabriel’s arms around me, I
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 18: Obey My Instructions Or Face The Consequences
Gabriel’s POVThe new week had barely begun, and I was already dealing with the fallout from the weekend. I had just gotten off the phone with my security team, who informed me that Marco had fled the city with his men. They hadn’t recovered any footage from the restroom, confirming my suspicion that Marco had paid off some hotel workers who likely helped him escape and covered his tracks. But that didn’t mean I was out of options when it came to making him pay. If I couldn’t get him through the law, I’d ruin him where it hurt most—his businesses.I had tipped off Marco’s business partners about his shady dealings with their competitors and how he’d been embezzling company funds. It was information I’d been sitting on for a while, unsure if I’d ever need to use it. But now, after what he’d tried to do to Clairessa, I was more than willing to burn everything he’d built to the ground. The taste of revenge was sweet, and I planned to savor every moment of it.Why had I ever considered wo
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 19: The Move
Clairessa's POVI angrily tossed my box of belongings onto the table, scattering files and other items across the surface. The office was spacious, with a giant window offering a stunning view of the city. It was much more impressive than my former small office—exactly the dream office I had imagined countless times in the past.But as much as I admired the space, I was even more upset with Gabriel's authoritative behavior. The tender man I had seen over the weekend was gone, replaced by the cold, commanding version I knew all too well.He didn’t even bother to ask how I was doing. Instead, he demanded that I relocate to an office on his floor. Maybe I should be excited to be on the CEO’s floor, but I knew it was all about control. Gabriel wanted to prove that he could still order me around as though I was a teenager. I struggled to understand why he was so upset, enough to come looking for me in my office on the second floor—a place I was sure he had never visited before.I reached i
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 20: I Refuse To Be Broken
Clairessa’s POVI was deep into my work when a familiar, stern voice pulled me from my thoughts.“What are you still doing here?”I nearly lost my balance in my seat from the shock of seeing him in my office. I never expected him to check in on me—twice in one day. Did that mean he was interested in me? It was unlike the CEO to walk into someone’s office more than once, let alone just to check on them.A soft smile crossed my lips as my eyes shamelessly roamed over his broad, muscular frame. He looked effortlessly handsome in his tailored gray suit pants and crisp white shirt, the top two buttons undone, giving a teasing glimpse of his toned chest. The fabric clung to every inch of his body making it nearly impossible to look away.“Clairessa? Clairessa?”I was so lost staring at him, I hadn’t even noticed he was calling my name. Heat rose to my cheeks as I realized.“Mr. Storm...” I finally managed to stammer, feeling slightly embarrassed that I’d been caught staring.“Clairessa, you
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 21: Resisting Her
Gabriel's POVI sat in the VIP section of the club, utterly exhausted as I forced myself to settle into the wild atmosphere around me. After the week I’d had, I thought a drink might help clear my head and distract me for the night. That was until I saw her.Clairessa.She was there in the middle of the dance floor, laughing, her body swaying to the music. Our gazes locked, but she acted like she didn’t know me, continuing to flirt and laugh with a man I didn’t recognize. His eyes were fixed on her plunging neckline, drinking in the sight of her. She wore a sky-blue gown that glittered under the club lights, enhancing her caramel skin. The dress clung to her curves, ending just above her thighs, exposing her soft, slender legs.I knew exactly what he was thinking, and there was no way I was letting that happen. Not on my watch.When he leaned in to kiss her, she pulled back slightly, but that was the last straw. My restraint snapped.I strode over, my anger building with every step. I
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 22: Claiming her
Gabriel’s POVThe heavy bass of the music thudded through my chest as I stormed over to the bar area. My vision narrowed until the only person I could see was Clairessa in some strange man’s grasp, fueling my anger. I reached them in seconds, shoving the man back with a force that sent him stumbling. “Touch her again, and you’ll regret it,” I threatened in a firm, intimidating tone. Before Clairessa could react, I grabbed her wrist and hoisted her over my shoulder. Her yelps of protest were drowned out by the loud music and the cheering crowd, who seemed to think we were putting on some sort of show. The man she’d been flirting with stepped forward, his stance bold, but a single deadly look from me made him falter. “She’s mine,” I growled, my tone making it clear he didn’t stand a chance.The man raised his hands in surrender, muttering something about not wanting trouble before disappearing into the crowd.As I carried her out of the club, her dress shifted, exposing more skin
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 23: Restless Night
Clairessa’s POVI stepped out of the bathroom, my skin still damp from the shower, wrapped in a clean towel. As I walked back into the room, my eyes landed on the bed, where a pair of boxer briefs and a shirt were neatly placed. My heart skipped a beat. Gabriel had been in the room while I was in the shower. Had he watched me? The thought made my cheeks flush, embarrassment mixing with a shiver that shot through me, leaving my skin tingling.I pulled the shirt over my head, and his scent hit me—Gabriel’s scent. It was a masculine mix of freshly cut wood and something darker, intoxicating. The smell wrapped around me, pulling me back to the club: to the moment our eyes locked, to the feel of his hands on my skin. My breath hitched as the memories flooded back, making my skin tingle and my body restless.Sliding under the duvet, I tried to relax, but the scent of him lingered in the fabric, refusing to let me rest. My mind kept replaying the events of the night, refusing to settle. I ha
Last Updated : 2025-03-16Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 24: Getting To Know Him
Clairessa’s POVMy eyes shot open. I stretched slowly beneath the duvet before reaching for my phone and glancing at the screen. It was past ten. I’d slept in longer than planned, but I had no one to blame but myself. Most of the night had been spent tossing and turning, restless and frustrated by the memory of Gabriel turning me down yet again. Keeping up this bad-girl act was draining, and I couldn’t help but wonder if revenge was worth all this effort. Men like Gabriel had been with countless women—elegant, experienced women who were probably far sexier than I was. It was clear I wasn’t his type. Still, as much as I told myself to give up, I knew I couldn’t. He consumed my thoughts. I shook my head, trying to clear it as I rose from the bed and headed to the bathroom. Staring at my reflection, I sighed, then brushed my teeth and splashed cold water on my face to shake off the remnants of sleep. “You can do this,” I whispered to my reflection. With one final glance, I stepped
Last Updated : 2025-03-16
Latest chapter
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 176: We Are Both In Love With The Same Woman
Gabriel’s POV I paced the room, anger and heartbreak twisting so violently inside me I thought they’d tear me in two. My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides as I stared out the window into the night sky—the only thing that made any sense in this goddamn chaos. Then I heard the door push open behind me. Adrian stepped in, shutting it with a firm click. “Dad,” he said, frustration clear in his voice, “why did you react that way? You just walked out of dinner because I asked you to let Clairessa stay? I don’t get it. What’s so hard about that?” “Adrian, not now,” I muttered, my voice low. “We’ll talk later.” But he didn’t back off. “Why not now?” he pressed, stepping closer. “Why can’t we talk about it now? What is it? What do you have against Clairessa? It feels like you don’t like her—you’ve never liked her, not from the first time you saw her. What is it? Is there something you know that I don’t?” I didn’t want to do this. Not now. Not while my mind was still spinning… n
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 175: She's Not Moving In With Us
Gabriel’s POVI sat at the dining table, seething, the rage in me growing hotter every goddamn second.Across the table, Adrian and Clairessa sat so close their arms brushed. He leaned in, whispering something in her ear. She smiled—smiled like she loved whatever nonsense he was feeding her.My blood burned.Her eyes met mine once. Just once.Then she looked away like I didn’t exist. Like I hadn’t given her twenty-four hours to tell him the truth.And judging by the way he looked at her—like she was some innocent angel who saved his life—she hadn’t said a word.It was more than obvious she hadn’t told him a damn thing.She was still pretending. Same as always.But she had no idea what hell I’d unleash if she kept this up.God… I was going to—I couldn’t even say it.Couldn’t bring myself to hate her, no matter how much I wanted to.Especially not when she was sitting beside my son, touching him, smiling for him—and jealousy slammed into me like a punch to the ribs.Shit. How could I s
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 174: The Impenetrable Mad Had Returned
Clairessa’s POVAdrian turned his head to look at me, eyes narrowing slightly. “What do you mean?”“I was angry that you cheated on me,” I whispered. “So I decided to get even… and I started seeing someone.”Adrian’s expression darkened; hurt flashed through his eyes before he quickly masked it. “Okay. So you were with someone while we were apart. If I’m being honest, I kinda suspected it… based on how quickly you seemed ready to move on from us.”He gave a short, shaky breath. “If that’s what this big talk is about, then… Clairessa, that’s not a crime. We weren’t together. You don’t have to beat yourself up over that. We can move on from it.”“Not when you find out who it was…”Adrian shifted and reached for my hands. “Claire, listen. I don’t need to know who the guy is. It doesn’t matter.”I stared at him, my throat tightening. “You don’t understand—”“Shhh…” Adrian hushed me gently, pressing two fingers to my lips. “I understand what you’re going through. I’ve carried my own guilt
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 173: His Anger Burned Hotter
Clairessa’s POV Gabriel didn’t look at me at first. His eyes stayed fixed on Gretchen, his tone calm but laced with a quiet threat. "Leave us," he said. Gretchen froze for a breath, clearly uneasy. "Of course, Mr. Storm." She slipped out without another word. And then it was just us—Gabriel and me. I barely had time to register the storm in his eyes before he crossed the room in three long strides and seized my elbow—not painfully, but firmly enough to jolt my heart. "Don’t get too comfortable in my house," he hissed. "You won’t be here much longer." I stared at him, stunned. Just yesterday, he’d been at my side, placing cold towels on my forehead, watching over me like I still meant something to him. He’d cared for me, staying by my side through the night. And for a moment, I let myself believe—maybe something in him had softened. Maybe there was still hope for us. But I was wrong. The anger was back—hotter, more intense. And I was foolish to think forgiveness would co
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 171: How Long Had He Been Standing There
Clairessa’s POVAfter sleeping for what felt like forever, I finally dragged myself out of bed. My body still ached faintly, but compared to earlier, I felt stronger. No fever. No chills. Just a craving for fresh air and something cold to drink.I’d been holed up in that room all day, not just because I needed rest, but because it was easier.Easier to hide. Easier than running into Adrian and his mission to get me back… or worse, Gabriel and the drama that would unfold when he told the truth.The idea of running into either of them made my stomach twist, so I figured if I moved quietly enough, I could sneak down to the kitchen, grab a glass of juice, and return before anyone noticed.My throat was dry, parched even. I glanced at the empty glass on the nightstand and sighed. There was no escaping it—I needed juice.Slipping quietly out of bed, I padded across the room, easing the door open like it might squeak loud enough to call them both over.The hallway was empty. Good. I tiptoed
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 171: Maybe There Was A Still Chance Of His Forgiveness
Clairessa’s POVMy body trembled, a deep shiver running through me like heat and cold were warring inside my veins.Through the fog, Gabriel’s voice cut in—urgent, panicked.“Clairessa... hey, are you okay? Look at me... please.”Then I felt his hands—lifting me, holding me close, peeling away layers of clothing…The dream came in flashes. The soft splash of water. His arms supported me as he bathed me—like I was breakable, like I still meant something to him.He dressed me gently, laid me in bed, tucked the duvet around me, then pressed a kiss to my forehead.When he turned to go, I reached for him, my fingers curling around his. I remember whispering it… three small words.“I love you.”A voice, distant and persistent, tugged me out of the warmth.“Claire… Claire…”My eyes flew open, blinking against the light. Adrian’s face swam into focus.“Thank God,” he breathed. “You’re awake.”I stared at him for a moment, disoriented, my heart still wrapped in the remnants of the dream. I gla
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 170: Not The Right Time To Tell My Son The Truth
Gabriel’s POV “Dad?” I didn’t bother looking up as I stirred the pot, letting the aroma rise and fill the kitchen. “I’m here,” I called out. I heard Adrian’s footsteps draw closer. He stopped at the kitchen threshold, and the silence that followed stretched just long enough to make me smirk without turning around. “Wait—are you cooking?” he asked, disbelief lacing his voice. “Dad, I’m shocked. You haven’t cooked in… what, years?” I finally turned to face him, wiping my hand on the kitchen towel slung over my shoulder. “Gretchen told me earlier she had a personal errand to run and would be back by noon.” I offered a casual shrug, reaching for the ladle and giving the pot another stir. “I was hungry and couldn’t wait that long.” I could feel the lie burning on the tip of my tongue. Truth was, I wasn’t hungry. Eating was the last thing on my mind. The food I was cooking—it was for Clairessa. I wanted her to have something warm when she woke up, something to ease the aftermath of
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 169: I Needed To Hold Her
Gabriel’s POV I gently pulled the duvet down and slipped my arms around her, lifting her against me. Her body was burning, her skin clammy, her breath shallow. She didn’t stir—just shivered helplessly in my arms, trapped in some fever dream. “Clairessa.” My voice cracked as I shook her gently, trying to coax her into consciousness. “Hey, open your eyes… please.” No response. “It’s me. Gabriel. I’m here,” I whispered, lifting her slowly into my arms and brushing damp strands of hair from her face. Her eyelids fluttered, and for a moment, they opened. Our eyes met—just briefly. She gave the faintest smile, soft and dazed—then slipped back into the fever, her eyes shutting again. Fuck. I had to do something. I lowered her carefully onto the mattress and rushed to the bathroom, soaking a towel in warm water. I came back and laid it across her forehead, holding it there, hoping to ease the heat. After a minute or two, I replaced it with a fresh one, trying to bring her temperatur
Falling For My Ex's Dad Chapter 168: She Was Always So Damn Stubborn
Gabriel’s POV I gripped the steering wheel. “Clairessa—” “You made it clear you’re never going to forgive me,” she said, cutting me off. Her voice trembled. “So it’s better if I go. At least that way, I don’t have to stand next to you, knowing you think the worst of me.” She paused, her eyes glassy. “That look in your eyes… like I’m something filthy. It’s more than I can take. So please… just let me go.” And then she turned and walked away. Just like that. For a moment, I just stared at her, stunned. Her words tried to cut deep into my heart, but I fought it off. How dare she try to make this about my reaction to her betrayal, when she should be grateful—that I was offering her a hand when she deserved far worse for what she’d done? This felt like classic manipulation, just like she’d done before. And I was on the edge of giving in to the voice telling me to turn back... but I couldn’t. Watching her stumble through the storm, drenched and defeated by the rain... It tore some
