Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel)

Clairessa's POV

Standing in front of Gabriel's apartment at 6 a.m. was crazy—completely

unhinged, really. I knew that. I knew it the moment I stepped out of the cab and

walked up the steps. Who just shows up at someone's home without calling first?

But when the man you love—who doesn't just claim to love you but proves it daily

—suddenly ghosts you, ignores your texts, doesn't take your calls for two whole

days, and then invites you to another dinner he doesn't show up to... that breaks

all the rules.

Moreover, rules didn't matter anymore.

Not when my chest was tight with fear, anger, and disappointment. Not when I

had this gut feeling that something was wrong—that she had something to do with

this. Nicole. It had to be her.

I was here to confirm it. I deserved to know the truth.

Before I could listen to the little voice in my head urging me to turn back, I quickly

typed in the code. Of course I knew it.

Gabriel's home was quiet—just as I imagined. Though he was an early riser, he

preferred keeping things calm and undisturbed, especially in the mornings.

Still, I half expected to find him sipping his coffee with his laptop open or pacing

the room on a call.

I tiptoed up the stairs, hoping to catch him mid-prep for work. Maybe I'd see that

familiar frown he wore when stressed. Maybe I'd catch a glimpse of guilt in his

eyes. Something. Anything.

But nothing prepared me for what I walked into.

I opened the bedroom door.

There he was—Gabriel—lying in bed with a woman wrapped around him, her

head resting on his chest.

The air rushed out of my lungs as if someone had punched me in the stomach.

My heart seemed to stop. Then came the wave—an overwhelming, crashing

storm of betrayal, pain, and rage.

Every emotion hit me at once, leaving me breathless and stunned. I couldn't think.

I couldn't move. All I could do was scream.

"Gabriel! What the hell?!"

He jerked awake, disoriented, shock written across his face as his gaze met mine.

The woman beside him stirred, her messy hair falling over her face.

And then I recognized her.

Tina.

The model from the restaurant I went to with Gabriel a few weeks ago. The one

he introduced as just a friend. The one he swore he was done with.

He was a liar. A goddamn liar.

She sat up casually, completely naked—her perfect model body on full display.

She gave me a slow smirk before standing and strutting toward me with

confidence, as if this were just another morning in her home.

And maybe it was.

Maybe I was the outsider here.

I stood there, pointing a shaky hand at Tina, who had just walked into the closet.

"So this is why you've been ignoring me?" My voice cracked. "She's why you

stood me up last night?"

Gabriel rubbed his temples, clearly hungover, his eyes dark and bloodshot.

His gaze was unfocused as he tried to make sense of what was happening. "No—

Clairessa, it's not what it looks like."

The sight of him—his bare chest, the sheets slipping down to his hips—should've

sent heat coursing through me, but the only heat I felt now was the sting of rage in

my blood.

"Not what it looks like? Are you kidding me?" I snapped, my voice rising with every

syllable. "I just found you asleep in bed with a naked woman lying in your arms!"

He got up completely naked—and that only confirmed what I already knew.

There were no maybes. None at all. They'd had sex—probably all night—and

knowing Gabriel, in every damn corner of that bed.

I glanced over my shoulder to check on his lover. Tina was still in the closet,

lounging like she belonged there. Comfortable. Unbothered.

"You cheating, lying bastard!" I yelled. "How could you?!"

Gabriel closed the distance between us in an instant, reaching for my hand.

"Clairessa, please, just calm down—give me a moment to figure all of this out."

I yanked my arm back like his touch was poison. "Don't you dare touch me! You

swore you were done with her!"

"Please," he pleaded, desperation flashing in his eyes. "Let me explain."

"I don't want your damn explanation!" I shot back, my voice trembling with fury.

My chest rose and fell in uneven

bursts, hands clenched at my sides.

"I couldn't sleep last night, Gabriel

was a wreck—pacing the floor,

checking my phone every five

minutes, wondering why you blew

me off. Why you left me sitting alone

at that damn dinner."

My gaze dropped to the sheets, still ruffled. Then I looked back at him. "And now I

find you here with the same woman you told me nothing was going on between.noveldrama

And yet here you are—stark naked—with her."

Gabriel glanced down at himself, like he'd just realized he was still naked.

"Shit," he muttered. "One moment—"

He dashed into the closet, and I was left standing there like a damn fool, shaking.

I should've left. I should've turned and slammed the door.

But my legs wouldn't move. My heart screamed, pain clawing its way through my

throat, and I wanted answers. Even if they shattered me completely.

He returned, wearing only a pair of pants, his chest still bare and his eyes

pleading as he tried to put on that calm, collected Gabriel persona.

"Clairessa," he said softly, his voice laced with desperation. "If you'd just listen to

me... there's so much we need to talk about."

I blinked, swallowing back the tears

threatening to spill. I refused to let

him see the raw hurt in my eyes.

"No... there isn't," I whispered,

hoarse. "You've ruined everything.

You're just like my ex..."

He stepped forward, brows drawn tight. "I'm nothing like that jerk who hurt you,

and deep down, you know that."

I scoffed bitterly, shaking my head,

refusing to meet his eyes. "I thought

I did. I really believed you were

different. But now? You're just like

the rest of them. You make your

lovers feel special—like they're the

only one—but in the end, you break

them."

My voice dropped as I finally looked up, locking eyes with him.

"You're no different from my ex. And you know what?" I paused, letting the silence

sting, if only for a moment. "You're no different from yours either."

Gabriel's face shifted in an instant—eyes flashing with something between guilt

and pain. I knew I'd ripped the scab off the wound he'd buried long ago, but I

didn't care.

I wanted to hurt him. As much as he'd hurt me. And this didn't even come close.

"Clairessa, don't bring my past into this," he muttered tightly, his voice trembling

between anguish and regret.

Panic gripped me as I saw the rage flash in his eyes, but I didn't care. Not

anymore. Not after what I'd walked in on. He didn't get to silence me—not now.

"Why not?" I fired back. "She cheated on you, Gabriel—and now you've done the

exact same thing. All these years, you held onto that pain. That anger."

I drew in a shaky breath. "You hated your ex-wife for betraying you—said it was

unforgivable. You promised you'd never be that man."

My voice cracked as I pushed through, the words refusing to stop.

"But guess what? You're worse. You're a liar. A goddamn shameless cheat."