Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel) novel Chapter 190

Adrian POV

The moment Clairessa stepped out and left me alone with my father, I knew something was off.

Why her?

Why make her the one in charge of me?

There were plenty of other senior project coordinators who could’ve taken the lead on this, but no—he specifically picked Clairessa.

Dad never did anything without a motive, especially not in business.

I shifted my weight and glanced at him. He sat back in his chair, turning to face me fully, arms crossed, the usual sternness etched deep into his expression.

My dad's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

“This is my company. You don’t ever question my instructions. Especially not in front of someone who works for me.”

My body went still.

That tone wasn’t a warning. It was a line drawn in stone.

Before I could speak, he added, voice cooler but no less stern, “I don’t care if she’s your ex. Or if it stings your ego. You crossed a line back there, and you won’t do it again.”

I swallowed hard. “I wasn’t trying to—”

“Don’t,” he interrupted, eyes narrowing. “You want to learn? Start by listening.”

A long silence passed, and I didn’t say a word—not because I agreed, but because I knew better.

I couldn’t take him on. Not now. Not here. And not when my future in this company—my entire damn fate—rested in his hands.

Then, as if that outburst had never happened, his tone mellowed into that maddening mix of logic and control.

“I did this for you.”

I frowned. “For me?”

“You and Clairessa once had a relationship. Regardless of how it ended, I know the kind of influence she has on you. And I know how talented she is at her work. There’s no one better to guide you right now.”

His gaze didn’t waver. “But if you think your feelings for her will compromise the work, I can reassign you to someone else.”

“No.” The word came out too fast. “It’s not that. I just thought… maybe you’d want me to work directly with you. So I could learn the ropes straight from the source if I’m going to be taking over from you.”

He let out a dry, unimpressed breath. “No, Adrian. I want you to succeed. To do that, you need to understand how this company works—from the ground up. The details. The pace. The stress. You need someone to lead you, challenge you, and yes, keep you in line.”

He rose from his seat and began walking slowly toward me.

“And you should be grateful I didn’t start you at the very bottom, like I originally planned. Instead, you’re Assistant to the Project Coordinator. People would fight tooth and nail for that seat. I expected more appreciation.”

That one hit. I straightened.

“You’re right,” I said. “I was acting like a spoiled kid. I’m sorry. Thank you for the opportunity.”

He gave me a brief pat on the shoulder.

“I am happy,” I added. “Just… nervous too. I mean, this is my chance to finally prove myself. And yeah, maybe a part of me is hoping that if I do this right… if I show her I’ve grown—”

He raised a brow.

“I know, I know,” I rushed to say. “It’s not about her. I get that. But it’s pressure. I don’t want to mess up in front of her either. What if she looks at me and just sees the same immature guy I used to be?”

For the briefest moment, something in his face softened.

“Adrian… I believe in you. That’s why you’re here. So stay focused. Follow her lead. Learn everything you can. She knows the job better than most. If you’re willing to listen, you’ll come out of this stronger.”

Then his eyes locked on mine—serious again.

“But if I even sense that you’re using this position to chase her around or pull her off-track, I’ll shut it down. Fast. No second chances.”

I held up my hands. “Alright. Message received.”

A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. “But come on, Dad… can you blame me? She’s a hard temptation to resist.”

His stare stayed flat. “I taught you better. Control it.”

I huffed a small laugh. “I’ll try.”

But deep down, I knew the truth.

This wasn’t just about proving myself to my father.

It was about proving something to her, too.

And if becoming the man I should have been all along was the only way to earn her trust again—then I’d do it.

No matter what it took.

---

I stood outside Clairessa’s office for a second and knocked twice, then opened the door slightly and peeped my head through the gap.

She was sitting at her desk, eyes fixed on her laptop, brows slightly furrowed in concentration, her fingers moving gracefully over the keyboard.

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