Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel) novel Chapter 297

Gabriel’s POV

The screen in front of me lit up with quarterly projections and numbers, it was always numbers. My team spoke over the conference call, debating results for the next quarter. I should have been fully present, but my phone buzzed against the desk, lighting up with Adrian's name.

For a moment I felt a small spark of hope, maybe my son was finally calling to talk, maybe even to forgive me. But another part of me cut in fast. Adrian was stubborn. If he was calling, it was more likely something was wrong.

I didn’t wait. “Excuse me,” I said into the mic. “Daniel, take over for a moment.”

Before anyone could question me, I muted the call and closed the laptop halfway.

“Let’s find out,” I muttered, pressing answer. I raised the phone to my ear.

“Hey, son.” I tried to keep my voice even, but it came out weighted, as though every word carried a heaviness I couldn’t hide.

“Dad…. Dad.” His voice rushed through the line, breathless, shaken.

Something inside me lurched. “Adrian, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

He stammered, words tripping over themselves. “Clairessa… Dad, Clairessa’s gone.”

That one word, gone, slammed into me so hard.

I forced my voice steady, though inside everything reeled. “What do you mean she’s gone? Slow down, Adrian. Tell me exactly what happened.”

“I was having lunch with her,” he said, voice breaking. “She felt dizzy, went to the bathroom, and she never came back.”

I raked a hand through my hair. “No. No, that’s not possible. Clairessa told me she was meeting with Jess. She’s with Jess. You’re confused.”

“I’m not confused,” Adrian countered, desperate. “I texted her earlier. I asked her to meet me. I told her not to tell you. That’s why she lied, Dad. She wasn’t with Jess — she was with me.”

The ground tilted beneath me. My grip on the phone tightened until my knuckles whitened. “You’re telling me… Clairessa lied to me? Lied so she could meet you?”

“Yes,” Adrian whispered.

Air left my lungs in one harsh rush. “Then what the hell do you mean she’s nowhere to be found? If she met you, then where the hell is she now? Maybe she left early, maybe she got a call, maybe she, fuck, Adrian, what do you mean she’s gone?”

“Dad, listen to me,” he said quickly. “That’s not what happened. I went to the restroom to look for her. She wasn’t there.” His breathing hitched. “And then I saw her bracelet on the floor, broken. Pieces everywhere. That’s not all, I found her phone smashed under the sink. She wouldn’t just walk away without those. She wouldn’t leave like that.”

A coldness spread through me, locking my body in place.

“And before she went in there,” Adrian went on, “she said she felt unwell. Something was wrong. I wanted to call the police, but I thought…it was better to call you first.”

My chest seized. I pressed a hand there, as though I could force the ache back. “Adrian,” I ground out, “this better be a fucking joke. Tell me this is a sick game. You hated me, you wanted to get back at me, and now you’re lying. Tell me you’re lying. Because I do not understand how the woman I love met you for lunch and then vanished.”

“Dad, I swear…” Adrian’s voice cracked, trembling like he was ten years old again. “I wish it was a joke, but it’s not. I swear to God I’m not lying — this is serious. I’m scared. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know who could have taken her or what could have happened —”

“Taken her?” The words stabbed through me. “What the hell are you saying, taken her?”

“I don’t know!” he blurted, frantic. “But her bracelet was broken, her phone smashed, and she’s just gone. We can’t reach her. What else am I supposed to think? And when she drank that… that thing —”

“What drink?” My voice came out harsher than I intended.

“The waitress said it was a special pear drink,” Adrian rushed on, panicked. “She drank it and then… I don’t know, she started looking pale, sweaty. And then she went to the restroom and — Dad, I don’t know!”

My hand dragged hard through my hair, my mind racing so fast I couldn’t keep a grip on any thought.

“Fuck,” I whispered, fear washing through me like ice. My mind painted the worst possibilities, every one darker than the last.

By the time I reached the Wave restaurant, red and blue lights splashed across the street, reflecting over the crowd that had already gathered. Police cruisers lined the curb, sirens muted to a low whine.

I shoved the car door open before it had even rolled to a stop. There were few officers around speaking into radios, bystanders whispering to each other.

My eyes cut through the faces until they landed on Adrian. He was standing rigid beside a police officer, answering questions, his expression raw. For a split second, anger surged through me. If he hadn’t dragged Clairessa into this, maybe she wouldn’t be missing now.

I almost let it swallow me whole. But then I caught the panic on his face, the fear that mirrored my own. My son wasn’t my enemy. I could either waste time resenting him or I could stand with him and find her.

I walked up, and Adrian glanced at me like he was desperate for answers I didn’t have. The officer beside him was tall, mid-forties. He straightened the moment he saw me.

“Mr. Storm. Detective Alvarez,” he introduced himself, extending his hand. “I’ve been briefed by my superior. I want to assure you, we are doing everything in our power to find her. Your son has already given us details.”

I gripped his hand, my jaw locked. “Then where the hell are we? Because telling me you’re doing everything doesn’t mean shit if she’s not here.”

“Yes,” Adrian cut in, words tumbling over each other. “That’s what I said. She was sweating, she didn’t feel right. After that, she asked to use the restroom and never came out.”

Alvarez nodded. “Maribel’s account doesn’t line up with the others. We’re holding her, questioning her further. We’ll get to the bottom of it.” He paused, then met my eyes directly. “But Mr. Storm, I have to ask you. In your experience, in your world, does anyone come to mind who would do this?”

The answer was out before I could even think. “Marco.”

Alvarez stilled, then he repeated it, carefully pronouncing the name. “Marco.”