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

Gabriel's POV

wy NCW would!!

Chapter 144: Telling My Son About My New Woman

As I leaned back in my first-class seat, I loosened the top button of my shirt and exhaled slowly.

This felt like the longest business trip I'd taken in a while-not because of the actual time but because I hadn't wanted to go in the first place. I had missed Clairessa the entire time. That alone was enough to drive me insane.

It was supposed to be a two-day trip, but I had managed to cut it short. The meeting had gone smoothly, the CEO had signed the contract, and everything was in place. I should have felt satisfied, but my mind wasn't

on the deal. It was on her.

We had barely spoken yesterday. I had seen her missed calls and messages checking up on me, but I'd been trapped in a deadlocked meeting, unable to step away. By the time I was free, it was already too late to call. Even now, my first instinct was to pick up my phone and hear her voice.

But I didn't.

I wanted to surprise her.

All night, I had been thinking about my life. I was turning forty-five soon, and it was time to acknowledg the truth-I wasn't getting any younger. Things had to change, and fast.

And the biggest reason driving that change was Clairessa.

It was clear to me that it was time to tell Adrian about her-at least before he took on his role at the

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Chapter 144: Telling My Son About My New Woman

company, whether he liked it or not.

His accounts were down to the last few thousand, and I knew he'd give in eventually. As long as I held firm and didn't cave to his ridiculous demands, he wouldn't have a choice.

For years, I had let Adrian have his way because I didn't want to be the father who stifled his son's dreams. I wanted him to pursue his passions, to become his own man. But it was clear now-Adrian wasn't building anything. He was wasting his youth, squandering my money on frivolous ideas, and I had let it happen for too long.

That ended now.

If I had to become the overbearing, dictatorial father to set him straight, then so be it.

I needed to prepare him to take over from me in a few years when I retired. If I didn't, everything I had worked for-everything I had built-would crumble in his hands. Bringing him into the company was the first step, but it wasn't the only

one.

He was also going to move in with me.

I knew he'd hate the idea. He'd resist. But he had no choice. I was no longer paying the overdue rent for his condo or covering his other expenses. If he couldn't sustain his lifestyle, he would have no choice but to come back home.

From there, I could control his schedule, make sure he showed up to work on time, and cut off the bad influences in his life. I would introduce him to discipline and structure. He would fight me every step of the way, but I was ready for that.

Maybe it was too late to undo my mistakes. Maybe I had already raised an entitled nepo baby.

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Chapter 144: Telling My Son About My New Woman

But I still had a chance to fix this. To fix him.

He was my only son, and I believed in the man he could become.

My phone vibrated.noveldrama

A text from Adrian.

We're here. Waiting for you by the car.

I smiled, slipping my phone back into my pocket.

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I had instructed Adrian to bring Dario along, and checking the time, I noted that he had actually arrived before my plane landed. That never would have happened before.

This was a good sign.

It told me he was desperate. Otherwise, he would have bombarded me with

excuses about how early it was. But now, he needed me.

And I was going to use this opportunity to bend him to my will.

Maybe it was a good thing the restaurant ran into trouble.

This was my one chance to set Adrian on the right path, and I wasn't going to let it slip away.

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Chapter 144: Telling My Son About My New Woman

Fifteen minutes. That was all that stood between me and home.

The pilot's voice came through the speakers, announcing our descent. Below, the

city stretched out, bathed in the soft morning light.

Finally!

As soon as the plane touched down, the flight attendant greeted me with a warm smile and handed me my luggage. I gave her a brief nod before taking my bag and descending the stairs.

Adrian and Dario stood by the black SUV, waiting.

"Dad, welcome back!" Adrian called out, grinning. "Though you were only gone for

a day, so I can't exactly say I missed you. I guess there wasn't enough time."

you."

I couldn't help but chuckle. No matter how much he frustrated me, he was still my son. "Good to see

I hugged him briefly, then turned to Dario, patting his shoulder.

"Great to have you back, boss," he said.

"Feels good to be back." I nodded as Dario held the car door open. I stepped in, Adrian following.

The moment we were inside, Adrian let out a dramatic sigh, rubbing his temples

like he was carrying the weight of the world.

I didn't even have to ask before the complaints started.

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194. Telling My Son About My New Woman

"Yesterday was hell," he groaned. "Between the restaurant's money problems and dealing with my ex, I barely got any sleep-I was up all night trying to sort everything out. And now I had to rush here to pick you up. My life's a mess."

I shook my head, unsurprised. "Adrian, that doesn't qualify as a rough day. There are people facing far worse and still pushing through. So quit sulking and step up. And if this whole pity party is just about the money you asked for your restaurant- then I'm not sorry to say, you're not getting a dollar from me."

"Dad..." He started to protest.

“That's right,” I cut him off. "What you need to do is reevaluate your past choices and start making better ones by focusing on what's important."

Adrian sighed like some melodramatic actor in a tragic play. "Fine. You're right. I need to focus. And when

I do, I'll win her back."

I glanced at him. "Win who back?"

"My ex," he muttered. "I kinda blew things up yesterday, and I'm sure she hates

me, but if I get my life together, she'll see that I'm on top, and she'll come back to

me."

I scoffed, disappointed that he still wasn't hearing me-still clinging to a relationship he'd ruined rather than focusing on his future. "You're seriously holding onto that? Adrian, forget about her and start thinking about the opportunity

I just gave you to work in the company. That should be your only focus."

He scowled but stayed quiet.

Honestly, I respected the woman for leaving him. She had more sense than he did-maybe it would finally teach him something about making smarter choices.

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Adrian groaned. "You just dropped all this on me. I need time to think."

"How much time?" I asked, though I already knew he wasn't getting any. I had made the decision on his behalf-he was either falling in line or getting cut off. "Thousands of people would kill for this opportunity. It's not waiting just because you're my son. I either get a response now, or the offer's off. That means no $500,000, no job. Good luck surviving without me."

Adrian's eyes widened. "Dad, you don't mean that."

"I do. Every single word. Effective as soon as you get out of my car."

He opened his mouth, then shut it, smirking like he'd found a loophole. "You can't

cut me off completely. I'm your only son. Your only family. You have no one but

me."

A slow smile spread across my face. "That might change soon."

His smirk faded. "What the hell does that mean? Don't tell me you have a secret child and you've been lying to me all this time...”

"Shut up, Adrian," I ordered, giving him a pointed look. "And use your head for

what it's meant for-just this once-and think."

He huffed. "Well, you can't blame me if that's the first thing I thought of... I

mean... I read about all these secret child stories..."

He trailed off when I shot him another glare.

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Chapter 144: Telling My Son About My New Woman.

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I let the silence hang between us, waiting for him to piece it together. When it was

clear he wasn't getting anywhere, I finally said, "I've been seeing someone."

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