Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel) novel Chapter 281

Gabriel’s POV

I was seething. Every word out of his mouth intensified my anger. I wanted to wring the truth out of him, but before I could, Nicole slid herself right into the center of it all.

“I don’t mean to intrude on your little family drama,” she began lightly, “but if this is about those headlines? About Clairessa?”

She let out a delighted laugh.

“I’d say it’s a good thing the world finally found out who she really is.”

Her eyes pinned me. “Mr. Storm, you’re the only one left who needs to come to terms with it.”

My blood burned, but I held my fury. She wasn’t worth it. This was between Adrian and me. Still, I caught the gleam in her eyes, she was enjoying this.

Adrian turned to her, suspicion darkening his face. “Nicole… did you do this?”

For a second, her smile faded. Then, a shrug. “Maybe. Someone had to. Baby, you can’t blame me. This was for your own good. You were too weak to defend yourself, so I stepped in. I saved you from humiliation. You should be thanking me for having the balls you didn’t.”

Adrian’s fury ignited. He surged up from behind his desk, pointing a shaking finger at her.

“How dare you make that choice for me? You had no right - no fucking right. This is my family. What makes you think you can meddle? Have you lost your damn mind?”

Nicole backed away a step, raising her hand. “Adrian, please, calm down. I only did this for you. For us.”

I stood there, watching my son’s anger burn through him, and for the first time in a long time, I was glad he finally saw through her manipulative ways.

I wanted nothing more than to drag her out by the arm, remind her she was nothing more than an employee, a disposable pawn, but I let Adrian handle it. Not because I respected her, but because if I opened my mouth too soon, I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t rip her to shreds for daring to run to the media just to tarnish Clairessa’s name. She had no right.

She strutted around, proud of her damage, bragging as if ruining reputations was some kind of sport. But she was about to learn the hard way. If she thought leaking lies was a game, I would show her what it meant to gamble against me. One wrong move, one more word, and I’d bury her career so deep she’d never claw her way back.

Adrian continued advancing forward, his eyes darkening, the kind of anger that made a man forget reason.

Each step he took made her retreat until her back hit the wall, her confidence slipping into something close to panic. For a moment, I thought he might actually hurt her.

I reached out, pressing a steady hand against his shoulder. “Easy,” I muttered. He stiffened beneath my grip, then he drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and controlled.

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