Falling For My Ex's Dad (Clarissa and Gabriel) novel Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Trapped Between The Storm, Ghost And Calm 

18%

Chapter 68: Trapped Between The Storm, Ghost And Calm 

18% 

Clairessa’s POV I sat at the edge of the bed, staring at my phone. Daniel’s text was still there, glaring back at me as it had been for the past hour. “Hey Clairessa, I hope you haven’t changed your mind about dinner. I’ll be waiting in the lobby at 7 PM.” I’d read it a dozen times, but it didn’t help. My fingers hovered over the screen, torn between typing out an excuse or just deleting it altogether. My life was already more chaotic than I could’ve ever imagined. And this text? It only added to my confusion. Daniel. He was every woman’s dream–a man who was sweet, thoughtful, and kind. He treated me like I was fragile, like I mattered. From the moment we met, he made his feelings known to me. His respect and gentleness should’ve been enough to make me fall for him. But they weren’t. And no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t feel the same way about him–not the way he wanted me to. I let out a deep breath, running my fingers through my curly strands. The problem wasn’t Daniel; it was me. Or maybe it was Gabriel. My thoughts always seemed to return to him. Gabriel Storm. The man who was supposed to be a pawn in my revenge plan against his son. It was supposed to be one night of reckless passion, to pay Adrian back for the pain he caused me. Instead, I had fallen hard for him and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop my feelings from growing stronger with each passing moment I spent with him. My heartbeat quickened just thinking about him, knowing that he felt the same way. Last night was proof of that. I closed my eyes and the memory hit me like a wave, crashing over me. His lips on mine. His hands tracing my body. The fire in his eyes as he told me how much he wanted me. And when he confessed that he had tried to be with other women but couldn’t. All because he longed to be with me. The thought gave me a thrill I couldn’t ignore. He wanted only me. Just as I wanted him. It couldn’t have just been the alcohol talking. The passion in his eyes, the way his hands moved over me, his voice trembling with raw emotion–it was real. Something I couldn’t put into words, but I could feel it with every part of me. My fingers brushed my bottom lip, and I could almost feel his kiss again. That kiss was unforgettable. It wasn’t just passion–it was raw, intense, and full of everything he couldn’t say. The way his lips claimed mine, the heat of his touch–it wasn’t just physical. It felt deeper, like he was trying to show me a part of himself he rarely revealed. It wasn’t something I could fake, and I knew he couldn’t either. But Gabriel wasn’t the only one on my mind. There was still Adrian. The man who shattered my trust. The man who started me on this path of revenge. His texts kept coming, his calls too. He wanted another chance, and begged for forgiveness. But how could I forgive him when everything was his fault? If Adrian had been faithful, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t be here in Vegas. I wouldn’t have concocted this crazy revenge plan. It was the eve of my birthday, but instead of excitement or joy, I felt trapped. Earlier today, I went for a walk to clear my head. I ended up in the resort gardens, hoping the fresh air would calm me down. During my walk, I ran into Sergio. Seeing him was unexpected, but it was a relief. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed someone to talk to until he stood there, smiling and inviting me to sit. We talked for a while. I told him everything–about me and Gabriel, about the push and pull between us, about how much I cared for him but didn’t know if I could handle the man he really was. I had no idea why I was confiding in him. Maybe because a part of me desperately needed to understand Gabriel and what I was really getting myself into. Sergio had listened. Truly listened. He didn’t rush me or try to solve anything. He just let me pour my heart out, and I did. Then he told me something that stayed with me. He said Gabriel had a painful past, something that changed him. “Give him time,” Sergio requested softly. But time wasn’t something I had. Not with everything spiraling out of control. But time wasn’t on my side–not with everything spinning out of control. Now, laying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, wishing it held answers. The sudden ringing of my phone made me jump. As Daniel’s name flashed on the screen. I hesitated. My thumb hovered over the green button. Part of me wanted to ignore it, but I couldn’t. I took a deep breath and answered. “Hey, Daniel,” I greeted, my voice soft, hiding my inner conflict. “Clairessa,” his voice came through, warm but uncertain, like he wasn’t sure if I’d hang up. “I know you might be having second thoughts about dinner. You didn’t reply to my text, and I get it. But please… just give me a chance. Let me show you I’m worth taking a chance on.” I swallowed hard, gripping the 

O Q 

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17:39 Thu, 20 Feb 

Chapter 68: Trapped Between The Storm, Ghost And Calm 

ས་ྔ 1:_ 

15 

phone tighter. “Daniel… I…” My voice was shaky. I didn’t know what to say. “Just one dinner,” he continued, his tone pleading. “That’s all I’m asking for. One dinner.” I closed my eyes, feeling the desperation in his words. He sounded sincere and hopeful. I couldn’t bring myself to say no. “Okay,” I whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. There was a pause, then a soft exhale of relief. “Thank you,” Daniel said gently. “I’ll see you tonight.” When the call ended, I placed the phone back on the bed and stared at it, my heart heavier than before. I told myself, I was going to dinner to set boundaries, to tell Daniel the truth. Leading him on wasn’t fair, and I already had enough complications in my life without adding more. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t that simple. I was caught in a dark passionate web that I couldn’t untangle my way out of. Gabriel was the storm I couldn’t 

escape. Daniel was the calm the old me would have wanted. And Adrian was the ghost that could destroy it all if the truth ever came to light. 

C 

Clairessa’s POV I sat at the edge of the bed, staring at my phone. Daniel’s text was still there, glaring back at me as it had been for the past hour. “Hey Clairessa, I hope you haven’t changed your mind about dinner. I’ll be waiting in the lobby at 7 PM.” I’d read it a dozen times, but it didn’t help. My fingers hovered over the screen, torn between typing out an excuse or just deleting it altogether. My life was already more chaotic than I could’ve ever imagined. And this text? It only added to my confusion. Daniel. He was every woman’s dream–a man who was sweet, thoughtful, and kind. He treated me like I was fragile, like I mattered. From the moment we met, he made his feelings known to me. His respect and gentleness should’ve been enough to make me fall for him. But they weren’t. And no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t feel the same way about him–not the way he wanted me to. I let out a deep breath, running my fingers through my curly strands. The problem wasn’t Daniel; it was me. Or maybe it was Gabriel. My thoughts always seemed to return to him. Gabriel Storm. The man who was supposed to be a pawn in my revenge plan against his son. It was supposed to be one night of reckless passion, to pay Adrian back for the pain he caused me. Instead, I had fallen hard for him and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop my feelings from growing stronger with each passing moment I spent with him. My heartbeat quickened just thinking about him, knowing that he felt the same way. Last night was proof of that. I closed my eyes and the memory hit me like a wave, crashing over me. His lips on mine. His hands tracing my body. The fire in his eyes as he told me how much he wanted me. And when he confessed that he had tried to be with other women but couldn’t. All because he longed to be with me. The thought gave me a thrill I couldn’t ignore. He wanted only me. Just as I wanted him. It couldn’t have just been the alcohol talking. The passion in his eyes, the way his hands moved over me, his voice trembling with raw emotion–it was real. Something I couldn’t put into words, but I could feel it with every part of me. My fingers brushed my bottom lip, and I could almost feel his kiss again. That kiss was unforgettable. It wasn’t just passion–it was raw, intense, and full of everything he couldn’t say. The way his lips claimed mine, the heat of his touch–it wasn’t just physical. It felt deeper, like he was trying to show me a part of himself he rarely revealed. It wasn’t something I could fake, and I knew he couldn’t either. But Gabriel wasn’t the only one on my mind. There was still Adrian. The man who shattered my trust. The man who started me on this path of revenge. His texts kept coming, his calls too. He wanted another chance, and begged for forgiveness. But how could I forgive him when everything was his fault? If Adrian had been faithful, none of this would have happened. I wouldn’t be here in Vegas. I wouldn’t have concocted this crazy revenge plan. It was the eve of my birthday, but instead of excitement or joy, I felt trapped. Earlier today, I went for a walk to clear my head. I ended up in the resort gardens, hoping the fresh air would calm me down. During my walk, I ran into Sergio. Seeing him was unexpected, but it was a relief. I hadn’t realized how badly I needed someone to talk to until he stood there, smiling and inviting me to sit. We talked for a while. I told him everything–about me and Gabriel, about the push and pull between us, about how much I cared for him but didn’t know if I could handle the man he really was. I had no idea why I was confiding in him. Maybe because a part of me desperately needed to understand Gabriel and what I was really getting myself into. Sergio had listened. Truly listened. He didn’t rush me or try to solve anything. He just let me pour my heart out, and I did. Then he told me something that stayed with me. He said Gabriel had a painful past, something that changed him. “Give him time,” Sergio requested softly. But time wasn’t something I had. Not with everything spiraling out of control. But time wasn’t on my side–not with everything spinning out of control. Now, laying on the bed, I stared at the ceiling, wishing it held answers. The sudden ringing of my phone made me jump. As Daniel’s name flashed on the screen. I hesitated. My thumb hovered over the green button. Part of me wanted to ignore it, but I couldn’t. I took a deep breath and answered. “Hey, Daniel,” I greeted, my voice soft, hiding my inner conflict. “Clairessa,” his voice came through, warm but uncertain, like he wasn’t sure if I’d hang up. “I know you might be having second thoughts about dinner. You didn’t reply to my text, and I get it. But please… just give me a chance. Let me show you I’m worth taking a chance on.” I swallowed hard, gripping the 

O Q 

O 

1/2 

17:39 Thu, 20 Feb 

Chapter 68: Trapped Between The Storm, Ghost And Calm 

ས་ྔ 1:_