Chapter 5 Confronting The Woman My Ex Cheated On Me With

Clairessa’s POV When he first walked in, I thought he was just another senior executive. I didn’t realize he was the Gabriel Storm. The man who gave me my first orgasm was my boyfriend’s father. This was way too much to handle. I swallowed hard, avoiding his gaze as he kept talking. "I'm sure you're all familiar with the rules for submitting your apps. If selected, you'll work closely with me to launch the next-generation software that could change the business industry. The project will be fully funded by Storm Innovations." Everyone clapped, smiling with excitement. It was clear everyone in the room had big dreams riding on this. Gabriel rested his hands on the table, giving a quick smile. "Sandy will work closely with your team and keep me updated on your progress. If your app doesn’t get selected, don’t be discouraged—there’s always room to improve. But remember, only one app will win. Good luck, everyone." Gabriel gave a brief smile, then stood and walked out of the room. ----------- My legs were shaking as I hurried down the hallway, desperately trying to find the nearest restroom. My mind was spinning, and my thoughts were all over the place. This couldn’t be happening. Gabriel Storm—the man I practically begged to take me last night—was Adrian’s father. It felt like the floor was falling out from under me, and I needed to get control of myself before I completely lost it. I pushed open the restroom door with shaky hands, accidentally bumping into a woman as she walked out. “Oh my God, I’m sorry…” I muttered, trying to slip past her. But she didn’t move. Instead, she stopped and looked at me like she recognized me. “Hey,” she said, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. “Hi…” I replied, feeling awkward and unsure why she was staring at me. “You look familiar... Have we met before?” she asked, tilting her head as if trying to figure it out. I searched my memory but couldn’t place her. “I don’t think so,” I said, inching toward the restroom, desperate to be alone and call Jess. But just as I turned to leave, her voice stopped me cold. “Oh, I remember you now,” she said with a sly smile. “You’re the girl who walked in on Adrian and me having sex last night.” A wave of anger crashed over me. Last night, I hadn’t been able to see the woman Adrian was with clearly, but now, looking at her, it all clicked. The red hair, the red nail polish… the nails that had clawed his back. My stomach churned as the realization hit me hard. “I’m sorry about that,” she continued, sounding way too casual. “Adrian told me he was single, so I thought, why not give him a chance? I’m Nicole, by the way.” She extended her hand with a fake smile. Was she serious? This woman had the nerve to introduce herself to me after sleeping with my boyfriend. But I kept calm, forcing a smile as I shook her hand. Her name tag caught my eye—she worked here too. The last thing I needed was to make enemies on my first day. “Clairessa,” I said, swallowing down the disgust building up inside me. She smirked, clearly enjoying herself. “I wouldn’t want any bad blood between us since we’ll be working together. Adrian was just a quick hookup for me. Nothing serious. I was horny, and he was available... as always.” I stared at her in disbelief, barely holding back my anger. “Have a nice day, Nicole,” I managed to say, rolling my eyes as I walked away. That bitch. I never used that word, but it fit perfectly. The nerve of her, casually mentioning how Adrian said he was single and always available. I was sure she said it just to spite me. Or maybe it was true. Adrian was such a liar. I paced around the restroom, trying to calm the rage fueling inside me. How long had Adrian been cheating on me? With how many women? The questions kept coming, making me feel sick. I had fallen for a cheating scumbag. My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and dialed Jess’s number, desperate to talk to her, to make sense of the mess my life had become.. Jess answered on the second ring. "Claire? What’s going on? Aren’t you supposed to be working?" she asked, concerned. “I should be,” I replied, my voice shaky. “But Jess… you won’t believe this. Gabriel, the man I kissed at the club last night, is Adrian’s father.” There was a pause on the other end before Jess spoke again, her voice shocked. “Are you sure? You’ve never met Adrian’s dad, right?” “I’m sure. Gabriel from the club is Gabriel Storm, the CEO of Storm Innovations. I confirmed it. I’ve never met him before because I never really cared to. I figured I’d meet him when the time was right, you know? But now... this is crazy.” “Oh my God, Claire, this is insane,” Jess exclaimed, just as stunned as I was. “What are you going to do now?” “I don’t know,” I admitted, my voice low as I leaned over the sink, shame washing over me. “I basically threw myself at him, Jess. What if he thinks I’m some desperate, cheap girl who tried to seduce him to get ahead?” “Claire, stop it. You are not a cheap girl. Do you hear me?” Jess’s voice was firm, trying to snap me out of the self-blame. But I couldn’t stop the memories from flooding back. The way Gabriel kissed me, how his hands moved over my body. “God, I’m so screwed,” I muttered, feeling panic building inside me. “No, you’re not,” Jess insisted. “Just act like nothing happened. Keep it cool.” “How can I? What if Adrian finds out I kissed his dad? He’ll hate me.” “Who cares about what that jerk thinks of you? He cheated first, remember?” Jess reminded me, her voice full of anger on my behalf. She was right. Adrian’s betrayal was the real problem here, not what had happened between Gabriel and me. As I thought about Nicole and how smug she had been, I felt a new wave of anger rise. Jess was right—I shouldn’t care about what Adrian thought of me anymore. Suddenly, Jess started laughing, and I frowned. “What’s so funny?” I asked, not understanding her reaction. “This is the perfect revenge!” she chuckled. “He cheated on you, and you kissed his dad! That’s gold, Claire. And I have to know—who’s the better kisser?” “Jess!” I gasped, feeling both shocked and amused. But as I thought about it, she wasn’t completely wrong. Adrian had cheated with Nicole and who knows how many others. “If I were you, I’d totally start something with his dad,” Jess suggested, her tone serious again. “That would be the best revenge.” “Have you lost your mind?” I asked, though the idea had already started forming in my head. “No, I haven’t. Men get away with breaking hearts all the time. It’s time for payback. But Claire, you’re not me… Maybe just keep it cool and we’ll talk when you get home, okay? I’ve got to run—a client just walked in.” As the call ended, I stared at my phone, my thoughts racing. Jess’s words echoed in my mind. The more I thought about Adrian and the way Nicole had flaunted her affair with him, the angrier I got. I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt Adrian as much as he’d hurt me. And Gabriel Storm... he was my way to do just that. But how could I face him again without dying of embarrassment? What if he rejected me? I needed a plan. The pain and anger burned inside me, and the more I thought about it, the more determined I became. I was going to make Gabriel mine, and I was going to hit Adrian where it hurt the most.