The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 183

**Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest**

**Chapter 183**

**Gemma’s POV**

The atmosphere inside the car feels almost suffocatingly silent, as if Mikhail is grappling with the reality that I, of all people, have been handed the task of overseeing him—something I had vehemently tried to avoid.

If he can come to terms with this arrangement before the month turns over, I’ll consider it a small victory.

Zina leans in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Your new boss? Total woman-hater and an absolute show-off, just so you know.”

I stifle a laugh, biting down on the inside of my cheek. “Zina…”

“No, seriously!” she insists, her tone half-joking, half-concerned. “With Cassian on one side and this Mikhail creature on the other, you’re going to be pulling your hair out within a week!”

I open my mouth to ask her to keep it down, but before I can, Mikhail slams on the brakes, sending us lunging forward. Zina barely manages to catch herself, her hands bracing against the dashboard.

Her complexion pales as she straightens up, muttering, “Okay… maybe I should keep my mouth shut. But honestly, Gem, if I had known he would be your boss, I would have dragged you away from this gig! I’d have taken your hand and sprinted in the opposite direction!”

At that, a laugh escapes me, one I can no longer contain. “I’ll manage, I suppose! And if it turns into a circus, you’ll help me escape, right?”

Zina’s face lights up with a grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Always!”

Just as we pull up in front of the hotel, my phone vibrates insistently in my pocket. It’s Cassian. I answer cautiously, “Hello?”

“I’ll pick you up at five,” he states curtly, the words clipped and businesslike. “We’re going to dinner.”

I glance at the clock on the dashboard, noting that it’s already past three. Before I can respond, I hear Reyna’s voice in the background, sweet yet firm.

“Cassian, let’s have lunch together. It’s getting quite late…”

I swallow the words I was about to say and end the call without another thought.

“Boyfriend trouble?” Zina asks, her voice laced with curiosity.

I jump slightly, looking up to find Mikhail leaning over the center console, a playful smirk dancing on his lips as he raises his eyebrows in amusement. His ice-blue eyes glint with mischief.

“Don’t you have any boundaries? Maybe try minding your own business for once,” I snap, trying to keep my irritation in check.

He shrugs nonchalantly, as if my words have no impact. “Isn’t that what my father hired you for? To teach me how to behave socially?”

I let out a long, exasperated sigh.

“Right! Silly me for thinking you were an adult. Don’t be surprised if I start treating you like a toddler—”

Suddenly, Zina makes a strange choking sound from the backseat, causing me to turn. “What’s wrong?”

“Crap! It completely slipped my mind—Jace just landed!”

“What?!” I exclaim, my heart racing.

She thrusts her phone into my face, showing me a text from Jace that reads: [Flight landed thirty minutes early. Just going to pick up my bag, see you outside soon.]

“That means we have maybe fifteen minutes!” she says, her voice rising in panic. “And the airport is at least half an hour away!”

“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s get moving!”

I reach for the door handle, but the locks click shut with an ominous finality.

I turn slowly, feeling my last thread of patience fray. Mikhail is watching us intently, one arm draped casually over the back of the seat. “Where exactly are you going?”

“None of your business,” I retort, my voice sharper than I intended.

“Oh! Are you planning to leave me unattended all day?” he teases, a hint of mockery in his tone.

“What does that even mean?”

“I assumed, since you’re my personal butler on duty today, you’d stick by my side.”

“The job doesn’t start until next month, in case you’ve forgotten,” I reply, crossing my arms defiantly.

Mikhail pauses, a glint of mischief flickering in his eyes, before that infuriating smirk reappears.

“I’ll pay you overtime—thirty thousand for the day. But we’re going in the same car.”

Zina’s jaw drops in disbelief, and I rub my forehead, groaning reluctantly.

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