The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 185

**TITLE: Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest**
**Chapter 185**

**Gemma’s POV**

My hands tremble uncontrollably as I step out of the cab and stride through the hotel’s revolving doors, a storm of anger brewing inside me. At this moment, I feel as if I could unleash my fury on anyone who crossed my path. The remnants of adrenaline pulse through my veins, a harsh reminder of the chaos I just escaped.

I had hoped for a shred of decency from Mikhail—if not as Smith’s son, then at least as a former soldier. But no! He turned out to be just another spoiled rich kid, indulging in reckless games that put lives at risk.

What infuriates me the most is that I genuinely believed my life was in jeopardy. I found myself mentally calculating how to ensure my mother would be taken care of if I didn’t make it back. And for what? For a pathetic joke?

A twisted performance orchestrated by that arrogant bastard to “scare away” the housekeeper his father had forced upon him.

I bite down on my lip, the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth, a distraction from the seething rage within.

Zina is the first to notice me, springing up from the couch in the lobby as if I were a long-lost friend. Jace follows closely behind, his usual calm demeanor replaced by a palpable tension.

“There you are, Gemma! What happened to you two? You left so abruptly! We were worried sick! Jace was just trying to convince me you’d come back here instead of sticking around at the restaurant, but you could have at least called!”

I take a moment to catch my breath, still reeling from the chaos. “Zina, can you just breathe for a second?” I manage to say, my voice shaky. “I didn’t choose to leave; I got caught in gunfire.”

Her face drains of color. “Gun… gunfire? So it was true! There were whispers in the restaurant about two gangs having a shootout, but we had no idea you were caught up in it!”

“Technically, I wasn’t.”

I mutter the words under my breath, but she hears me. “What do you mean, technically?”

I let out a long breath, pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration. “Because it was staged, orchestrated by him—”

“By… Mikhail?”

Jace is the first to connect the dots, while Zina clutches her mouth in shock.

“Yes. They were his men, using blanks and terrible aim just to scare me off. It was never real.”

Both of them stare at me as if I’ve just revealed that I’m an alien from another planet.

Jace runs a hand through his tousled hair, clearly agitated. “I knew it! I knew that guy was shady! Gemma, you’re not still planning to work for him, right?”

I don’t respond immediately, and Zina lets out an exasperated groan that echoes through the lobby.

“Ugh! And here I was rooting for you two so hard!”

I turn to her, my brows furrowing in confusion. “Shipping?! What the—?!”

“Never mind!” she snaps, cutting me off mid-sentence. “To hell with that for now! Anyway, that jerk isn’t your problem until next month. Let’s enjoy this vacation while we can. No more Cassian or Mikhail for today. We’re going to spend the rest of this day soaking up the sun, sand, and saltwater, and maybe indulge in a little alcohol.”

A reluctant smile breaks through my frustration. “You know what? Deal.”

She throws her arms up in victory. “Great! To distract myself from calling the police and searching for you, I was browsing through some brochures and found a private snorkeling tour around a restricted island.”

“Awesome. Book it.”

I say it without a second thought, and Zina starts tapping rapidly on her phone, her eyes lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Done! The van leaves the hotel in forty minutes.”

Jace wraps an arm around her shoulder, a playful grin on his face.

“Forty minutes!? We need at least ten minutes to grab our clothes and gear.”

“Five minutes,” Zina corrects him, her tone decisive. “Let’s meet right here in the lobby.”

They split off toward the elevators, and I linger for a moment in the lobby, pulling out my phone. If I disappear for the rest of the evening without informing Cassian, he’ll likely launch a search party and potentially blow up half the island in his panic.

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