The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 227

**Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest 227**
**Chapter 227**

**Gemma’s POV**

In the dimly lit room, the atmosphere crackled with tension, and Reyna’s gaze lingered on Cassian, a silent plea in her eyes. Cassian, however, was determined to avoid her stare, his attention darting around the room as if searching for an escape.

Finally, Reyna shifted her focus to Rhett, her lips pressing together in a tight line, a gesture of resignation. With a hesitant breath, she leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, a mere whisper of contact. The moment her lips met his skin, I felt a chuckle bubble up inside me, but I quickly stifled it. Reyna squeezed her eyes shut, as if willing herself to believe that this fleeting moment held some significance. When she pulled away, her voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife.

“Is that enough?” she snapped, her glare sweeping across the room as if we were all complicit in forcing her into this act. I crossed my arms defiantly, choosing to ignore her question, but Mikhail tilted his head, a mischievous spark in his eyes.

“What do you think?” he asked, his tone teasing, deliberately pulling me into this chaotic web.

Caught off guard, I blinked at him, my mind racing. “How am I supposed to know the rules of your little game? This is your party, so don’t drag me into it.”

My stomach twisted with unease as I forced the words out. There was no mistaking his intent; he was playing with me, and I could feel the weight of his gaze, heavy with expectation.

I averted my eyes, pretending not to notice the glimmer of amusement dancing in his expression. All I wanted was to escape this ridiculous situation, but I remained rooted in place, my teeth clenched tight. Walking away would feel like conceding defeat, and I wasn’t ready to do that just yet.

As the bottle spun once more, it landed on me again, and the room seemed to lean in closer, waiting with bated breath.

“Finish the bottle of Brandy,” Rhett declared, his voice laced with eagerness, as if he had been anticipating this moment.

A knot of anxiety tightened in my chest. “I can’t drink; I made that clear at the start of the game,” I protested, the mere thought of downing brandy causing bile to rise in my throat. My body had been betraying me for weeks, and the idea of consuming alcohol made my stomach churn violently.

“Gemma!” Reyna whined, her tone sweet yet insistent. “We agreed to do dares only! I just did mine, so please, just play along! Don’t be such a spoil-sport.”

“I said I’d do anything else,” I shot back, my voice firm. “But not that.”

My tone brooked no argument, yet Rhett narrowed his eyes at me, as if we were engaged in a competition I hadn’t signed up for. “No way,” he replied, his determination clear.

It was evident to me that Rhett was intent on making me submit, to force me into a position of weakness, and I understood why he was doing it.

“I think that’s enough,” Cassian interjected, his voice cutting through the tension. Rhett exhaled sharply, annoyance flickering across his features, but he quickly shifted his strategy.

“Fine! Since you insist, we’ll change your challenge. You have to jump into the pool and hold your breath for at least a minute.”

I stared at him in disbelief, nearly laughing at the absurdity of it all. “Are you serious?”

Liam nudged Rhett, murmuring, “You’re pushing it! She is a lady—”

“There are other ladies here, aren’t there? No one else has been such a drama queen. If she’s really suffering this much and doesn’t want to play, she can just switch places with someone else.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify