The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 248

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

**Chapter 248**

**Gemma’s POV**

Jace sits across from me, his shoulders hunched in a way that speaks volumes. The silence he carries is heavy with guilt, louder than any confession could ever be. He steals a quick, almost proud glance at the screen before him, but his lips remain sealed. A swirl of emotions floods through me—anger intertwined with the unexpected warmth of a smile that begins to break free within my chest.

“This was what you were thinking about last time, wasn’t it?” I ask softly, folding my arms tightly across my chest, trying to contain the mix of feelings. “When you asked for Reyna’s username?”

He avoids my gaze, focusing instead on the frayed edge of his sleeve, a nervous habit I’ve come to recognize.

“Yeah,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “She kept posting lies about you, stirring up outrage against you online. I thought… if I just wiped out her account, she wouldn’t have a platform to post or gloat anymore! Even if she creates a new account, at least initially, she’ll have no followers and no reach. Problem solved!”

Zina’s mouth drops open, caught between the urge to either twist his ear or pull him into a warm embrace.

“I can’t decide whether to call you adorably naive or completely reckless. Oh, Jace! You hold back on so many things, and when you finally speak, it’s always so… sideways!”

The laughter bubbles up, and for a moment, the tension dissipates like mist in the morning sun.

As I think about the possibilities, the idea of hacking Reyna’s account had never crossed my mind. My thoughts drift to her meticulously crafted posts, each one designed to showcase her glamorous lifestyle, her obsession with fan interactions, and her attempts to play the influencer despite lacking a significant following.

She must have envisioned Instagram as her future empire, a kingdom built on likes and followers.

And now, with a single swipe, it’s all vanished.

The thought sends a rush of delight through me, and before I can stop myself, a smile escapes my lips. The image of Reyna discovering her painstakingly constructed platform locked and flagged fills me with a sense of glee, and I can’t help but chuckle softly to myself.

Zina catches my grin, and within moments, we’re both laughing uncontrollably, our laughter echoing through the room like the carefree giggles of teenagers who’ve just skipped school.

Jace’s face softens, relief washing over him as he exhales, almost shyly.

“Well done, Jace!” I manage to say between fits of laughter. “Thank you.”

My words seem to anchor him in place, and he leans back in his chair, his shoulders relaxing. It’s clear that for him, this moment of mischief was worth every bit of trouble.

But laughter can only mask so much. As the giggles fade, my expression shifts, and I straighten up, feeling the weight of the situation settle back in.

“What!” Zina exclaims, waving her hand teasingly.

“Oh, come on. Even if you do, we’re not ogres. We won’t bite your head off,” she adds with a smirk.

Jace scratches the back of his neck, a hesitant gesture. “I… I’m not in a relationship.”

His eyes flicker toward me momentarily before darting away again, as if the very act of looking at me might reveal too much.

“Really?” I press, my curiosity piqued.

“Really,” he confirms, his voice steady but laced with an underlying tension.

I pull my phone from my pocket, unlocking it and sliding it across the table. The screen lights up with a string of messages from earlier, each one a stark reminder of the truth.

“These say otherwise,” I say, watching as his expression twists into a scowl while he scrolls through the messages. By the time he finishes reading, he slams the phone down with a tight-lipped frown.

“I’m not lying. I think it’s an old classmate of mine. But there’s nothing more from my side,” he insists, his tone firm yet defensive.

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