The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 481

Chapter 481

+2 Bonus

Gemma’s POV

Rehena’s accusation hangs in the air, a toxic vapor. “Gemma, why are you so smug? Are you happy seeing me like this?”

I don’t even look at her. I simply roll my eyes, a slow, deliberate motion of pure exasperation.

Her health, or lack thereof, is not a source of irritation for me, it’s an impediment.

A variable to my project.

I shoot her a final, dismissive glance over my shoulder–she’s pale, sweating, clinging to her desk like it’s a life raft–and then I turn fully back to my screen.

Wasting more energy on someone who interprets basic decency as gloating is a luxury I can’t afford.

For a while, there’s only the sound of my typing and her labored, shallow breaths. She tries to work, but what began as a stomachache clearly morphs into something sharper and more

severe.

1/6

12:44

+2 Bonus

< Chapter 481

Her vision must blur. One moment she’s standing, the next there’s a heavy, soft thud as her body hits the thick carpet. Her head connects with the sharp corner of the table on the way down. A sickening sound.

“Rehena!”

The assistant’s shriek is pure panic. It yanks my focus away from

the code.

I’m at her side in seconds, kneeling on the plush carpet. She’s unconscious. A bruise is already blooming, an ugly purple flower at her temple. But worse is the blue tinge to her lips, the unsettling way her eyes have rolled back beneath her fluttering lids.

“Get her to a hospital. Now!” My voice is urgent, clipped, cutting through the assistant’s paralysis.

He fumbles for his phone, dialing for an ambulance with trembling hands. The efficient hum of the project room is shattered, replaced by a tense, waiting silence. I stay crouched beside her, monitoring her pulse–it’s rapid and thready–until the paramedics arrive and take over with brisk, professional efficiency.

With Rehena whisked away, the day’s momentum grinds to a complete halt. Oliver Rennet arrives, his expression a mix of concern and annoyance. After a brief assessment, he trns to2:44

917

+2 Bonu:

<Chapter 481

unexpected reprieve is undeniable. A few stolen hours of freedom.

Standing outside the resort’s grand entrance, the mountain air feels cleaner. I pull out my phone, deciding to call Zina. I haven’t seen her since arriving in Florisdale. Dinner sounds perfect.

As if on cue, the sky, which had been a clear, mocking blue moments ago, darkens and opens up. A sudden, torrential downpour soaks me in seconds. I’m stranded under the inadequate portico, water sluicing down my legs, soaking my calves. Perfect.

“Ms. Marino? Heading out?”

I turn. William is there, holding an umbrella, his car keys in hand. “I can give you a ride.”

I remember Cassian’s text–I’ll be waiting–but I left early. He isn’t here. Calling him now feels like an unnecessary summons, an admission of dependency I don’t want to make.

“Thank you,” I say, ducking under his offered umbrella. “That would be great.” I give him the address of the waterfront restaurant Zina suggested.

As he drives, the wipers fighting the deluge, he makes casual conversation. “You’re heading to this place to meet Mr. Blackwell?”

12:44

+2 Bonus

< Chapter 481

The restaurant is quiet, still early for the dinner crowd. We find a table by the window overlooking the churning, rain–lashed bay. None of us are very hungry yet, so we order coffee.

The moment William heads to the bar to fetch our drinks, Zina leans in, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “Why is William here?”

“He’s in town for a competition,” I explain simply. “We just ran into each other.” It’s the truth, stripped of any subtext.

Zina nods, a knowing, amused look on her face. “Paths just seem to cross, huh?” She then glances around. “What about Jeremy? Why didn’t he come?”

She chuckles, a rich, entertained sound. “Jeremy’s been dealing with some future–stepmother drama. And let me tell you, Gemma, you won’t believe how impressive the girl Peter’s into

is!”

My curiosity is genuinely piqued. Peter, Jeremy’s perpetually romantic, perpetually disastrous father, is a source of endless spectacle. “Do tell.”

Zina takes a fortifying sip of her coffee and launches in. Peter had been seeing a stunning young woman, the usual fleeting fancy. He grew bored, prepared to move on–standard procedure for him. But this woman knew exactly who Peter was: thechairman of the Opal Group. A golden meal ticket After 2:44

+2 Bonus

< Chapter 481

ways, is weirdly traditional about ‘family blood.‘ He hears ‘pregnant‘ and suddenly he’s talking about giving the child ‘legitimate status‘ and marriage.”

Naturally, Jeremy is furious. He dragged Zina along to investigate. What they found was a mercenary scheme: the woman is solely after money, and the child is decidedly not Peter’s.

“Now,” Zina sighs, “Jeremy is trying to force a confession before the baby comes, since a paternity test is impossible until then. It’s a whole mess.”

“You’d think Peter, the sly old fox, would see through it,” I comment, shaking my head.

“Peter’s family has plenty of kids,” Zina explains with a shrug. “One more or less doesn’t matter to him in theory. But the old fox wouldn’t want any potential child of his left out in the cold.” She lowers her voice. “And every new child is a potential competitor for Jeremy’s position as heir. So it’s a very big deal for him.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify