The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 63

**TITLE: Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest 63**

**Chapter 63**

**Gemma**

He stares at the bottle, a frown creasing his forehead, clearly bewildered. “Vitamins are an example of me disrespecting you?”

“Prenatal vitamins,” I reply, my voice steady yet laced with an underlying tension. “And yes, they absolutely are. Your grandfather has been handing me things like this for years—medications, supplements, vitamins. I take them religiously, even though you didn’t lay a finger on me until just recently.”

His expression shifts, as if he’s about to respond, but I’m far from finished.

“Do you have any idea what your family thinks of me? They whisper that I must be incapable of having a baby because I’m somehow defective. Just recently, your cousin Claire had the audacity to scream that I’m a gold-digging freak right to my face in public.”

I can feel the heat of anger rising in my chest, and I press on. “The ones who don’t hurl insults at me still believe it’s the universe’s way of protecting you by preventing me from carrying your child. They think I’m unworthy. Not like Reyna, who they all adore.”

I take a moment to collect my thoughts, the weight of my words hanging heavily in the air. “I’ve allowed your family to believe I’m infertile, a freak, or simply unworthy, all to shield you from their blame regarding the lack of an heir. For three long years, I’ve dedicated every single day to making you look good, even if it meant tarnishing my own image.”

I pause, feeling the tension in the room swell. “And do you know what the most painful part is, Cassian?”

I take a shaky breath, the words spilling out as if they’ve been trapped for far too long. “It’s not how your family treats me. It’s not the way I have to watch women swoon over you, thinking you’re single. It’s not even Reyna or the fact that I’ve buried my true self for so long, trying to be the perfect partner for you.”

My voice trembles as I push through the final revelation. “The worst part, Cassian, is that I did all of this for you, because I genuinely care about you, and you never even noticed.”

The last few words come out ragged, choked by the tears threatening to spill over.

He stands there, utterly silent, and it dawns on me just how heavy the truth of my confession weighs.

I can’t bear to face it.

Rather than waiting for Cassian’s response—his coldness, his insistence that it’s my duty as his wife or whatever other nonsense he might say—I grab my purse and bolt from the house, hastily wiping away the tears that cascade down my cheeks.

XXXXX

Back at Zina’s place, I try desperately to shove thoughts of Cassian from my mind.

The best way to escape the turmoil is to immerse myself in work, so I dive in headfirst. I labor tirelessly throughout the day, pushing into the late hours of the night, and then I rise early to start again, fueled by a sense of urgency.

I have a mission to complete: an assignment targeting the Blackwell family. On the surface, it seems straightforward—sneak in, extract information about their shipments, plant some spyware, and slip away unnoticed.

But every time I think I’ve gained access, I find myself booted out once more.

Frustration gnaws at me as I bare my teeth, my fingers racing over the keyboard. Zina settles down next to me at our small, round kitchen table, her brow furrowed in concern.

“What’s going on?” she asks, her voice tinged with curiosity.

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