The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 72

**Title: Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest 72**
**Chapter 72**

**Gemma**

“Claire!” Sibille’s voice rings out, bright and affectionate. “My sweet girl.” The warmth in her tone is almost palpable as she turns her gaze towards the women encircling us. “You know, Gemma may only have an undergraduate degree,” she continues with an air of pride, “but my Claire has two master’s degrees! And she’s just been accepted into a PhD program at a prestigious design school in France.”

A PhD in France? The absurdity of it almost makes me chuckle. Claire, with her muddled grasp of basic math and her struggles to form coherent sentences in her native language, embarking on such an academic journey? If she truly holds two master’s degrees, then I must be the long-lost princess of a fairy tale.

I can’t help but smile, a glint of mischief dancing in my eyes, as I switch to rapid French, a language I diligently studied throughout high school and college. “Wow, Claire. I had no idea you spent so much time in Paris. What was your favorite thing to see?”

Claire’s laughter is tinged with nerves, and it’s clear she’s floundering in confusion, completely lost in translation.

Several of the other ladies, however, are fluent in French, their eyes flickering with curiosity as they turn to Claire, waiting for her response.

“What was your favorite regional cuisine?” I press on in French, my tone light yet teasing. “I know everyone adores the culinary delights of Paris, but personally, I found myself drawn to the simpler, heartier dishes from the countryside.”

She giggles again, offering a hesitant “Oui,” which, as we both know, merely translates to “Yes.”

“Oui?” I laugh, my voice laced with playful sarcasm. “You don’t speak a word of French, do you, Claire? And let’s be honest, you don’t possess a degree in anything that your daddy didn’t pay for. In fact, you’re just a liar.”

“Oui,” Claire replies, her face a mask of confusion.

“Yes,” I echo in French, my tone dripping with amusement. “You are indeed a liar. Good to know.”

The ladies surrounding me erupt into laughter, but for an entirely different reason now. Claire’s cheeks flush a deep crimson, while Sibille’s expression morphs into one of barely contained fury.

*****

**Cássian**

11:42

**Chapter 72**

“Hey, Cassian,” Reyna calls out, her voice bright and cheerful. “You did an incredible job on that flight today! I honestly thought we were done for, but you landed that plane as if it were a walk in the park.”

I glance up, offering her a distracted smile, my mind still racing as I meticulously check off items in the shipment.

“It was an important trip,” I reply, my focus unwavering.

The cargo aboard that flight was worth millions, and I had no intention of letting anything jeopardize it—not the thick fog, the turbulence, or the raging thunderstorm.

Moreover, if the plane were to crash, the last thing I wanted was to be discovered with crates full of illegal firearms.

And if anything were to happen to me, Uncle Adrian would be the one stepping into the role of don for our family, and that was a fate I simply could not allow.

I refuse to let that happen.

He’s an absolute fool, and he would squander everything my grandfather and I have painstakingly built.

For what feels like the millionth time, I curse the turf war that claimed my parents’ lives. If they were still alive, I would have someone in the family to lean on.

I think Reyna has left, but then I hear her clear her throat softly. I look up to find her still standing in the doorway, her expression expectant.

“Is there something you need?” I ask, my tone a tad sharper than intended.

She beams at me. “I thought we could celebrate by grabbing dinner together.”

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