The Don Tore Up Our Divorce (Gemma and Cassian) novel Chapter 75

**TITLE: Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest**
**Chapter 75**

**Reyna**

As Cassian strides away, leaving me amidst a sea of high-society criminals and their polished wives, I can’t shake the feeling of being a gazelle in the midst of prowling lions, their predatory gazes lingering on me.

“Traitor,” my inner voice whispers, a cruel reminder of my isolation.

I clench my jaw, refusing to suppress the simmering anger that flickers in my eyes, a silent warning to those around me.

With a deliberate lift of my chin, I walk away from their judgmental stares, maintaining the facade that I belong among them.

Yet deep down, I know the truth: I am an outsider.

My father may not have left me drowning in debts, but his legacy was hardly a treasure trove. In fact, I’ve been left with little more than a hollow name and an empty bank account.

All of his ventures crumbled, leaving me bereft of any corporate power or influence.

11:45

I should be entitled to this world. My bloodline is as pure as theirs, yet I am treated like an interloper.

Just because my father stumbled in his choices, and my mother held the title of mistress rather than wife, they look down on me as if I’m beneath them.

If only he hadn’t been ensnared by his affections for Lisette and Gemma, perhaps I would have inherited what is rightfully mine.

But now? I’m left clutching at straws, clinging to Cassian and the bond we share. That connection is my only weapon to reclaim my rightful place. Once I am his wife, all of my troubles will fade away like morning mist.

But in this moment, I yearn to escape this gathering, to vanish from their scrutinizing gazes. They regard me not as a talented member of their elite circle but as a mere gold digger, hungry for their wealth.

I slip out through the venue’s backdoor, the cool night air hitting my face as I summon a cab.

Gemma will pay for the humiliation I faced today.

—

**11:45**

**Gemma**

As Cassian pulls me through the front door and hails his car, I feel dazed, as if the world around me has spun into a blur.

He defended me today, time and again. Even when I snapped at him, even when I inadvertently revealed our personal struggles to the crowd, he stood firm beside me.

So this is what it’s like to be shielded, to feel the warmth of protection.

It’s no wonder Reyna carries herself with such confidence; with Cassian at her side, she knows she can withstand anything.

Though I remained composed during the confrontations at the party, now that we’re outside, the tears threaten to spill.

A deep ache wells up in my chest, an emotional wound that I can’t seem to heal, no matter how desperately I wish to.

For so long, I believed that Cassian didn’t know how to protect me—not in a physical sense, certainly, but emotionally as well.

11:45

“It wasn’t fair,” he affirms, his arms tightening around my waist, holding me securely against him.

His fingers glide over my sides, sending waves of heat coursing through the fabric of my dress. “Tell me why you went today.”

11:45

As his touch ignites a fire within me, my thoughts scatter, and I struggle to form a coherent response.

My reasons seem trivial, and honestly, they contradict each other.

“I… I wanted to see if I could handle her,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

“You know you can handle her. I heard you at the family dinner. Now, tell me the real reason.”

A groan escapes my lips as he lowers his own, his lips brushing against my bare shoulder. I instinctively wrap my arms around him, seeking comfort.

“Because I wanted to see your world.”

“You were at a mafia party the other night. You were there with your friends.”

I exhale sharply as he nibbles gently at my skin, his voice low and gravelly. “Tell me the real reason, Gemma.”

11:45

The truth spills from my lips before I can even think to hold it back.

“Because I wanted to maneuver you into a divorce.”