Chapter 184

In Chapter 183 of “Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth,” Gemma finds herself in an uncomfortable situation as she is tasked with overseeing Mikhail, a person she has tried to avoid. The tension in the car is palpable, with her friend Zina making light of Mikhail’s attitude, which only adds to Gemma’s anxiety about the upcoming month. Despite the tension, Gemma manages to share a laugh with Zina, but the mood shifts when Mikhail disrupts their conversation with his abrupt driving and sarcastic remarks, indicating his disdain for the situation.
As they head to the airport to pick up Jace, Gemma’s heart races with the unexpected urgency of their trip. Mikhail’s behavior continues to frustrate her, especially when he teases her about his expectations of her as his “personal butler.” The arrival at the airport is tense as Jace reacts defensively upon seeing Mikhail, creating an unspoken rivalry that Gemma cannot quite understand. Zina attempts to diffuse the tension by steering the conversation towards a restaurant, but the atmosphere remains strained, with Jace and Mikhail exchanging no words.
At the restaurant, Mikhail’s extravagant ordering contrasts sharply with the group’s more modest choices, and his dismissive attitude towards the food only exacerbates Gemma’s irritation. The meal becomes a battleground of emotions as Mikhail’s arrogance shines through, culminating in a shocking moment when he reveals the bill and deducts his “overtime” from it, leaving Gemma in disbelief. A brief moment of respite comes when Gemma and Jace step away to talk privately, but the underlying tension is still present.
The chapter reaches a climax when Mikhail suddenly shifts from playful to serious, urging Gemma to get down as gunfire erupts around them. This abrupt transition from a mundane dinner to a life-threatening situation leaves Gemma reeling, highlighting the precarious balance of her new role and the dangers that lurk in Mikhail’s world. The chapter encapsulates a mix of humor, frustration, and escalating danger, showcasing Gemma’s struggle to navigate her new reality while grappling with her emotions towards both Mikhail and Jace.
**Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest**
**Chapter 183**
**Gemma’s POV**
The atmosphere inside the car feels almost suffocatingly silent, as if Mikhail is grappling with the reality that I, of all people, have been handed the task of overseeing him—something I had vehemently tried to avoid.
If he can come to terms with this arrangement before the month turns over, I’ll consider it a small victory.
Zina leans in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Your new boss? Total woman-hater and an absolute show-off, just so you know.”
I stifle a laugh, biting down on the inside of my cheek. “Zina…”
“No, seriously!” she insists, her tone half-joking, half-concerned. “With Cassian on one side and this Mikhail creature on the other, you’re going to be pulling your hair out within a week!”
I open my mouth to ask her to keep it down, but before I can, Mikhail slams on the brakes, sending us lunging forward. Zina barely manages to catch herself, her hands bracing against the dashboard.
Her complexion pales as she straightens up, muttering, “Okay… maybe I should keep my mouth shut. But honestly, Gem, if I had known he would be your boss, I would have dragged you away from this gig! I’d have taken your hand and sprinted in the opposite direction!”
At that, a laugh escapes me, one I can no longer contain. “I’ll manage, I suppose! And if it turns into a circus, you’ll help me escape, right?”
Zina’s face lights up with a grin, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “Always!”
Just as we pull up in front of the hotel, my phone vibrates insistently in my pocket. It’s Cassian. I answer cautiously, “Hello?”
“I’ll pick you up at five,” he states curtly, the words clipped and businesslike. “We’re going to dinner.”
I glance at the clock on the dashboard, noting that it’s already past three. Before I can respond, I hear Reyna’s voice in the background, sweet yet firm.
“Cassian, let’s have lunch together. It’s getting quite late…”
I swallow the words I was about to say and end the call without another thought.
“Boyfriend trouble?” Zina asks, her voice laced with curiosity.
I jump slightly, looking up to find Mikhail leaning over the center console, a playful smirk dancing on his lips as he raises his eyebrows in amusement. His ice-blue eyes glint with mischief.
“Don’t you have any boundaries? Maybe try minding your own business for once,” I snap, trying to keep my irritation in check.
He shrugs nonchalantly, as if my words have no impact. “Isn’t that what my father hired you for? To teach me how to behave socially?”
I let out a long, exasperated sigh.
“Right! Silly me for thinking you were an adult. Don’t be surprised if I start treating you like a toddler—”
Suddenly, Zina makes a strange choking sound from the backseat, causing me to turn. “What’s wrong?”
“Crap! It completely slipped my mind—Jace just landed!”
“What?!” I exclaim, my heart racing.
She thrusts her phone into my face, showing me a text from Jace that reads: [Flight landed thirty minutes early. Just going to pick up my bag, see you outside soon.]
“That means we have maybe fifteen minutes!” she says, her voice rising in panic. “And the airport is at least half an hour away!”
“Then what are you waiting for? Let’s get moving!”
I reach for the door handle, but the locks click shut with an ominous finality.
I turn slowly, feeling my last thread of patience fray. Mikhail is watching us intently, one arm draped casually over the back of the seat. “Where exactly are you going?”
“None of your business,” I retort, my voice sharper than I intended.
“Oh! Are you planning to leave me unattended all day?” he teases, a hint of mockery in his tone.
“What does that even mean?”
“I assumed, since you’re my personal butler on duty today, you’d stick by my side.”
“The job doesn’t start until next month, in case you’ve forgotten,” I reply, crossing my arms defiantly.
Mikhail pauses, a glint of mischief flickering in his eyes, before that infuriating smirk reappears.
“I’ll pay you overtime—thirty thousand for the day. But we’re going in the same car.”
Zina’s jaw drops in disbelief, and I rub my forehead, groaning reluctantly.
“Fine… Let’s go, but we need to hurry.”
He accelerates so abruptly that the car roars in protest, yet the smirk never leaves his face.
We reach the airport in record time, thanks in no small part to Mikhail’s reckless driving, which seems to ignore every traffic law in existence. As we pull up, I spot Jace already outside, leaning casually against the railing with his suitcase resting beside him.
His sharp gaze scans the crowd until it lands on me. “There you are…”
“Sorry we’re late,” I say apologetically. “We had a long day and hit some awful traffic.”
I smile as I take his bag, while Zina steps in for a quick side hug. Jace’s eyes finally drift over to Mikhail, who has just emerged from the driver’s side.
In an instant, Jace’s demeanor shifts dramatically—his eyes narrow, his jaw tightens, and his posture becomes defensive, as if he senses a threat.
Mikhail meets his gaze head-on, and it’s clear that an unspoken tension hangs thick in the air between them, though I can’t quite place why.
Zina, sensing the unease, hooks her arm through Jace’s, steering him towards the car.
“Let’s hit the restaurant first! Gemma has been starving for hours now, right? Right! Yes. Let’s go.”
We end up at a posh waterfront restaurant, yet the atmosphere is so tense it feels stifling. Jace and Mikhail don’t exchange a single word, and our attempts to engage Jace in conversation about his life since we last saw him two days ago fall flat.
For reasons unknown, Mikhail orders nearly every signature dish on the menu, while the rest of us opt for just one dish each.
When the food finally arrives—platters of lobster, oysters, steak, and truffle pasta—Mikhail takes a leisurely bite from each plate, makes a face of disdain, and then pushes the dishes toward the center of the table.
I stare at him in disbelief, wishing I could erase him from my day entirely.
“What are you doing?” I ask incredulously.
“Sampling—!” he replies in a bored tone. “I don’t feel like any of them. You all can have a bite if you’re interested.”
“And if no one wants the rest?”
“Then it’s wasted,” he shrugs casually.
Zina pinches my knee just in time to stop me from launching the plate at Mikhail’s face. By the time the bill arrives, I’ve lost track of how many plates we didn’t touch.
The waiter politely hands the bill to Mikhail, who doesn’t even glance at it before sliding it across the table.
“Thirty-five thousand,” he states matter-of-factly.
I nearly choke.
“You can deduct the thirty thousand for my overtime from it, so now you just owe five. Isn’t that wonderful?”
My jaw drops in disbelief. “Excuse me?!”
“You did say you’re on duty, didn’t you?”
I need air—immediately. “I’m going to the restroom—”
Jace stands up right away. “I’ll go with you.”
We step into a quiet corridor, and he gently stops me with a hand on my arm. “Who is that man?”
“My boss,” I say, forcing a bitter smile.
Jace studies me intently, concern etched on his face. “You can tell me anything, you know that, right?”
“Yes, but there’s nothing more to share.”
He doesn’t press further, simply squeezing my hand before letting go.
When we return to the table, Mikhail’s expression brightens as if he’s been waiting for us.
“I need a smoke break. Come keep an eye on me, Moonlight.”
“Fine… come on,” I reply, trying to mask my annoyance.
We barely step onto the sidewalk when a dark armored vehicle screeches around the corner, tires squealing as it hits the curb.
Mikhail’s head snaps toward it, his expression shifting from casual to deadly serious in an instant.
“Get down!”
Before I can even process his command, his hand grips my collar, yanking me backward just as gunfire erupts around us.
In the chaotic aftermath of gunfire, the weight of the day presses heavily on my chest, a mix of fear and adrenaline surging through me. Mikhail’s grip on my collar is firm, protective, and yet, it feels like a tether binding me to a world I never wanted to enter—the world of his responsibility and the dangers that come with it. As we crouch behind the safety of a nearby pillar, I can feel the tension between us shift, the playful banter of earlier replaced by an unspoken understanding. In that moment, amidst the chaos, I realize that beneath Mikhail’s brash exterior lies a complexity I had yet to uncover. I am no longer just Gemma, the reluctant overseer; I am part of something larger, a fragile alliance forged in the fires of unexpected circumstances.
As the echoes of gunfire fade and the adrenaline begins to ebb, I find myself reflecting on the evening’s events. Jace’s concern for me, Zina’s unwavering support, and even Mikhail’s unexpected bravery have reshaped my perspective. The boundaries I had drawn around my life and my emotions are beginning to blur, leaving room for connections I never anticipated. I can’t help but wonder if the challenges ahead will bring us closer together or drive us apart. In this new reality, where danger lurks just beyond the surface, I know I must navigate my feelings carefully, for the warmth of memories and the promise of new beginnings intertwine in a way that could forever change the course of my life.
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
As the echoes of gunfire fade into the chaos, Gemma finds herself thrust into a whirlwind of danger and uncertainty, with Mikhail’s protective instincts kicking in at the most critical moment. The tension between them will undoubtedly escalate as they navigate this unexpected threat. Will Mikhail’s bravado hold up under fire, or will his true character be revealed in the face of peril? Gemma’s instincts will be put to the test as she grapples with her feelings for Jace while also trying to decipher Mikhail’s enigmatic nature. The stakes have never been higher, and every decision they make could mean the difference between safety and disaster.
Moreover, the arrival of Jace adds another layer of complexity to the unfolding drama. How will he react to the perilous situation, and what role will he play in the aftermath? As Gemma balances her loyalty to Jace with her new responsibilities toward Mikhail, the emotional turmoil is bound to intensify. Expect revelations about Mikhail’s past and the reasons behind the animosity that seems to hang in the air between him and Jace. The next chapter promises to delve deeper into their intertwined fates, pushing Gemma into a position where she must choose not only whom to trust but also how to confront her own feelings amidst the chaos.
With the specter of violence looming over them, the dynamics of their relationships will shift dramatically. Will Gemma’s resolve strengthen, or will the weight of her choices crush her spirit? As secrets unravel and danger lurks at every corner, the next chapter is set to be a thrilling ride filled with unexpected twists and emotional depth, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating what comes next.
Adminj