Chapter 255

In Chapter 254 of “Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth,” Gemma finds herself at the center of a scandal that has erupted online, with her name trending for all the wrong reasons. As her friends Jace and Molly react with shock and confusion, Zina stands smugly, revealing the harsh reality of the situation through her phone. The trending hashtags, including #MrsBlackwellExposed and #GoldDigger, cut deep, filling Gemma with dread as she absorbs the malicious comments that paint her as a manipulative gold digger and home-wrecker. Despite the emotional turmoil, Gemma maintains a calm exterior, knowing that showing her pain would only invite more scrutiny.
Molly and Zina rally to Gemma’s side, vowing to fight back against the vicious rumors. Zina’s anger at the situation fuels Gemma’s resolve, while Molly proposes to trace the source of the leaked information, demonstrating her determination to help. Gemma’s acknowledgment of Reyna as the instigator of the scandal reveals the bitter history between them, and her frustration is palpable. The chapter highlights the emotional support among friends as they prepare to take action against the betrayal, with Gemma asserting her desire for strategic retaliation rather than succumbing to anger.
Meanwhile, Reyna is depicted in a contrasting light, reveling in the chaos she has orchestrated during a meeting at her workplace. As her colleagues react to the trending scandal, Reyna feigns innocence while secretly relishing the turmoil she has caused for Gemma. Her manipulative nature shines through as she navigates the room, subtly undermining her peers while ensuring that the fallout from her actions spirals out of control. The tension builds as Cassian, a key figure in the meeting, is drawn away from his responsibilities, leaving Reyna’s plans at risk of unraveling.
As the chapter unfolds, the emotional stakes rise for both Gemma and Reyna. Gemma’s determination to reclaim her narrative is met with Reyna’s scheming, creating a palpable sense of conflict. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger, with Reyna’s carefully laid plans beginning to crumble as Cassian prioritizes Gemma’s well-being over his work obligations. The reader is left anticipating the next move in this high-stakes battle of wits and emotions, highlighting themes of friendship, betrayal, and resilience in the face of adversity.
**TITLE: Before Rain Touches Earth Memories Return With Gentle Warmth by Eli Dane Crest 254**
**Chapter 254**
**Gemma’s POV**
Jace and Molly exchange bewildered looks, their expressions mirroring each other in a way that makes it almost comical. Then, in perfect unison, they both exclaim, “What trending topic?” Their voices blend together like a symphony of confusion, amplifying the tension in the air.
Zina stands there, arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face a mask of smug satisfaction that screams, ‘I knew it!’
“Of course you didn’t tell them…” she says, shaking her head in disbelief.
With a swift motion, she pulls out her phone and spins the screen toward us, as if revealing a shocking secret.
At the very pinnacle of the Internet’s Top trending searches, my name blares ominously. The hashtags cut like shards of glass: #MrsBlackwellExposed #GoldDigger #Cheating.
An icy knot tightens in my stomach, twisting and turning as I take in the implications of it all.
Molly leans closer, her eyes widening in horror as she hovers over Jace’s shoulder, scrolling through the comments.
“Oh my god!” she gasps, her voice barely above a whisper, but the shock is palpable.
The comments cascade down the screen like a relentless torrent of venom.
“Poor Mr. Blackwell, humiliated like this.”
“First loves are always the ones who get hurt the most…”
They label me a gold digger, a home-wrecker, hurling vulgar insults that sting like a swarm of angry bees. Someone has even compiled a photo collage of me with Jace and Mikhail, the images cropped and captioned as if presenting damning evidence before a jury.
I force myself to maintain a calm exterior; I’ve learned that exposing pain only invites more vultures to circle.
Jace’s gaze is locked onto mine, as if he can see the turmoil brewing beneath my composed facade. Molly, on the other hand, is furiously tapping at the screen, her cheeks flushed with indignation. “This is insane! Look at how fake these accounts are! They were all created just last week.”
Zina inhales sharply, her eyes blazing with concern. “Gemma, they are tearing you apart! They’re saying you’ve slept with half the city for a night’s money. Someone even posted a bank statement asking if it was for a night with you.”
Molly slams her palms down on her knees, her frustration palpable. “We can trace them! I can find out who—”
I let out a dry laugh, the sound devoid of humor. “I already know who.”
Zina’s head snaps toward me, her eyebrows knitting together in realization. “Reyna?”
“Of course, it’s Reyna,” I reply, the bitterness in my voice unmistakable.
“She always wanted to be the victim or the martyr, whatever gets her the most attention,” I add, frustration simmering just beneath the surface.
Zina’s fist comes down hard on the coffee table, the unexpected noise making Molly jump in surprise. “That snake! You’re letting me take her down this time, right? I’m going to tear her apart so thoroughly she’ll wish she never learned how to use a keyboard!”
Molly straightens in her seat, her voice small yet resolute. “I… I can go find out who leaked the photos.”
I turn to her, narrowing my eyes in scrutiny. “Can you?”
She nods vigorously, her determination shining through. “Yes! They’re often careless. If I dig a little, I can trace which outlet was paid first. That’ll give us a lead. If it’s Reyna’s people or an account linked to her, we can obtain timestamps and IP traces—”
“Do it,” I command, my tone leaving no room for argument.
I don’t want their sympathy, nor do I seek explanations—I crave action. Zina’s fierce anger fills me with a sense of steadiness; it’s easier to breathe when you have someone ready to fight at your side.
“And welcome to the team, Rizzster,” I add, a smirk breaking through my grim demeanor.
Molly beams, the anxiety in her eyes transforming into fierce pride, a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.
Zina snatches her phone back, muttering curses under her breath as she begins typing furiously, her fingers flying across the screen like a pianist in a frantic performance.
Jace tilts his head, studying my reaction intently. “You’re not angry?”
I meet his gaze with a steady resolve. “Anger is for those who are caught off guard… I prefer to strategize.”
—
**Reyna’s POV**
In the conference room, the monotonous hum of the air conditioning fills the silence as Cassian’s voice drones on, explaining projections displayed on the screen.
Across the expansive table, Liam is scrolling through his phone, his boredom palpable. But then, I notice his thumb moving with a frantic urgency, the casual scrolling shifting into rapid flicks.
“What the heck!” he exclaims, his voice a harsh whisper that cuts through the air, drawing almost every head in the room to turn toward him.
Cassian frowns, his tone low yet sharp. “Liam, do you have any comments?”
Liam stammers, his hands trembling as he tries to steady his phone. “I—I don’t have objections to the plan, but… I think you should see this.”
He leans forward, attempting to pass the phone to Cassian, his urgency palpable.
It’s a subtle cue, not an outright command. I know how to navigate this delicate line, enough that others murmur in agreement, effectively silencing him.
“She’s right. We all agreed to keep our phones on silent during meetings,” I chime in, my voice dripping with feigned innocence.
I bow my head slightly, a smile teasing at the corners of my lips, unnoticed by the others.
Of course, I know exactly what Liam has stumbled upon. The trending storm is already raging, mercilessly tearing Gemma apart with calculated brutality.
Photos, captions, scandals… I’ve fed the tabloids everything they needed and timed the release to coincide with this very meeting. By the time Cassian realizes what’s happening, the wildfire will have spread too far to contain.
Liam doesn’t back down, though. He glares at me, his expression tense. “What do you know about it? What if Cassian suffers some harm in the meantime? Are you going to take responsibility for that?”
My pulse quickens; is he really accusing me in front of everyone? Implying that I want them to be harmed?
“I… I was just thinking about the company,” I stammer, feigning confusion. “Nothing else…”
Nobody is allowed to check their phones. Why should I be any different? Isn’t that a double standard?
Relief trickles through me, and I grasp onto it tightly. Owen’s intervention is convenient, but Liam shoots him a look of pure disdain. “I don’t have time to argue with you, idiot!”
The room falls silent once more. All eyes shift back to Cassian, who might have been swayed to continue the meeting if not for the spat between these two.
Damn it, now he knows that Liam must be really agitated to cuss Rhett out in a meeting.
Finally, Cassian speaks up. “Okay, let’s take a ten-minute break.”
My heart drops. No… this wasn’t part of the plan. He wasn’t supposed to leave!
A fire ignites in my chest, and my mind screams in protest that he should have remained.
As Cassian rises, I can’t suppress the flicker of hatred that courses through me.
He should have ignored Liam; this wasn’t how it was meant to go down.
Cassian strides out, Liam trailing closely behind him. Their voices drift faintly through the glass, a haunting reminder of my carefully laid plans unraveling.
I can almost hear the dull thud of my meticulous strategy collapsing around me.
Cassian takes the phone, scrolls through it briefly, then shoves it back. “I’m going back to the warehouse.”
“What about the meeting?” Liam presses, his voice laced with urgency.
“We’ll continue it next time,” Cassian replies, his words slicing through the air like a knife.
My heart sinks… Cassian is walking out without a second thought, all for Gemma!?
I maintain an impassive expression as Liam returns alone. “Alright, everyone, that’s it for today. The meeting’s canceled.”
Confusion and whispers ripple through the room, while the fire within me continues to burn fiercely. He left, but this time, it doesn’t matter.
The rumors are already out in the open. The fire has been ignited, and by the time Cassian reaches her, Gemma will already be engulfed in flames.
In the aftermath of the chaos, Gemma stands resolute, her heart steadying as she embraces the fire ignited by Reyna’s betrayal. With Jace and Molly at her side, she transforms the venomous onslaught into fuel for her resolve, ready to dismantle the narrative woven around her. The storm of public opinion may rage, but within her, a fierce determination takes root. Gemma recognizes that this moment of vulnerability is also one of empowerment; she won’t be the victim Reyna desires. Instead, she chooses to fight back, rallying her friends to uncover the truth and reclaim her narrative. The camaraderie they share serves as a shield against the world’s judgment, igniting a spark of hope amidst the darkness.
Meanwhile, Reyna’s carefully crafted schemes begin to unravel, the very foundation of her machinations trembling under the weight of unforeseen consequences. As Cassian’s loyalty shifts, the flames of her envy and resentment burn hotter, consuming her from within. The realization that her plans have backfired ignites a new kind of fury, one that propels her deeper into a spiral of desperation. Yet, as Gemma prepares to rise from the ashes of scandal, Reyna’s downfall looms on the horizon, a reminder that the truth, no matter how deeply buried, always finds a way to surface. In this intricate dance of power and betrayal, both women are irrevocably changed, their fates entwined in a battle that promises to reshape their lives forever.
In the next chapter, tensions will escalate as Gemma and her allies scramble to counter the vicious onslaught of rumors and accusations that threaten to tear her life apart. With Reyna’s treachery looming large, Gemma’s resolve will be tested as she takes the offensive, leveraging her newfound determination and the loyalty of her friends. Expect heart-pounding moments as Molly delves deeper into the digital trail of deceit, uncovering shocking revelations that may lead them to Reyna’s hidden machinations. As the stakes rise, Gemma will have to navigate the treacherous waters of betrayal, friendship, and the quest for justice, all while keeping her composure under the relentless scrutiny of the public eye.
Meanwhile, Reyna’s carefully orchestrated plan begins to unravel, and the consequences of her actions will manifest in unexpected ways. As Cassian grapples with his feelings for Gemma and the fallout from the scandal, the tension between him and Reyna will reach a boiling point. Will Cassian stand by Gemma’s side, or will Reyna’s manipulations drive a wedge between them? As loyalties are tested and secrets come to light, readers can anticipate a whirlwind of emotions, confrontations, and the fierce battle for truth that will leave everyone questioning who can truly be trusted. Prepare for a chapter that promises to be a rollercoaster of suspense, drama, and the relentless pursuit of redemption.
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