How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"I'm sorry, Miss Elodie Thorne. You missed the optimal window for surgery..."

Elodie stood frozen for a long time, clutching the diagnosis confirming her uterine cancer, before she finally dialed Jarrod Silverstein's secretary, Keith.

The line rang endlessly before he picked up, his tone as flippant as ever. "Yes, Mrs. Silverstein? Can I help you?"

Elodie's fingers curled, stiff and cold. "Is Jarrod there? I need to speak with him."

"Mr. Silverstein is unavailable at the moment," Keith replied.

"Please, could you put him on—"

She didn't even finish before another voice floated through the receiver-a woman's voice, gentle and sweet. "Jarrod," she teased, "what's this surprise? Why all the secrecy?"

"Look up," came Jarrod's deep, familiar voice-so gentle, yet never for her.

A second later, Keith cut the call without hesitation.

At that very moment-

Boom-

An explosion thundered from across the harbor. Elodie looked up, her face drained of color.

Brilliant fireworks burst over the distant waterfront, streaks of color twisting together in the midnight blue sky-beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale.

crowd had

Group. He threw this whole fireworks show for his girlfriend's birthday-cost over three million

of Technology, all the top companies are fighting to hire her. She's smart, gorgeous, comes from a

so crazy about her. Who wouldn't be proud to have

crumpling in her hand until finally, the thin paper slipped from

and

Later that night.

came home to find Elodie sitting alone in

on the lights, frowning. "Why aren't

up at him. His jacket was slung over his arm, and his

his indifference was just his

who was ice in her arms could burn like

barely more than a whisper. "I went to the hospital

couch, barely interested. "What did

but there was always some billion-dollar deal or urgent crisis at work to

But then he found out

a rush just in time to arrange

spared a

see," Elodie

for a moment, then moved

into his arms, his breath hot against her neck, voice low