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.

noisy crowd had

this whole fireworks show

top companies are fighting to hire her. She's smart, gorgeous, comes from a powerful family, and her boyfriend

wonder Mr. Silverstein is so crazy about her. Who wouldn't be proud to

a long time, the test results crumpling in her hand

turned and

Later that night.

came home to find Elodie sitting alone in the darkened living

the lights, frowning. "Why aren't

him. His jacket was slung over his arm, and

used to think his indifference was just

in her arms could burn like fire for

was barely more than a

tossed his coat onto the couch,

to go with her, but there was always some billion-dollar deal

yesterday, he'd told her he'd come along. But then he found out Sylvie had hidden her birthday from

rush just in time to arrange

a thought

said just wait and see," Elodie

for a moment, then moved

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