How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

After finishing up her work, Elodie got a call from Keith.

He relayed Jarrod's instructions, making his intentions perfectly clear.

Elodie understood instantly. No matter how anyone tried to spin it, Sylvie had been involved with Jarrod while he was still married-she was, in every sense, the other woman. Jarrod wanted Elodie to handle the fallout, to smooth things over officially. If anyone decided to dredge up old scandals, he needed Elodie-the wife-to publicly "clear Sylvie's name." That way, Sylvie couldn't be accused of breaking up a marriage, and Jarrod could silence any rumors or moral outrage.

Jarrod really was willing to go to any lengths for Sylvie.

As for Jarrod's barely veiled threat about her "considering her options"—it was just a warning. If Elodie didn't play along, she could forget about working anywhere else once she left The Silverstein Group. He could easily ruin her career.

For three years, she'd done everything right, devoting herself to being the perfect wife. From the day they married, she'd cut all ties with her past, determined to make a new start. But it had earned her nothing-certainly not Jarrod's love.

She was exhausted.

A bitter smile tugged at Elodie's lips. In a calm, almost detached tone, she said, "I'm taking sick leave. If you insist I work while I'm ill, that's a violation of labor law. We can let the courts settle it."

She was already heading for divorce and about to quit her job-she couldn't care less about Jarrod's feelings now.

After work, as soon as Elodie got in her car, she saw a message from her father, Malcom Harcourt:

*Your brother is getting out of prison. We're having a family dinner. Are you coming home?*

like an invitation, but Elodie knew better. Malcom would much rather

been together, Malcom considered it a disgrace. He thought she'd brought shame on the family, and if she hadn't been useful— marrying

Ivan. The person who once meant everything to her. After a moment's hesitation, Elodie

she would never have anything to do

housekeepers eyed her with thinly veiled disdain. "Ms. Thorne, what

reply. This had stopped being her home years ago-even the staff looked down on her and made it clear she wasn't

Harcourt descended

Reba Ha

"Elodie?" Re

her expression icy. "Wow, you've got some nerve. Ivan's barely home for a minute and you're already showing up to make everyone uncomfortable. Does it make you happy, ruining things for the

and, by some cruel irony, shared

move out of my

you are then."

her paintings for a small fortune. Now Malcom, Laverne, and Reba all lived here in comfort, enjoying the fruits of Ker mother's legacy. And Reba had the gaff

of malicious glee. "Let's see if you can keep

female voice

Queenie Jett, seeing Elodie's face, tugged on Ivan's sleeve and whispered, "She's

before turning his full attention back to

Reba. You're jealous of my ow sister?" Ivan teased. Queenie blushed as she