How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie met Ivan's gaze. He watched her with a hint of a smile, as if he were an outsider simply waiting to see her squirm.

She tightened her grip around her fingers, feeling the last shred of hope slip away.

Elodie didn't look away. She met his eyes, giving him exactly what he wanted. "Hello, Queenie," she said, her voice steady.

Queenie's smile widened as she wrapped her arms around Ivan's waist, leaning into him with a show of affection.

Ivan paused, glanced at Elodie for a fleeting moment, then lowered his head and led Queenie into the sitting room.

"What's with the act?" Reba strode over, her voice sharp with scorn. "My brother isn't interested in a married woman."

"And as for that Ms. Fielding-the one Mr. Silverstein invited for his birthday yesterday—she's a hotshot PhD in aerospace engineering. Someone the entire business world is fighting over. How could a housewife whose only talents are cooking and warming a bed ever compete?"

"Or maybe you're just afraid you'll be kicked out, so now you want to cozy up to the Harcourts?"

This miserable marriage-everyone was just waiting to watch her fall.

Elodie's chest twisted with pain. She set the gift she'd brought down on the table. "Don't worry. However my life turns out, it's got nothing to do with the Harcourt family. After all, my name is Thorne."

Without another word, she left, not bothering to look back.

Staying any longer would only make things worse for everyone.

"She's gone?"

from the side room just in time to see Elodie's resolute figure

attitude? She doesn't care about the Harcourts, or you.

The only benefit he'd ever gotten from the marriage was at the very start, when he'd leveraged the Silverstein name for a business deal. Since then, the Harcourt

it all Elodie's fault for being so useless? She couldn't

face hardened. He glanced at Reba. "You're not getting any younger, either. Elodie's a lost cause. If I get a chance, I'll help you get some face time

instantly understood

She unconsciously glanced over

sofa, feeding grapes to

her lip, a flash of

*

rented a small,

ready. She signed a year-long lease; the place was only about a mile from

easy to get there

head was pounding after leaving the Harcourt house, but Elodie

Jarrod on

to take his call about signing

was make it through

long shower, then collapsed

Meanwhile

was dark;

came home before, Elodie always left a lamp burning for him, greeting

rarely came home. In fact, it was only on certain days each month-out of