How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

The next morning, the housekeeper arrived with Jarrod's younger sister, Octavia.

The girl had just turned seventeen, all long limbs and bright eyes. As soon as she walked in, she tossed her purse onto the couch without a care.

"Where's Elodie Thorne?" Octavia blinked at Jarrod, feigning innocence.

Jarrod finished knotting his tie and glanced her way. "Is that how you address people?"

Octavia pouted. "You don't even like her, so why should I call her my sister-in- law?"

Their mother had said it often enough-Elodie had married up, clinging to the Silverstein family, and ought to devote herself entirely to them. There was a word for that, wasn't there?

A glorified housekeeper?

Jarrod shot her a cold, knowing look. "Alright, out with it. What's your scheme this time?"

Octavia's eyes sparkled. "Aren't you busy today, big brother?"

"And if I am?"

"Mom's at a fashion show, Dad's out of the country, and Grandma's not well enough to come to my parent-teacher meeting." Octavia swung her legs, putting on her best pleading voice. "So let Elodie go. She eats your food, spends your money, and does nothing all day. She's got all the time in the world."

Jarrod hesitated. "You can ask her yourself."

her know, she won't dare refuse." Lately, Octavia had become obsessed with watching Sylvie's lectures on aerospace engineering from abroad, and her grades had slipped. She had no intention of letting her mother or brother hear about it from her teachers.

mull it over, then shrugged on his coat and headed for the door. "Fine. I'll clear it with

low fever. These days, her body seemed to rebel at the slightest provocation; her immune system just didn't work the way it

day before, and today she meant to

the time she reached the hospital lobby, her legs

a few steps before her vision blurred and the floor rushed up to meet

"Elodie!"

woman's voice shouted her

everything

saw was her best friend, Esmeralda Mercer, sitting at

was a mix of worry and irritation. "What the hell has Jarrod been putting you through? The doctor

heart skipped. She tensed, afraid her secret might

Did the fever fry your brain?" Esmeralda

her illness all over Eldermere-the woman couldn't keep a secret to save her life. If her grandmother or uncle found out, it'd be

up here?" Elodie asked, changing

shrugged. "My idiot brother went on a bender and landed himself in the ER with alcohol

"But you look awful.

had seen the livestream, too. Very few people knew Jarrod was married, and yet the internet was obsessed with his so-called fairytale romance with

Disgusting. Both of them.

said quietly. "Once the waiting period's