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."

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. Elodie, on the other hand, didn't matter; a scolding or two from

on his coat and headed for the door. "Fine. I'll clear it

up with a pounding headache and a low fever. These days, her body seemed to rebel at the slightest provocation; her immune system just didn't work the way it used

called in sick the day before, and today she meant to go to

the time she reached the hospital lobby, her legs felt like jelly.

her vision blurred and the floor rushed up to

"Elodie!"

woman's voice shouted

then everything went

thing she saw was her best friend, Esmeralda Mercer,

the hell has Jarrod been putting you through? The doctor says you collapsed from exhaustion-your fever just

tensed, afraid her secret might

wrong? Did the fever fry your brain?"

she needed was Esmeralda broadcasting her illness all over Eldermere-the woman couldn't keep

end up here?" Elodie asked, changing

"My idiot brother went on a bender and landed himself in the ER

a hard look. "But you look awful. Is this

Very few people knew Jarrod was married, and yet the internet was obsessed with

Disgusting. Both of them.

him," she said quietly. "Once the waiting