How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Sylvie acted as though she hadn't even noticed Elodie. Smiling gently at Octavia, she said, "Call me whatever you like if it makes you happy, Octavia."

Jarrod looked up, a hint of impatience in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

Elodie met his cold, indifferent gaze and understood immediately.

He'd gotten the wrong idea-again.

Sure enough, Maurice Nilsson, standing off to the side, shot Elodie a frosty glare. "Ms. Thorne, you really don't know when to quit, do you? Following Jarrod all the way to one of our private gatherings-don't you think that's a bit much? We're all adults here. It's embarrassing, don't you think?"

Why else would Elodie show up?

To catch her husband cheating, obviously.

Maurice scoffed, certain he saw right through her. "It's pathetic, honestly. You know Jarrod doesn't even like you."

He'd never forgiven her for what happened that night-how she'd arranged for a reporter to take photos after sleeping with Jarrod. If Jarrod hadn't acted quickly to suppress the story, the Silverstein family's reputation would have been in shreds.

A woman who'd risk her own reputation just to climb the social ladder-none of Jarrod's friends respected her for it.

Elodie was used to this kind of biting sarcasm. As far as Jarrod's circle was concerned, she was the shameless woman who didn't know her place.

Sylvie sat poised at Jarrod's side, graceful and self-possessed, pouring juice for Octavia without even glancing at Elodie. Confidence and elegance radiated from her-she had nothing to fear from any confrontation.

Elodie understood perfectly. This was what it meant to be the favored one: to act with impunity.

"Are you upset?" Octavia asked Sylvie nervously, glancing between her and Elodie. She worried that Sylvie might be bothered by the woman who was about to take her brother away.

Sylvie just smiled softly, offering no comment.

worried Sylvie would misunderstand, grew even colder. "If you

didn't look back at the

coolly.

was calm, but he clearly thought she'd been

a tightness in her chest. "You're overthinking it. I'm not here to see you, and

getting divorced-she had no reason

call in sick from work

a sick uncle; why would she give up a high-paying job so easily? She wasn't like Sylvie,

studied her

longer felt any urge

step back. "Let's just get the divorce

didn't want any more entanglements. She'd only come because Octavia had gone missing, but now even that

been surprised to see her-clearly, the girl

was no point trying to explain; Octavia would never admit

wanted was to finalize

Jarrod paused, his dark eyes locking onto

She'd already sent him

to leave,

vers

server rushed by, bumping hard into her shoulder. Elodie lost her balance, stumbling backward-straight into a

cool scent filled

three years of sharing a

"Sorry,

caught a whiff of something medicinal and

heart clenched.