How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Sylvie had just earned her drone license, and she piloted the thing with effortless skill.

Every swoop and loop she pulled from the sky brought another burst of applause.

Talented, poised, completely self-assured.

No wonder, really.

It was easy to see how Jarrod could fall for her at first sight.

A woman like Sylvie-she had everything it took to turn heads and draw men in.

Elodie had to admit, even from a neutral perspective, that Sylvie was magnetic. She was gentle, confident, and composed-raised with every advantage, smart and ambitious, and beautiful to boot.

Wherever she went, the spotlight followed.

But...

Everything Sylvie had was stolen.

Her mother and Elodie's mother had once been friends. Sylvie's mom had grown up with little, and Elodie's mother had stepped in-paying her college tuition, helping her get into grad school.

But in the end...

Sylvie's mother plagiarized Elodie's mother's work.

and climbed the social ladder over Elodie's mother's broken back. After landing herself

have to lift a

Elodie's

and as soon as she left the stage, a swarm of reporters surged

in the middle of the crowd, jostled several times as the reporters

have the chance to dodge. She stumbled, pain flaring in

reporter's question drifted over the noise: "There's a real spark between you two! Are we going to

Elodie looked up.

shielding her from the press. His expression was cold, his presence

reporters giggled and

you treat Ms. Fielding so well! Are you two getting married? You're

gaze flicker her way for

What did that mean?

warning her to stay out

spreading into her stomach. She bit down on her

grabbed

meeting Joseph's wary look. "What are you doing? Listen, don't cause a

stared at him,

and blurt out the truth? That she'd try to break

She jerked her arm from Joseph's grip, her eyes so icy

on her heel and walked away,

after her,

at his hand, still tingling from where she'd pulled away, her skin soft against his palm. His throat felt