How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie's chest tightened, caught between shock and disbelief.

It took her a long moment to find her voice. "In that case, may I ask-when do you plan to come with me to get..." The word "divorce papers" hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't say it.

Jarrod's phone rang.

He glanced at Elodie, then turned away to answer, his tone unconsciously softening. "Yeah, I'll be right there."

Without waiting to see if Elodie had anything more to say, he spun on his heel and strode off, long legs carrying him away in that same cold, dismissive manner he'd always used with her.

Elodie had wanted to use the chance to ask when he might spare some time to visit her grandmother, to finally clear things up. But watching Jarrod head off without a second thought-eager, no doubt, to see Sylvie-she simply climbed into her car.

Forget it.

Another time.

She didn't have the strength or energy to entangle herself with him anymore.

After opening the box of medication, she dropped the pills one by one into a clear pill bottle, tossed the packaging, and headed back to VistaLink Technologies.

Elodie hadn't mentioned she'd gone to the doctor; Esmeralda assumed she'd visited her uncle and asked how things were going.

Thinking of her uncle's pained expression, Elodie shut her eyes and shook her head. "He's about the same."

face fell with sympathy as

hugged her back. "I'll

future tech, and VistaLink Technologies would be closely aligned with government policies over the next two years. She already had a

knew it, it was nearly

off. She swallowed her pills, fighting the nausea, just as her phone rang-Alexander's name lighting up

something you

"...Yeah?"

Sylvie showed up-Sylvie wants to partner with us on the next project. She doesn't lack ambition,

Sylvie's confidence. "What

to bankroll the whole thing, as long as VistaLink Technologies agrees. Basically wants to buy his way

against the kitchen island, letting out a

way of proving Sylvie was worthy of anything she wanted? "Alex, don't worry about me. This is business-if you think

way. VistaLink Technologies was the result of so many people's hard work; it wasn't fair

didn't care

bothered, I sure as hell am!" Alexander scoffed. "There's plenty of rich, powerful investors out there—it's not like The Silverstein Group is our only option. VistaLink Technologies has never been the

warmth spread through Elodie's chest. "Thanks,

"Don't get sentimental on me! I'm hanging

smiled at her phone

didn't know exactly how Alexander planned to

she didn't intend

out the lights