How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie caught the faint, familiar scent she knew down to her bones. Weak and startled, she lifted her head and met Jarrod's dark, unreadable eyes.

He looked at her with a near-expressionless face, his gaze so cold it made her want to sink through the floor. For a moment, it almost felt as if she'd done something on purpose—as if all this was her own design.

"Sorry," she muttered through clenched teeth, trying to push herself upright. Sweat prickled at her brow, pain rolling over her in sickening waves, leaving her limbs heavy and useless.

"Do you need me to carry you?" Jarrod's voice was cool and detached, like a stranger observing from a distance.

Elodie realized the eyes trained on her had shifted, their scrutiny sharpened. It was as if they all thought she was putting on a show-choosing the most powerful man in the room to perform for.

"Ms. Thorne, his girlfriend is right there. Are your arms and legs suddenly useless?" Maurice sneered, not bothering to keep his voice down.

Sylvie watched Elodie with an aloof smile, clearly amused by the whole spectacle, not the least bit ruffled.

Joseph, however, frowned. He could tell something seemed genuinely wrong with Elodie.

Just as he started to speak, Maurice suddenly exclaimed, "Sylvie! Did you get burned?"

The words barely left his mouth when Elodie felt a sudden, forceful shove at her lower back. She was pulled aside so roughly that she had to cling to the table to keep from collapsing.

Jarrod was already turning away to check on Sylvie, a rare crease forming between his brows. "You got burned?"

Sylvie lifted her arm, revealing a red mark on her pale skin. She glanced at Elodie, then shrugged. "It's nothing. I'm not one to make a fuss."

flash of concern on Jarrod's face-but it was for another woman. She looked away, forcing herself to

really not feeling well?" Joseph appeared in front of her, concern flickering

Elodie could barely hear him. Darkness closed in around the edges of her

"Elodie!"

called her name, but she couldn't make out who they belonged to before she

in an instant. He scooped her up and rushed toward

erupted into

drew back the hand he'd reached

Alexander had gone, his sharp features clouded

understanding dawned: Elodie had all but thrown herself at Jarrod in front of everyone, no doubt hoping to force their relationship into the open. Sylvie

frowning. "Sylvie's right here, and she just lunges at him like

faking it," Maurice added, sounding dismissive. "Jarrod ignored her, left her with no way out. Now Alexander's

Maurice: maybe Elodie really was playing some twisted game. She'd tried to kill two birds with one stone, but Jarrod hadn't bitten-Alexander, on

thought, suddenly

and Sylvie both looked

over,

earlier her blunt, "I don't like you." He felt a wave of irritation for

hour ago," Joseph said. "She looked pale even then. She's

Sylvie frowned.

muttered, "Out of everyone here, she just happened to stumble