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."

it was for

of her, concern flickering across his handsome

edges of her vision,

"Elodie!"

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

an instant. He scooped her up and rushed

erupted into

the hand he'd reached out

door long after Alexander had gone,

a moment. Then 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 figured Jarrod was just as

was that about?" Maurice muttered, frowning. "Sylvie's right here,

dismissive. "Jarrod ignored her, left her with no

nothing. Part of her agreed with 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 the other hand, had

still lost in thought, suddenly spoke

Maurice and Sylvie both

over,

to him outside the restroom earlier her

ago," Joseph

Sylvie frowned.

everyone here, she