How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

When Elodie accepted his friend request, Joseph was genuinely surprised. He couldn't even explain to himself why he'd added her in the first place, or what he was supposed to say now that she'd accepted.

It all felt a bit awkward.

In the end, he didn't say anything.

Instead, he tapped into Elodie's social feed and started scrolling.

She didn't post often, and it looked like her privacy settings were wide open. The latest update was from about two weeks ago—a photo of a hospital building.

The caption read: "Here alone, fingers crossed for good news..."

Joseph couldn't help picturing Elodie's calm, detached expression.

Clearly, she'd gone to the doctor by herself.

As he scrolled further, most of her posts were snapshots of daily life-little things that showed how much she loved living. Pictures of desserts she'd made, home- cooked meals, fresh bouquets she'd bought, and her place looking neat and inviting.

It was all so warm and full of intention.

Joseph lingered for a while, thinking that, really, Jarrod ought to be pretty happy.

His thumb paused on a mirror selfie Elodie had posted. He hesitated, then decided not to open it in full.

"Joseph? What are you looking at?" Maurice's voice broke his reverie. They'd all been out to dinner for a while now, but Joseph had barely said a word and kept staring at his phone.

Jarrod glanced over, his tone unreadable. "Something on your mind?"

He, too, had noticed Joseph seemed distracted all night.

Joseph met Jarrod's eyes, feeling a sudden, inexplicable irritation. "No."

Sylvie walked over and glanced at Joseph's phone. "You seem out of it. Are you feeling all right?"

He quickly locked the screen. "I'm fine."

gently. "Glad to

thought she'd glimpsed a woman's

A woman?

gave Joseph a second, lingering

spent the night at Silverstein Mansion.

study there, and the next morning, as

was just heading

right into his

at her, eyebrow raised. "What are you

to school, obviously.

thought

always called Sylvie "sister-in-law." Never

downstairs soon,

glanced at her. "What do

and pleading to be acknowledged as his sister-in-law, but Octavia stubbornly refused and kept calling Sylvie by that title instead. She figured Elodie must be livid about it,

didn't compare

star in the aviation field, and Octavia wanted to go into

she had to admit, Elodie was good at running a home-her cooking and desserts were

totally useless, she

lately, Elodie had stopped dropping off little treats for her on

them, but she wasn't about to act friendly-otherwise, Elodie

really. Just noticed it's been pretty peaceful lately," Octavia said, turning back to browse a drone

developed the U.N2 drone. Someday, she'd love to meet

his tablet and started checking the stock market, making it clear

met up with Sylvie, Jarrod

her mornings weren't too early.

a short hospital stay. Octavia didn't bother to say hello. They were the same age and

a box of cookies out

behind her, Octavia immediately recognized the

her a look and took a bite. "Not your