How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie cast a cool, indifferent glance at Maurice.

Joseph glanced at Elodie, then said, "This really isn't something Ms. Thorne needs to handle."

This was work for the staff, not her.

Alexander and Elodie immediately understood what Maurice was getting at.

Just moments ago, Maurice had been singing Sylvie's praises, calling her a rising star, full of promise-and now, he was assigning Elodie these petty, menial tasks. The message couldn't have been clearer.

She and Sylvie were worlds apart.

Elodie knew all too well: ever since that scandal-climbing into Jarrod's bed, blackmailing a journalist, forcing a marriage-everyone here had looked at her with barely concealed disgust. To them, she was only fit to atone for her supposed sins.

Maurice tapped his forehead, feigning innocence. "No offense. I just thought, since Ms. Thorne was a homemaker for three years, she'd probably be more skilled than the rest of us."

Elodie couldn't help but glance at Jarrod.

Did he really not notice the way those around him belittled her?

But then, Jarrod had never cared about her feelings.

Just like now-he remained detached, as if none of this concerned him.

Because, in truth, he'd never really thought of her as his wife.

replied, "If you're having trouble with your hands, Mr. Nilsson, I'd

Maurice's smile froze.

sarcasm right back at him, out in the open. She

Maurice's face, Elodie turned away- only to lock eyes with Jarrod across

of a smile-wry, almost amused -flitted across

quickly

Elodie was momentarily stunned.

Jarrod... just smiled

these years—they could probably count on one hand the number of times he'd

had never been able

was the first to break the awkward silence. He shot Maurice a look and said, "Mr. Nilsson, is there something you'd like? I could grill it for

back to attention, suddenly feeling

Elodie wasn't going to just

course, he had no intention of letting Alexander do such chores. "Mr. Sterling, you

was obvious to everyone that

more than siding-was he actually...

frowned. Was Alexander interested

If this was just a normal boss-employee relationship, Alexander wouldn't go this far,

Alexander raised his glass and

a skewer of mushrooms to Freya, who'd been quietly eating with her head down the entire

observant-she noticed the little things,