How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

When Elodie arrived, she found Jarrod standing beneath the covered walkway of the nursing home, cigarette in hand. He looked tall and composed, an imposing figure with a chill about him that kept people at a distance.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, and her expression was anything but calm.

Jarrod, always calculating, never wasted words. He was threatening her with her uncle to force her hand—nothing more, nothing less.

She walked up to him. "Can we talk?"

Jarrod turned slowly, regarding her with a cool gaze. "Why are you so nervous?"

The question hit her like a slap.

Elodie knew times had changed; she couldn't afford to be defiant anymore. She softened her voice. "My mother dedicated her whole life to art. She and Selma always had their differences. No matter what, the gallery can't be sold. Can't you just let this go...?"

She was out of breath, probably from running.

Her words came out in shaky bursts.

Jarrod just looked at her, unmoved. "Her mother loved that place."

His tone made it clear-he wasn't going to give in.

He was willing to let the Thorne family be insulted, all to please Sylvie's mother?

remembered all the times she'd pleaded for him to visit her uncle and grandmother. He'd barely ever agreed. Now, he'd come here of his own accord-

What a cruel joke.

and kept her voice steady. "Jarrod, I know you always get what you want, but not this time. My grandmother can't stand Sylvie's mother. If she finds out Selma is the buyer, it will devastate

she refused, Jarrod had a thousand

She couldn't risk it.

she'd never done

her for a

hands into his pockets. "Fine. The

at him, stunned by his unexpected

then Jarrod asked, "Was the situation with

Finally, she understood.

Mr. Patrick had affected her grandmother, and now the gallery was just another pawn

the reason his

case, it was clear where his loyalties

met his eyes. "No. It was a personal matter between me and her. There's no way I

wanted to make her squirm, to defend Sylvie's wounded pride by putting Elodie in her

redness in her eyes. "Tell me besides Alexander, does VistaLink

surprised

team is made up of top university graduates,"

brilliant Sylvie was, she

Jarrod understood her meaning.