How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 119

She never finished her sentence.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded at the doorway.

A low, cool male voice cut through the room. "I'm not late, am I? Darling?"

Elodie's words were snatched from her lips.

She whipped around, stunned, half-convinced she must have misheard.

Everyone else in the room looked over, just as surprised.

Jarrod strode in, calm and assured.

Seeing him, Ivan's brows knit in surprise. He hadn't expected Jarrod to give Elodie such respect-calling her "darling" in front of everyone.

But then again, Ivan realized, today it was just the Thornes-no outsiders, no need to keep up appearances. Jarrod could afford the pretense of

acknowledgment. If even one unknowing guest were present, Elodie would never hear such a word from him.

Tall and impeccably dressed in a black suit, Jarrod crossed the room. He glanced at Elodie, then nodded politely to Rosemary. "Business kept me for a while," he said, voice even. "My apologies, Grandma."

Elodie's expression cooled.

casual "darling" had almost cracked her composure. The shock she felt at the word

Willing to go this

he'd never

accepted that Jarrod was with Selma and Sylvie today. Why had he shown up

was plain black, not the red-patterned one Sylvie

made

her, his

realize the look she'd been giving him. With Rosemary and the others still watching, she forced herself to change the subject. "Where did you come

"Work."

it drop. It wasn't her place to dig deeper, not

press further. She

nodded, following the ritual with practiced

the word "darling," nudged Alexander, bewildered. "What's going on? Aren't they already divorced? He hasn't even changed

way, since he's here,

hadn't shown, Alexander would have told Elodie to get a rabies shot

rights, Jarrod should have been spending today as Sylvie's

highlight-wasn't until tonight. That would leave

wondered the same. The third anniversary memorial would wrap up before noon; she figured Jarrod would leave as soon as the ritual was over. That way, he could maintain appearances and

as he greeted Jarrod. "I thought Mr. Silverstein might be too busy

had