How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 133

Elodie barely had time to react. One hand pressed to her waist, she looked up in stunned confusion.

Joseph's lips were split and bleeding, his handsome face darkened with anger.

Across from them, Ivan's eyes flashed coldly, his sharp features twisted in a sneer. Without warning, he strode forward and grabbed Joseph by the collar. "What the hell are you doing with her? Do you have any idea who she is? Or do you just not care?"

Joseph had never been humiliated like this. He responded with a punch of his

own.

"Show some respect to me and Ms. Thorne!"

Ivan licked the blood from his own lip and laughed icily, lunging again.

Respect? After what he'd just seen?

Joseph's ears were burning red.

It looked like the two of them were about to come to blows. Elodie, pale, moved quickly between them. "Ivan! Stop it!"

Ivan paused, turning back to look at Elodie with a mocking smirk. "So, what, you're fine with this?"

He curled his lip, clicking his tongue. "You could've just said so. Elodie, you've got some nerve. Guess you don't mind sampling what's right under your nose. Aren't you worried your darling husband and his good buddy might swap notes about you behind closed doors..."

Elodie's face went sheet-white. Her jaw trembled with shock-it was almost impossible to believe Ivan would say something so vile.

Crack!

Joseph landed another punch. "Mr. Harcourt, don't you dare insult her like that." Ivan, now noticeably hurting, scowled and seemed ready to explode-

But then the wail of police sirens cut through the tension.

Sitting in the police station, Elodie's head throbbed. She looked even colder than usual, her expression stony.

simply misunderstood —maybe old habits of brotherly protectiveness had

humiliated her, casually, as if it

left Elodie breathless, and bitterly

was told someone

from crying, and threw herself into Ivan's arms. She

around her, slipping back into his usual nonchalance. "It's

room and spotted Joseph-also sporting a

again. "Elodie, you're here too? Why didn't you stop your brother?

knew Joseph, but couldn't quite piece

even if people weren't close, it was rare for things to get this

looked up,

had no

Joseph and, lips pressed tight,

how rattled she was, though she still seemed composed. He cleared his throat. "Yeah.

nodded, hesitated, then murmured, "I'm

partly her fault. Ivan had only

habit. Seeing her in

shook his head. "It's

figured it was only natural for Ivan, as her brother, to

you a proper apology." Joseph wasn't one to hold grudges. In business,

Elodie dragged into any

core.

words stung-an open insult, a jab

went bloodless. But she was too

frowned, about to protest, but found himself at a loss

much Elodie had

how much she'd tolerated from

called her "pathetic"

do you mean? Elodie, is your

to help herself, added, "He doesn't even bother to hide it? He must not care about you at all. No wonder