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.

been volatile. Maybe, in that moment, he'd simply misunderstood —maybe old habits of

her, casually, as if

left Elodie breathless, and

giving her statement, she was told someone needed to

eyes red from crying, and threw herself into Ivan's arms. She gently touched

slipping back into his usual nonchalance. "It's

looked around the room and spotted Joseph-also sporting a fresh bruise—and Elodie, sitting stiffly

"Elodie, you're here too? Why

but couldn't

if people weren't close, it

looked up, her

had no patience left for

Joseph and, lips pressed tight,

seemed composed. He cleared

then murmured, "I'm

this was partly her fault. Ivan had only stepped

lifetime of habit. Seeing her in trouble, Ivan had acted on instinct, not malice. Now, though,

met her gaze, then shook his head.

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

sometime-I owe you a proper apology." Joseph wasn't one to hold

Elodie dragged into any

her husband to the core. She'd probably help serve drinks to his mistress after a long night. Guess I was

words stung-an open insult, a jab at Elodie's

she was

to protest, but found himself at a loss

else, had seen how much Elodie

how much she'd tolerated

her "pathetic" more than

blurted out, "Wait, what do you

and, unable to help herself, added, "He doesn't even bother to hide it? He must not care about you