How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 180

Maurice was genuinely surprised.

Elodie was being all businesslike?

Cold, detached, as if they were discussing a merger and not the end of a

marriage.

But that veneer cracked in an instant.

A faint crease appeared between Elodie's brows as she scanned the rest of the agreement. Whatever charitable assumptions she'd made about Jarrod's intentions vanished without a trace.

She'd found the other two conditions.

The first: for one year, she was forbidden from telling Henrietta the truth about the divorce.

The second: unless Jarrod gave explicit permission, she was not allowed to reveal to anyone that they'd been married for three years, nor was she allowed to disclose the exact date of their divorce.

If she broke the terms, Jarrod had the right to defend his reputation and reclaim the house, the shops, the financial settlement-everything he'd promised her. And if she breached the agreement, he could demand "reasonable compensation." The definition of "reasonable" would be up to Jarrod.

Elodie's fingers curled slowly into a fist. She looked up at him across the table.

mean?" Her voice was cool,

same practiced indifference. "Which part don't you understand? Albin can clarify for you, if

can't we tell your grandmother

Jarrod replied, his tone almost gentle. "I hope you

drew in a slow breath.

eyes flickered, just a hint of a smirk.

perfectly well what that clause was

date of their divorce to protect himself. This was all

had come into the picture, no one could accuse her of

bending over backward to

returning. "And

its rightful owner." Jarrod set a delicate, vintage ring box on the table with

box. She recognized

never would have

of the ring, had been for nothing. Jarrod had

down her spine. For the first time, she wondered if Jarrod had bought the ring for Sylvie at the charity gala simply out of kindness or if he'd planned from the

with Jarrod's charade, surrendering a measure of her freedom. The other condition was even more insidious-a silent pressure, forcing her, the discarded wife, to protect the reputation of the

understood. The generous terms Jarrod had offered weren't out of fairness-they were hush

magnanimous, but really, it was

Maurice grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Go on, sign it." He was clearly enjoying the drama, convinced that

in as well. "Ms. Thorne, if you're not satisfied, you don't have to sign today. I can negotiate with