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.

does this mean?" Her voice was

"Which part don't you understand? Albin can clarify for you, if you

can't we tell your grandmother

his tone almost gentle. "I hope you

a slow breath. "And the

just a hint of a

laughed. She knew perfectly well what that clause

divorce to protect himself. This was all for Sylvie

one could accuse her of being the other woman.

backward to keep Sylvie's hands

returning. "And

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

recognized

would

negotiate the return of the ring, had been for nothing. Jarrod had intended to use it

had bought the ring for Sylvie at the charity gala simply out of kindness or if he'd planned from the very start to use it as a

along with Jarrod's charade, surrendering a measure of her freedom. The other condition was even more

offered weren't out of fairness-they were hush money, insurance to

but really,

"Go on, sign it." He was clearly enjoying the drama, convinced that Elodie was only making

if you're not satisfied, you don't have to sign today. I can