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.

Her voice was

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

tell

in good health," Jarrod replied, his tone

a slow breath. "And

just a hint of a smirk. "It's

knew perfectly well

from disclosing their marriage or the date of their divorce to protect himself. This was all for Sylvie

knew when Sylvie had come into the picture, no one could accuse her of being the other woman. The timeline

was bending over backward to keep Sylvie's hands

composure returning. "And if I

you agree to the terms, this ring goes back to its rightful owner." Jarrod set a delicate, vintage ring box on the table with an air of

stared at the box. She recognized it instantly-the

never would

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

Jarrod 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

freedom. The other condition was even more insidious-a silent pressure, forcing her, the discarded wife, to protect the reputation of the woman who

she understood. The generous terms Jarrod had offered weren't out of fairness-they were hush money, insurance to keep Sylvie's

magnanimous, but really, it was all about

what's there to hesitate about?" Maurice grinned, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Go on, sign it." He was clearly enjoying the drama, convinced that Elodie

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