How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 233

Alexander was fuming.

When he'd gone to pick up the cake, the barbecue pit out back had been a riot of laughter and chatter. Jarrod was there, surrounded by Sylvie, Maurice, and the rest, everyone looking like they didn't have a care in the world. Alexander had caught a snippet of gossip from Mr. Black of the Delacroix Group: apparently, Sylvie had spotted fireworks going off by the harbor, got a gleam in her eye, and Jarrod—always the gallant host-had arranged for a full display just for her.

Talk about everyone orbiting their star.

But did Jarrod even remember today was Elodie's birthday?

How could he be out there, playing the attentive boyfriend to another woman on his wife's birthday?

Elodie watched the fireworks blaze across the night sky, their colors reflected like fractured dreams in her eyes. The spectacle on the other side of the window brought back memories she'd shoved into the darkest corners of her mind. The night she was diagnosed-the doctors' faces grave, the world closing in-there'd been fireworks, too, dazzling and surreal. That time, it was Sylvie's birthday. Jarrod had arranged fireworks for her then. And now, on her own birthday, Jarrod was still lighting up the sky... for Sylvie.

Calmly, she drew her gaze away, the fireworks fading from her reflection.

She managed a small, steady smile for Alexander. "It's nothing. Don't waste your energy on things that aren't worth it."

Alexander bristled. He couldn't let it go so easily. With a sharp, bitter laugh, he muttered, “It's just—this is too much. He's not even pretending anymore."

Was even a simple "Happy birthday" too much to ask?

Elodie, unfazed, started gathering her notes for the meeting with the visiting professor. “A birthday isn't roll call. If he's here, he'll want a share of our cake. Frankly, I'd rather eat it ourselves."

Alexander blinked, then let out a reluctant chuckle. "Guess you've got a point."

His spirits lifted a little. Their birthday girl was clear-eyed and untroubled; maybe he could let it go, too.

As Elodie was about to head down the hall with Alexander to meet Professor Sterling, her phone buzzed.

A message from Ivan:

[Come downstairs.]

She frowned.

Another message followed almost instantly:

[I'm outside your hotel.]

With all the companies in town for the conference, it wasn't exactly a secret where she was staying. Ivan finding her wasn't

no

her phone

frowned again, weighing her options-he was already outside, so

is it?" Alexander

changing her expression, Elodie said, "Alex, you go ahead.

the

answered, turning to watch the fireworks Jarrod had

for a moment before his casual drawl came through. "Meet me

help you celebrate your

busy," Elodie

a soft, mocking laugh, pretending not to hear her

faint click

Shopping. She's meeting

honest for once. "Congratulations."

turned dark. "So I thought I'd swing by and help you

sharp. “Elodie, dodging me right now is all about pride. But you're

hadn't expected Ivan

Her eyes chilled.

another derisive snort, his voice low and burning. "Not even a flicker of anger about Mr. Silverstein? What, you need to

out, "Have you no

these years, even after cutting Ivan out of her life, his words

eyes turned glacial, and she didn't

decision, my life. Ivan,

him "brother." Without another

she was still making excuses for Jarrod, but she didn't owe him

turned and headed for Charlie's

was done wasting emotion and energy on people who didn't deserve

He sat motionless in his car, chain-smoking,

passenger seat at the carefully wrapped birthday gift sitting