How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 263

It really wasn't Jarrod's idea-

Elodie didn't look at him again; instead, she slipped quietly into the hospital room.

She understood what Keith meant. She, the former wife, now had to make way for Sylvie, sneaking around as if she were having an affair, trying to avoid certain people.

She stepped inside.

Jarrod glanced up from his laptop, unsurprised to see Elodie at the door.

It was just past nine.

She walked over and set the breakfast she'd just picked up beside him. "I got this downstairs. Have you eaten?"

Jarrod glanced at the food.

He'd never actually eaten this kind of cheap, pre-packaged breakfast from a convenience store before.

And Elodie knew his habits well.

He usually ate around seven-thirty.

She knew that, which made this gesture purely ceremonial.

Jarrod's dark eyes lingered on her face, then flicked to the breakfast. His voice was measured, unhurried. "You put some thought into this."

Elodie pretended not to hear the subtle mockery in his tone.

wrapped; she could barely make

bruises and scrapes on his right hand were

first time she'd seen him sick or hurt—and

felt nothing. It was just

the doctor

more observation," Jarrod replied, his deep voice

happened between them. The life-or-death

them were

minor. If she'd suffered what

said quietly,

to save

to ignore that, or to

shut his laptop, his expression unreadable. "They say you're fine.

"Yeah. I'm all right."

"That's good."

He nodded slowly.

deceptively calm, but something was

Elodie looked him in the

was the real reason she'd

had spared her from

the end, some disasters had a clear origin-and it wasn't anyone

lump

her, his gaze deep and impenetrable. "You're

met his eyes, quickly surveying his condition. She kept her tone matter-of- fact. "It's

Jarrod gave a small, humorless smile. "Cold as