How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 457

Elodie hadn't expected this.

A flicker of disbelief passed through her eyes, edged with a trace of dark amusement.

So now she was supposed to step in, clear Sylvie's name, and quiet down all the rumors that had erupted?

Lucinda clearly saw what Elodie was thinking, but her voice remained measured. "That's not what I'm asking. This isn't about helping Sylvie-it's about helping Jarrod. He's your husband, after all. Even if most people are ready to believe Sylvie's just an ambitious woman who failed to climb higher, there will still be whispers, doubts that could harm his reputation. You've worked in PR. You know how to solve this with minimal fuss, don't you?"

Even if only a fraction of those rumors stuck, it could stain Jarrod's name.

And Lucinda had no intention of letting Jarrod's reputation suffer, not even a little. Besides, as Mrs. Silverstein, Elodie had an obligation to protect Jarrod's interests. Wasn't it only sensible to look at the bigger picture?

Elodie stared at Lucinda, her expression composed.

It was so clear now: Lucinda was the kind of person who weighed everything against self-interest.

The cost of that interest? Elodie was expected to pay it. Even Lucinda had to know how cold-blooded her request sounded.

Elodie let out a slow breath before she looked Lucinda in the eye, her voice cool and even. "With all due respect, the one who started this mess—the one who's threatening the Silverstein family's reputation and Jarrod's own isn't me. If you want it dealt with, talk to the people actually responsible. Or maybe, just maybe, you should have warned them not to do it in the first place. Don't come to me, expecting me to be the sacrificial lamb in all of this."

stripped of any

refusal was as direct as it could be, cutting straight to the

nothing else, because Lucinda was her mother-in-law. But now? What did it matter? Wasn't it the Silversteins who should

caught off

pale, determined face-so different from the

either. She stood, her tone civil but firm. "You're welcome to finish your

walked over to her

been one to force her way when she was unwelcome. So she

Lucinda, Elodie's eyes

scrolled through her contacts, searching for a while before dialing a number with

A calm male voice came

was calling; he already knew. Elodie never called unless she had

that's your problem. Don't drag me into it. Your mothe just came to see me, I'd step in and fix things. Take care of it on

it out. Jarrod would get

seconds. "Fine. Don't worry

word, Elodie ended the

she needed, and

from her mind almost immediately. She had far more pressing