How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 600

Elodie's brows knit ever so slightly as she glanced at Jarrod, the movement so subtle it barely registered.

She was surprised, of course, but more than that, a creeping sense of strangeness settled over her-something she just couldn't rationalize.

It had been ages since Jarrod last wore his wedding ring. So long, in fact, that she couldn't even remember when he'd stopped. For years, she'd been the only one still wearing that symbol of their marriage, clinging to the illusion of happiness, keeping up appearances for a life that only existed on the surface.

She used to tell herself it was because they both worked at The Silverstein Group. Perhaps if they both wore those rings-designed by some celebrated French jeweler-it would be too conspicuous, too easy for prying eyes to connect the dots.

So she never asked.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized it wasn't about keeping things discreet at all. He simply didn't want to wear it.

His grandmother had asked about the ring countless times, reminding him to put it on, even if only at home. Yet Jarrod never agreed. He always brushed it off.

It was never about pretense. It was his own unwillingness.

After a while, Elodie just assumed he'd lost the ring altogether. She'd believed that for so long-until now.

left

using this, plain and simple, to silence the rumors and speculation that had been swirling around

and soon enough, people around them started to

if the gossip had any truth to it,

the smile at the corner of her

ask, "Mr. Silverstein, you're not usually one to attend these events.

the shifting glances. He stood calmly at Elodie's side. "There were some baseless rumors floating around today," he said, voice even. “I was worried it might upset my wife, so I cleared my schedule to be here with her. I didn't want her hearing anything unpleasant and feeling

A perfectly reasonable answer.

was listening, it

from the sidelines remained impassive, but the ones who'd

any need to wonder anymore? The man himself had shown up to set the record

emotions. Jarrod's actions, intentional or not, had tied

if his statement was nothing more than a public denial, even if he used the uproar as an excuse to prepare his grandmother for a future divorce, she'd likely just

better than most how quickly the internet forgets. So long

here on out, the story would fade. Years in PR had taught

that if Jarrod, as the "injured party,"