How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"Plus, the charity announced your joint donation last night. Talk about a complete turnaround in public opinion. You two are incredible." Esmeralda smacked her lips, feigning surprise. "Decided to be a decent human all of a sudden?"

Elodie wasn't surprised. Years in PR had taught her exactly which levers to pull for what effect.

Her mind drifted to the whole birth control incident. Even she felt a little dazed- people really were complicated, weren't they? No one was ever just good or bad.

"As long as things have settled down, that's what matters. What he thinks isn't important." Elodie grabbed a napkin and brushed a few pastry crumbs from Esmeralda's mouth, dismissing any further thoughts about Jarrod.

"Esmeralda, do I have anything else on my schedule today?" She shifted gears, opening her laptop and firing off the question.

With the situation handled, Esmeralda didn't dwell. She swallowed her last bite and replied, "Yep-you've got the competition stuff, and your new title as Chief Engineer for the U.N2 project. Big deal right now. The Aerospace Agency wants to meet, and there are a few higher-ups who'd like to see you, make some plans for what's next. There's also a dinner at six. Mr. Aldridge will be there too, since you two took first and second place."

Elodie was already in prep mode, ready to take on the next challenge.

These steps were simply necessary.

She nodded. "Alright, we'll head over together. Alex needs to follow up on Phase Two of the project."

"Perfect, I'll tag along for the VIP dinner."

With her projects mapped out and the rest of the year coming into focus, Elodie felt a rare sense of clarity.

she and Esmeralda set off ahead of the

atop a hill with

parked, a voice

getting out of his car and

young, all porcelain skin and cherubic cheeks, lips pressed in a thin, determined

had never been good

offered Lily

on

a new intensity in his eyes, something quietly burning. "Looks like we'll be seeing a lot more of each other from now

ignoring her exaggerated

far too modest, Mr.

a little nervous on the way here. Standing gnext to someone as talented as you, I can't

warmth undiminished.

so loaded it might as well have said, "I

too hard, but enough to make Esmeralda yelp before she cleared her

scene, scowled and

were led by the waiter to a private

familiar faces-department heads she'd met