How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie was genuinely taken aback by his bluntness. Rubbing her temples in

exasperation, she realized she had little reason to come looking for him in the first place. "If it's inconvenient, then forget it."

After all, this SX Alloy project was going to be a long-term endeavor. Nothing would be decided overnight.

If he wasn't willing, it wasn't as if she could force him at knifepoint.

Just as she was about to hang up-

"The Silverstein Group. I'll wait for you."

It was as if Jarrod had read her mind, his tone leisurely as he spoke, and then- before she could say anything else he hung up.

With her answer in hand, Elodie didn't bother to revisit their earlier conversation. She swung her car around and headed straight for the Silverstein Group building.

It had been a long time since she last set foot in the Silverstein Group's headquarters. Now, as she walked into the lobby, the crowd surged around her, but more than a few heads turned, their eyes following every step she took.

At the reception desk, the staff were all professionalism and respect. One of them gave a deferential gesture. "Mrs. Silverstein, you can take Mr. Silverstein's private elevator."

Elodie accepted their courtesy with a polite nod and stepped into the elevator.

in people's attitudes was impossible to

with their work, but as soon as they caught sight of her, expressions shifted, eyes

had once been the Silverstein Group's PR manager-a role with virtually no connection to Mr. Silverstein himself. She'd always kept a

their brains, wondering if they'd ever managed to

they were thinking. She

didn't see Andrea or Keith around, so she knocked on the door

behind his desk, slipping off a pair of rimless safety glasses as

matters." Elodie sat down on the

a moment, then got up and moved to sit at an angle beside her. "I'm all

the conversation about the materials. Yet he'd

glanced at her. "They sent you to try the

thinking, then changed the

answer right away. It was impossible to tell what problem he

hurry.

Jarrod replied quietly, "I do have

How do you want to structure

would involve a staggering sum-hundreds of millions over the next decade.

home. For

office fell

if she'd misheard. Her perfectly arched