How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 630

Elodie truly couldn't accept any of this.

She'd convinced herself she'd come a long way—after being told her days might be numbered, she'd worked hard to change her life, and she was both proud and grateful for who she'd become.

It's human nature to run from pain, to stay tucked away in the comfort zones we believe are safe, unwilling to pay the price of real change.

So, given all that, she felt she'd done pretty well to get this far.

Yet behind this supposed "newfound happiness," she realized she still hadn't broken free of the cage that had given her both love and heartache.

And that's why she simply couldn't accept Jarrod's deception and secrecy.

This was a siege laid around her heart, and her heart alone.

She wasn't some computer program that could just delete everything, erase all traces with a click, and move on without a ripple. The pain she'd endured was hers and hers alone; how could she be expected to forget it so easily?

"I'm sorry." Jarrod was staring into her eyes, which shimmered with angry tears. His Adam's apple bobbed as he instinctively reached out, wanting to wipe them away.

But Elodie stepped back, looking utterly spent. Her voice was a tired murmur: "There's nothing left for us to say."

What was she even hoping to win here?

was almost laughable, now that she thought

face, Elodie reached for the

wasn't the

regret it. I don't

him with

always prided myself on never regretting anything, but with you, I second-guess everything.

even hear me out. I'll be next door, Elodie. When you're ready, when you've had time

would struggle to take it all in-he knew how much this must have

Elodie said nothing.

She closed the door.

and sat down,

was so surreal-she

night, rain drummed quietly against the window,

mind in turmoil, unable

wandered again and again to her past with Jarrod all of it: the happiness,

out of old patterns is never easy. Choosing to divorce Jarrod felt like stabbing herself, and watching him with Sylvie during the divorce proceedings was like being flogged with thorny whips on her way out the door. Somehow, she had survived

the life she'd fought

told, "You never really

truth was more

eyes and let