How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 658

As they left the hospital, Esmeralda looked utterly deflated, her bright spirit wilted like a flower after the frost.

The girl who'd always been a ray of sunshine now seemed drained of all her warmth.

Elodie knew exactly why-Esmeralda was worried for her, and heartbroken too.

Pulling her into a gentle hug, Elodie tried to reassure her. "Look at me I'm right here, aren't I? I'm getting proper treatment, I promise. Dr. Warwick studied abroad; he's an expert. He's confident the odds are in my favor, really."

Esmeralda wanted to be angry with Elodie, to blame her for keeping so much hidden. But seeing her friend's thin, fragile figure-drawn even paler by illness- all she felt was sorrow and aching sympathy. "I'm angry, you know," she said softly. "Three years of marriage and all you get is this sickness. And now, on top of the pain, you have to bear the loss of your child, both in body and in heart. Sometimes I wish Jarrod could feel even a fraction of what you're going through."

But a man like Jarrod what could possibly hurt him? What could ever make him suffer?

He was always so cold, so detached—especially with Elodie.

Elodie shook her head slowly. "There's no point getting tangled up in all that. Right now, all I can do is focus on getting better...and on saying goodbye to this baby."

Everything else was beyond her strength.

At the mention of it, Esmeralda sniffled. "I'll be here for you, okay? Alex too. Lean on us a little, will you?"

Elodie absently rested her hand on her stomach and managed a faint smile. "I will. But right now, I want to stop by VistaLink Technologies. Galen mentioned there's a glitch in the data set—I should take a look."

Esmeralda hesitated, but knew better than to argue. Elodie always took her responsibilities seriously-once she committed, she never cut corners.

it but to

Global Trade

took them past The

her gaze caught on a car parked

as Malcolm Harcourt stepped out, straightening his suit with

Elodie frowned.

The Silverstein

last incident-Malcolm's threats and his attempts at manipulation—she wouldn't put it past him to

stood, she was done with Malcolm, and she'd soon be done

eyes away, brow

-

the time Malcolm made it up to the executive suite, Jarrod had just arrived from his

hope I'm not interrupting?" Malcolm strode in

smiles touching his lips.

continued, settling into the chair. "You're always so busy, it's nearly impossible to pin you down. Glad we could finally make it happen." Truthfully,

Jarrod's father-in-law, after

ver

when did he

appointment to see him?

back on track. "What brings you