How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Elodie never imagined Jarrod would say something like that.

His expression hadn't changed-still composed, distant, and dignified. Yet beneath that calm exterior, was there a flicker of...hurt? She couldn't quite tell, and that confused her. Jarrod was never someone to show vulnerability like this.

And that line-"I've minded it for nearly three of our four years of marriage..."

It left her stunned for a moment. She pressed her lips together and lifted her chin to look at him. "What exactly do you know?"

There had been good times between her and Jarrod, once. Later, when he changed suddenly, she'd chalked it up to his self-restraint, believing that's why he'd been so attentive that first year. When things cooled off, she assumed he'd simply lost interest. Even long after what she considered their "divorce," she'd held onto that explanation.

But now...

Jarrod was saying he'd always cared about Ivan.

Yet in all those years, Jarrod had never once mentioned Ivan. Not a hint, not a slip. After all, once she married Jarrod, she'd devoted herself to their marriage, drawing a clear line between past and present. She'd never even thought of Ivan during those years.

She had no idea how, or when, Jarrod had learned about Ivan—or why he'd started to care.

up together. I know you once had feelings for each other. I know you married me because

just stating

even so, she hadn't spoken Ivan's name once since they married. Malcolm and the others all tacitly understood not to bring it

find out?" she

about? The one I told

eyes widened

she understood exactly

had that laptop for years, ever since high school. It was

her life-including traces of

gaze, lips

Jarrod had changed so abruptly

She didn't seem to care what he'd seen, or what he might

with something dark. "Is that why

question

so much on that laptop-so much about Ivan. Back then, Jarrod had only known that Malcolm had forced Elodie to marry him, but not who she'd done it for. It was only later, after overhearing a conversation between Elodie and Malcolm, that he realized she'd given in to help reduce Ivan's