How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Chapter 715

Jarrod must have sensed they were talking about him, because he finally looked up.

With her arms crossed, Esmeralda snorted. "What's he staring at? It's not like I was wrong. Didn't he have a huge fight with you over the baby not long ago?"

The moment the words left her mouth, regret followed. After all, this was still a sore spot for Elodie.

Esmeralda scratched her head awkwardly, at a loss for what to say next.

Alexander, knowing how blunt she could be, gave her a gentle flick on the forehead. "Go sit with the kids' table, will you?"

Elodie's expression didn't betray anything, but a sharp pain lanced through her chest, radiating down to her abdomen-a reminder that some wounds never truly heal.

She drew a quiet breath, trying to suppress the ache.

Just then, the family matriarch waved her over with a warm smile. "Come here, sweetheart, sit with us grandmothers for a bit."

Esmeralda, ever protective, tagged along. She'd spotted Elodie's formidable mother-in-law at the main table and worried Elodie might be at a disadvantage. If that woman started anything, Esmeralda was ready for a showdown. Elodie might care about keeping up appearances, but Esmeralda did not. Why should Elodie always be the one to suffer?

As Elodie approached, she noticed that Jarrod's side of the family was nowhere to be seen-maybe they hadn't arrived yet, or they were mingling elsewhere.

The matriarch reached out, taking Elodie's hand just as a voice cut in:

"Henrietta, you look absolutely radiant today."

Elodie's fingers instinctively tightened at the sound. She shot a cold look at the

newcomer.

would win over any elder, cradled an ornate birthday gift as she stepped forward to greet

a moment before recognition dawned.

"I'm so glad you remember me. I came especially to wish you a long, happy life and endless

whisper to Elodie, "She's acting like she's Jarrod's wife, strutting up to

pressed her lips together, her mind still unsettled by everything that had happened at the hospital. She

woman was far from simple. Jarrod shot Patricia a cold glance, making it clear she

politely. "That's very thoughtful of you." She signaled for someone to take the gift but

Elodie down

I have left. My greatest wish is for Elodie and Jarrod to be happy together, to build a strong marriage and a

tell she wasn't exactly being embraced, but she

Rosemary said nothing-her beloved granddaughter was divorced, after all. Lucinda Howard kept her opinions to herself; with the matriarch present, she

broke the silence with feigned surprise. "A great-grandchild? Wasn't it

drawing startled looks from the

word, he growled, "Get

a chilling certainty dawning. About

pale. "What do you

shot to her feet, her expression thunderous. "What's going

and Emile stared

glancing at Jarrod's furious face before turning back to the

бэле

the Silverstein family

secretly ended the pregnancy

without telling anyone?"