How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Esmeralda Mercer's words landed like a thunderclap, shattering the tension that had only just begun to settle in the room.

Jarrod Silverstein spun around, his dark eyes locking onto Elodie Thorne's pale, drawn face. For a split second, he wondered if he'd misheard her.

A stunned silence followed, everyone reeling from the sudden revelation.

Rosemary and Emile jumped to their feet, panic etched across their faces. "What are you saying? What's wrong with Elodie?" Rosemary demanded, her voice trembling.

Esmeralda's eyes brimmed with tears as she glared fiercely at the Silverstein family and then shot a cold look at Patricia Aldridge, who stood nearby with a frown.

"Elodie hasn't wronged anyone! The Silversteins shouldn't act like they're her saviors, as if marrying her was some great sacrifice. If it weren't for you, maybe she wouldn't be in this state at all..."

"Esme, enough!" Alexander Sterling, quick to react, strode over and wrapped an arm firmly around Esmeralda's waist, all but dragging her away from the fray.

Esmeralda was practically shaking with anger-especially after Lucinda Howard's cutting interrogation moments before. She wanted nothing more than to shout in Lucinda's face, to call her cold and cruel for what she'd said.

Alexander kept his voice low, meant only for Esmeralda and Elodie. "This isn't the place for this, Esme. Not in front of everyone. These are Elodie's private matters -no need to rip open old wounds."

His words cut through her fury, and Esmeralda's composure returned in an instant. She darted a worried glance at Elodie.

focus of a dozen questioning eyes. That familiar wave of dread-like she was living on borrowed

her face going ashen,

lips were pressed into a hard line as he strode over to her. His hand trembled at his side, and his gaze bore into her. "What is she talking about?" His voice was tight,

tension in the room

looked instead at her grandmother and uncle. Her voice was raspy, barely above

today was supposed to be her grandmother's birthday celebration. She wouldn't let her

it.

trembling. "No, Elodie. None

that matters to me-how can I relax

breathing grew uneven,

let's talk privately," Emile said, keeping his composure as he gently supported the elderly woman, trying to calm

lady took a steadying breath, her voice decisive. "It's

move to the lounge and sit

begin until noon. And besides, Patricia's accusation about “getting rid of the baby" needed to be addressed once and

suddenly subsided, was no longer curious about what came next. She

Silverstein family's child-thele

701

was