How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

The sudden, suffocating silence in the room felt like a vice tightening around everyone's throat. It was almost unbearable.

Elodie faced her suffering head-on.

She watched helplessly as her beloved grandmother and uncle turned deathly pale.

Not wanting her illness to become their source of grief, she forced a small smile. "It's uterine cancer, but don't worry. I'm getting good treatment, and I have one of the best doctors. I'll... do everything I can to get better."

Her words brought a breath of air into the stifling atmosphere.

Her grandmother, stunned, collapsed onto the couch in a daze, too shocked to even react.

Lucinda's brow furrowed in disbelief.

Uterine cancer...

Didn't that mean... Elodie might never have children?

But Jarrod was the only one who didn't move.

All color had drained from his handsome face. His lips parted, but no sound came.

It took several tries before he finally managed to choke out, "...When did you find out?"

Elodie met his gaze.

Only then did she notice his eyes-bloodshot, filled with a desperation she'd never seen before. Jarrod, who always seemed invincible, looked completely shattered. He still hadn't let go of her wrist.

He was trembling.

He was terrified.

He was hurting.

herself to speak, steady and clear, despite the pain racking her body. "The day Sylvie Fielding returned to the country-the night you threw her

body jolted as if struck. His eyes went unfocused,

was as if the last glimmer of hope had been

then? He hadn't been by her side. No wonder... Elodie had never mentioned

down, she'd given up

outside seemed to

his ears drowning out

even

watche

herself from sniffling. She knew just how much Elodie had endured. That knowledge made her loathe anyone who'd ever hurt her even if they'd claimed it

she was so overcome with grief that she could only sob, "Don't be afraid, darling. I'll be right here with you. Medicine's come so far

with cancer had taught him how grueling treatment could be. At

even her own

getting on in years—she'd already lost her daughter,

gravely ill. She

to clutch her chest,

pressure

shifted in

her, rushed forward to support the

get Grandma to