How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"My feelings for him-whether it was family affection or any kind of emotional

dependence-never once crossed into our marriage."

Elodie spoke with a calm that came from deep exhaustion. There was nothing left

for her to hide; Jarrod knew everything now.

She was done letting him believe that during those three years of marriage, she'd

been unfaithful in her heart. If nothing else, she owed herself that much honesty.

Jarrod's lashes trembled. Red tinged the corners of his eyes as he kept his gaze

fixed on her.

Elodie closed her eyes, her voice steady and soft. "Jarrod, I did love you."

During those three years, she had given him everything-her whole heart, her

entire self. But she wasn't one for grand declarations; her love was quiet, almost

weightless in the air, yet it landed in his chest like a stone cast into a still lake,

sending ripples through everything he thought he knew.

He felt his heart twist painfully, realizing that in all the years she had loved him, he

had only ever misunderstood her.

Elodie was so tired. After those words, she simply closed her eyes and rested,

leaving Jarrod alone with a flood of emotions he couldn't begin to contain.

His ears rang; his vision burned with the image of her pale, narrow face, tinged

with the faintest flush. He bent his head and drew a shaky breath, feeling as if her

undone him. Years of silent

all of it seemed to dissolve in an

It was enough.

those few words from her,

as if the clouds parted and he could finally

breathe. He sat there, watching over Elodie as she slept,

illness felt like a ticking time bomb in

fresh surge

know how long he sat

gently tucked the blanket around her

to

had already gone

to the smoking lounge,

with numb, icy fingers. It was the only thing

even a little.

the hospital director,"

voice low on

"Talk to everyone involved-doctors,

even the janitorial

evidence. Leave

stone unturned."

Elias

had gone

fill Jarrod

of self-loathing.

inside

thousandfold. He couldn't stand

fraction of

who Elodie suspected. But this wasn't

anger. Not now. Elodie needed him to be steady. He

afford recklessness.

fail to uncover, he was determined

sure they never had the chance

onto a bench, sitting there for what