How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Lucinda's face froze in shock, her usually cool and striking features unraveling

into unguarded disbelief. For a long moment, she seemed at a loss for words.

Then her expression hardened, incredulity replacing confusion as she fixed Jarrod

with a stare. "Do you even hear yourself? All this over a woman? Is it really worth

it-"

"When Dad had other women, you certainly didn't react like this."

Jarrod's words cut in, leaving no room for doubt.

Back then, he'd been caught in the crossfire of their bitter relationship more times

than he could count.

He wasn't even ten when Lucinda and his father started fighting in earnest. But

both families cared deeply about appearances and reputation-their marriage

was a show of unity, so in public they played the part of a loving couple, while in

private their arguments were explosive and relentless.

He remembered thinking how exhausting it all was.

Neither of them cared about anyone but themselves, whittling away at each other,

day after day, year after year.

Jarrod knew Lucinda had suffered her share of heartbreak in marriage. But he

couldn't accept that she would knowingly hurt Elodie, standing so firm and

righteous-even though she herself had once been in such a position. Any

compassion she might have had was now locked away, unreachable.

voice trembled with

that exposed all the rot she'd

want to keep arguing. The pain of the day

his tone quiet but

appreciate it if you stayed out of my

it won't matter."

away, Jarrod called down to the driver to

when she

didn't say another

stepped back into the room, Elodie was

to

up when she heard him come

if nothing had happened-as if Lucinda had never

there.

over and gently

the hospital, she'd been running

seemed much better.

to talk

going through?"

low, weighted

No matter how heavy

felt, he needed to

everything-inside and out-about

Elodie's condition.

was still replaying what Jarrod had said to

all, her illness was obvious to anyone. Jarrod was

Silverstein family

had a few

said

"I've been

hair.

not much to

up to a

pills, and the