How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"She'd had people watching Patricia for ages, but they'd never managed to dig up

anything substantial-meanwhile, Jarrod had already struck a decisive blow.

"If you don't want anyone to find out, don't do it in the first place," Jarrod said, his

tone flat as he scanned the menu, methodically picking out dishes. "With her kind

of extreme personality, nothing she does would surprise me. Especially after all

those years overseas... she's picked up plenty of bad habits."

Elodie glanced over the menu and noticed that everything he chose was

something she liked. Even the last dish-a red bean dessert-was her favorite.

She'd always thought Jarrod never really paid attention to her, but now, with some

distance from her old feelings, she could finally see the details she'd missed

before.

"But how did you know when she'd actually do something like that? Those things

are pretty private," Elodie asked, setting the menu aside.

He'd taken care of ordering everything, sparing her the trouble.

"Walls have ears. If you want to live in the spotlight, you'd better be ready to pay

the price."

With his connections in Eldermere, there was almost nothing Jarrod couldn't find

out.

It dawned on Elodie-he must have placed some informant close to Patricia.

She could imagine what a shock this must be for someone as spoiled and willful

anything might fly, but

tolerated.

arrived,

utensils, then slipped

gloves and started peeling

his own

the peeled prawns neatly

your own food. You don't need to do this

didn't

trying to win you

are you doing?"

another prawn, his voice soft. "That

of this

at

bit sorry. The nonchalant pace of his words made

doing this

been so "considerate"

your appetite hasn't

lately, but you should try to

and keep up

your surgery later.

you

know-I'll have

get your digestion back

was teasing

something

worry that

saw how thin

become.

watching

thing about Elodie-he insisted

restaurant, Maurice and Joseph Delacroix arrived just in

scene through the

Jarrod for years.