How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

As soon as she set foot in headquarters, it was clear: stepping inside meant she'd

be forced to split power with Jarrod, and everyone on the board would be watching, ready to switch loyalties at a moment's notice.

For Jarrod, it was a future full of hidden dangers and trouble.

She wasn't about to let that happen.

This was his chessboard, but she would keep it steady.

Even Lucinda, usually so composed, found herself glancing at Elodie with a complicated expression. Elodie's hand, resting on the table, was only just regaining color; her entire body seemed on the verge of collapse-frail, sickly, yet somehow holding everything together.

She was running on nothing but pure willpower.

Lucinda realized, with a shock, that she'd never truly seen Elodie before-not like this.

Now, with Elodie stepping up as their guarantee and smoothing things over so seamlessly, anyone raising objections would be painting a target on their back. If Mr. Silverstein returned and decided to settle scores, being the one who stood out would only bring disaster.

Who in the room didn't understand that?

Everyone exchanged wary glances.

Finally, President Burke-who Lucinda had already briefed-broke the silence. "If Ms. Thorne is willing to guarantee this, I have no objections."

Once he spoke, the rest of the board quietly reconsidered. One after another, they nodded. "Let Ms. Thorne handle it. If she can't, we'll revisit the backup plan."

The balance of power shifted again.

Anyone with sense knew what the right move was now.

to be the scapegoat in the Silverstein family's internal

meeting, for now, had its

Elodie a cold glare. "You and

faintly. "I'll take that

was so furious he slammed his hand on the table

would show up, let alone that she'd have the strength to turn the tables. He hadn't even managed

he'd planned, he'd already be in headquarters

a piece of Jarrod's power and resources for

But now-

Everything had collapsed.

fists tightened so hard

just run Elodie off the road -none of this

no attention

barely holding

she turned to leave, her step faltered, and her lips lost

as she reached out to steady her. "You're burning up." Candida's voice trembled with worry. "Ms. Thorne, you really don't

coming here,

painkiller injection

through the meeting. She'd been running

just how bad things were. She

ready. We're taking her to the

wave her off.

was already

to wrap up the aftermath at Silverstein Group's headquarters, making sure no loose

back at the

go to her

was finally out of intensive