How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod finally lifted his eyelids and glanced at his pampered little sister. "How old are you again? You sure think a lot for someone your age.”

Octavia huffed. "Come on, you should be grateful! I'm not joking, you know. I'm eighteen now. After I graduate, I'll just try to find someone handsome and gentle- someone who's at least a decent match for the Silverstein family. It'd be good for us, and at least I wouldn't drag the family down. I could even give you all a cute, healthy baby to spoil. But I've decided, he shouldn't come from a family as powerful as ours—just a little less, so if I have a child, they wouldn't have any grounds to complain."

Jarrod: "..."

He realized, to his surprise, that Octavia was actually serious.

She'd even thought through the details, probably burning through more brain cells than he cared to imagine.

"There's no need. Our family doesn't need you to worry about that." He couldn't be bothered to entertain Octavia's wild notions any longer, and turned to check on Elodie.

That's when he noticed she was awake-he hadn't even seen her open her eyes.

She was lying there, quietly listening to them talk.

Jarrod's gaze softened. He immediately reached for her hand. "How are you feeling?"

Elodie had actually been awake for a while, her eyelids heavy, unable to open them until now.

She'd heard every word Octavia said, clear as day.

And with that, there was nothing left she didn't understand.

and scratchy. "I'm all

her mind was still foggy from being unconscious, her first instinct was to check Jarrod for any sign of

underneath, but he

out a silent sigh

Thank goodness.

he

backpack and scratched at her hair.

Elodie for her

out of the ordinary. After several days, even the soreness from surgery had almost

said first, shaking her

Octavia fiddled with her fingers, grumbled, "Okay, then I'll leave you guys to it.

was really all right,

her

pillow behind Elodie's back.

touched her abdomen and turned to him. "Is it

He met her gaze, and after a long

surgery. The stitches were just removed

quite

she

that instant. She'd

outcome, but

when it became