How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

She turned her head, hastily wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. That's when she suddenly realized something was on her finger.

Looking down, she saw it-the wedding band she'd taken off long ago.

Now it was back, slipped onto her finger as if it had never left.

The rush of old memories made her dizzy for a moment.

Jarrod noticed her surprise. "I didn't get to put that ring on your finger myself the first time. After all these years, Elodie... don't take it off again, okay?"

A heaviness settled over Elodie's heart.

To be honest, she'd worked through a lot during Jarrod's days in the coma.

Seeing the ring now, she didn't even feel the urge to reject it anymore.

But at the moment, her mind was somewhere else entirely.

She'd pushed herself down so hard for so long, never letting herself break or cry, never giving herself an outlet.

The tears had caught her off guard, triggered by Jarrod hitting a nerve she'd kept hidden for years.

All her life, there'd never been anyone who chose her-truly chose her-without hesitation.

Not even Malcom, not even Ivan.

Malcom had always given his attention to his illegitimate daughter; Ivan's love always came with conditions.

So, for as long as she could remember, the only thing she'd truly wanted was her own child, someone who would be bound to her, someone who'd always choose her in return. She and her child, forever facing the world together.

But Jarrod

was the man she'd fallen out with so badly, yet here

never lined up the way she thought they

are you crying?" Jarrod followed after her as she turned away, and when he caught sight of her tear-streaked face, something inside him cracked. He couldn't help but reach out to gently wipe a tear from her

tracing the diamond ring on

her face in both hands, carefully wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "You need to focus on getting your strength back. The wound might be

"What news?"

can't say yet. It's not

gave up trying

after Jarrod's gentle persistence, the storm inside her

that afternoon, Rosemary stopped

was already on the mend-she could get out of bed on her own

time, she heard some news about

1.n

shaking with anger. "He got himself into trouble-someone finally decided to get back at him. Broke every bone in his arms and legs, I heard. He's in bad shape, and

paused, her spoon hovering over the

"Revenge?"

Now that he's fallen from grace, there's a long line of people waiting to finish him off." Rosemary's anger was

Elodie suspected it wasn't that

was about

age? He'd never be able to care for

His life was over.

hoping for anything from Malcom

the memory

over that ledge,

only