How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

He couldn't bring himself to wake Elodie. Instead, he gently draped another blanket over her and drove smoothly back to their place.

They'd actually been living at his family's old house for a while now.

It was all because of Nadia. His grandmother absolutely refused to let him take care of Nadia alone-she doted on the little girl too much to allow it.

In the end, he'd relented.

Besides, Nadia seemed to have taken an unexpected liking to Octavia. Octavia, who used to spend all her time out and about, now came home every day just to play with Nadia.

But with the wedding tomorrow, the old house was hectic-too many details, too much noise. Elodie was exhausted. So he decided to return to their own home for the night, letting her get a good night's rest before everything began.

When they arrived, Elodie was still asleep.

Jarrod got out, circled around to her side, opened the car door, and carefully lifted her out, tucking her arm around his neck.

She stirred, her eyelids fluttering open for a moment.

He met her gaze. "It's alright. We're home. Go back to sleep."

With a soft sigh, she nestled closer and drifted off again.

He carried her upstairs.

and shrugged the heavy coat from her shoulders, moving with practiced tenderness. He supported her head, making sure she was

done, he sat on the edge of the bed for a

time he called her for a video chat, she'd be tapping away at code late into the night. These past few weeks had been exhausting

was tomorrow, he might have called the whole

tucked the comforter around Elodie once

morning, Elodie was woken by her phone

voice was brisk and no-nonsense. "It's time. The

already here. Get up so we can

upright as the realization hit her-today was the day. A

this

but glare at the man next to her, who was still sleepily curled around her. Jarrod lifted his head, meeting

felt half-asleep, but there was no time

was.

to greet and

scrambled out of bed, hurrying to the

If people find out I overslept on my wedding day, I'll never hear the end of it,"

her frantic movements, amusement tugging at his lips. "Just blame it on me. Tell them I wouldn't let you get

out of the bathroom, shot him a glare, and shut

didn't waste any time either. He got up, tidied the room a bit, checked the time on his phone, and, satisfied with the

her shower and got herself together, it was already close

room was buzzing with activity. More than a dozen people were already waiting for