How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Maurice and the others were almost spot on with their guesses. He let out a strained hiss. "They ran off together? Wait-hang on, that can't be right."

Who ever heard of a groom eloping with his own bride?

Even the matriarch was baffled. "So what exactly is his plan now?"

Lucinda and the others all turned to look at her.

There were only ten minutes left before the ceremony was supposed to begin.

The butler, dabbing nervously at the sweat on his brow, looked like he'd never seen anything like this in all his years of service. "Mr. Silverstein said to go ahead and seat the guests. When the time comes, everything will be made clear."

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances. None of them felt the least bit confident, but with the bride and groom missing, what else could they do?

They didn't even know where the couple had gone.

The matriarch made a decisive call. "Enough. Let's just trust Jarrod."

The arrangements were set, the guests were here—whatever happened, they had to see this through.

Esmeralda, anxious and fidgeting, spun around and hurried to call Elodie.

But all she got was a pre-recorded message: "The number you have dialed is unavailable."

Esmeralda stared at her phone, speechless.

So she was being shut out too? Elodie hadn't even told her?

Frustrated, she turned around-just in time to spot Fleming, who had already arrived.

He noticed her as well. Before Esmeralda could school her expression, she saw Lucy gliding up behind Fleming.

caught Esmeralda's eye and offered a warm, polite

and gracious as

twinge of discomfort, but she knew Lucy had done nothing to deserve her resentment. It wasn't Lucy's fault

strode over, taking in the scene with his usual composure. He stopped by Esmeralda's side and, without warning, gave her a

head and glared

"You

all, Esmeralda was still officially Fleming's fiancée, so being seen together wouldn't have

shoes. "He's already got company. I'm not going

a moment, then moved ahead. "At least you're

her lips and followed, forcing herself not to glance in Fleming's

his part, just cast a

at Esmeralda's retreating back before

up here on the mountain."

nudged him playfully. "Aren't you going to

expression didn't change. "No

babysit me, you know. I can take

as ever, not

smiled, slipping her arm through

the guests were gradually being shown to their

time came, everyone was ushered into the main

breathtaking view of snowy

it seemed to

calm everyone's

nerves.

s

the minute hand ticked to the scheduled hour, there was still no sign of the

whispering began to spread among the