How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"No need," Jarrod replied, glancing over at the cabinet. "Would you mind grabbing a blanket and covering Elodie?"

Lucinda felt a surge of annoyance catch in her throat.

"I just got here, and the moment you open your eyes you're already ordering me

to take care of your wife?" Though she complained, she lowered her voice out of respect for the sleeping Elodie.

Jarrod didn't have much energy to argue, his tone lazy and indifferent. "If I were able to move, I wouldn't be asking you."

"...."

Now Lucinda was sure of it.

Jarrod couldn't be that badly hurt-he woke up and the first thing he did was find a way to get under her skin.

She pressed her lips together, but still turned to fetch a clean blanket. Moving carefully, she draped it softly over Elodie.

Then, face still cold, she looked back at Jarrod. "Happy now?"noveldrama

Jarrod just gave a languid nod. "Thank you for your trouble."

Lucinda huffed and sat down on the other side of the room. She'd already gotten most of the story from Andrea.

Instinctively, she wanted to blame Elodie—after all, Malcom was Elodie's father.

But...

When it came down to it,

Elodie was a victim too.

No one could feel worse than Elodie, knowing her own father had tried to kill her.

Especially considering Elodie, sick as she was, had forced herself to The Silverstein Group headquarters, made tough calls, and took care of a brewing crisis.

"While you were badly injured, the second branch made their move-they secretly allied with some on the board, hoping to get their people promoted at the next meeting. They're aiming to snatch projects and power away from you."

And that was just the start.

They nearly managed to pin the blame for the stalled project on Jarrod, hoping to use it as an excuse to take him down.

If they had their way, they'd have voted to oust him entirely.

But Jarrod's roots at headquarters ran too deep; they couldn't shake him that easily.

Jarrod didn't look surprised or anxious. His gaze lingered on Elodie's face for a moment before he spoke, voice calm. "That sounds like them."

Lucinda followed his gaze, unable to stand the way he looked at Elodie, as if he wished he could never look away.

"Honestly, you should be grateful for your decisive wife. She stabilized the situation, signed the liability agreement herself, and took the fall so the company could move

forward. She even made it clear she was willing to use her connections, reputation be damned. Abthis point, the project doesn't have a choice-it has to succeed."

Lucinda knew all too well.

Getting favors from someone like Klein wasn't something you could ask for easily.

It was only because Elodie had

pulled strings for outside help that

she'd managed to rally support from

the key players, shutting down Sprague's ambitions to return and take over at headquarters

Jarrod's eyes flickered. He stared at Elodie's pale face and then at her injured left

arm.

He swallowed hard.

She was barely holding it together herself, yet she'd still gone toe-to-toe with those old foxes.

After the trauma of last night, nearly falling to her death, and with his own condition so grave, a heavy ache pressed on Jarrod's chest.

Suddenly, Elodie stirred.

She tried to move her injured arm.

Lucinda immediately stepped in and gently held her still, but her

expression darkened. "Somethal ne

wrong. She looks terrible-her face is clammy, and she's sweating."

The worry that had already gripped Jarrod's heart instantly tightened. He tried to

sit up, but pain forced him back, leaving him helpless.

"Mom, get the doctor. Call Elias-he's Elodie's attending."

Lucinda didn't argue-she could see how serious Elodie's condition was. Her face

set with concern, she hurried out to find the hospital staff.

Elias arrived with several nurses and a few visiting specialists.

Suddenly, the room was crowded.

The nurses rushed to give Elodie medication for her fever and infection, while

Elias and the other doctors examined her closely.

Elias turned to Jarrod, his expression grave. "We can't wait any longer, Mr. Silverstein. You need to prepare yourself."