How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod trailed after her at a leisurely pace, watching as she darted through the crowded corridors, clearly in her element.

Elodie found a doctor to examine Jarrod's injuries.

"Doesn't look like there's any major bone damage," the doctor said after a quick assessment, "but you've got a dislocated joint and some soft tissue trauma. We'll need to take care of that. Please take off your shirt."

After glancing at the dislocation site, the doctor couldn't help but think how much pain Jarrod must have been enduring he certainly had a high pain threshold.

Jarrod didn't hesitate. He unbuttoned his shirt and slipped his arm out of the sleeve. Elodie frowned as she looked at his arm-the joint was clearly out of place, and the sight alone made her wince.

The cut on his arm wasn't deep, but it looked painful all the same.

Then she noticed a scar on his arm.

It ran nearly six inches long.

His skin was pale, so the scar wasn't very dark, but on his muscular arm, it stood

out.

That was from the last time-when he saved her at the Warwick estate.

She was surprised. With all the medical resources at his disposal, he hadn't bothered to get the scar treated or removed.

Yet here he was, hurt again because of her.

The feeling was strange; it almost made her feel like she owed him something.

The doctor finished resetting his joint and covering up the wound, then gave a few instructions. "Don't get the wound wet. Change the bandage every day for the next three days, and you should be fine."

"Thank you," Jarrod said, his brow furrowed slightly with discomfort as he straightened his shirt. Only then did he look at Elodie.

She had already averted her gaze from his arm.

"Want me to call Andrea to pick you up?" she asked, making it clear she wasn't planning to take further responsibility.

Jarrod glanced at his phone. "He's probably still wrapping things up. I'll need to stop by the hospital anyway."

"What about Keith?"

"He's out of town on business."

So, no one was available.

Elodie pressed her lips together in silence. She glanced at his arm, thinking again of that old scar, then took out her car keys. "I'll drive you."

"Thanks," he replied, not trying to argue or act tough.

As soon as they got in the car, Elodie asked, "Where are you staying tonight?"

Jarrod buckled his seatbelt and gave her a sideways look. "Need me to give you directions to the marital home?"

Of course she didn't.

He was still living there.

Elodie decided not to press further.

She drove straight to Moonlight Garden.

Half an hour later, the gates recognized his car and opened automatically. They pulled into the courtyard garage.

Jarrod unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to her. "Could you grab my laptop from the back seat?"

Elodie knew his injury was partly her fault, so she didn't say anything and retrieved the laptop. By the time she got out, Jarrod was already at the front door.

She walked over but didn't move to open the door. She knew her

fingerprint was still registered, but this place no longer belonged to her-it wouldn't be appropriate.

Jarrod glanced at her, caught her hesitation, then lifted his uninjured hand andnoveldrama

entered the code instead of using his fingerprint.

It was a numeric code she didn't recognize.

Elodie tried not to watch but found it odd. With fingerprint access, a code seemed unnecessary.

There was no housekeeper staying over these days, so the place felt unfamiliar to Elodie the moment she walked in, even though she'd lived there for three years. Everything was different now.

She set the car keys down on the table in the living room. "I'll leave the keys here.

If you feel unwell, call your assistant. I'll order a cab."

She made no move to linger.

Her job was done he was home, safe.

Jarrod glanced at the keys, placed so politely, and his voice was as calm as ever.

"It's late. If you'd rather not go back tonight, you can stay here."

Elodie's first instinct was to refuse.

But then she looked up and met Jarrod's dark, unreadable eyes.

He seemed not to notice her hesitation and added, "If you stay, I'll leave."