How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue novel Chapter 1

"I'm sorry, Miss Elodie Thorne. You missed the optimal window for surgery..."

Elodie stood frozen for a long time, clutching the diagnosis confirming her uterine cancer, before she finally dialed Jarrod Silverstein's secretary, Keith.

The line rang endlessly before he picked up, his tone as flippant as ever. "Yes, Mrs. Silverstein? Can I help you?"

Elodie's fingers curled, stiff and cold. "Is Jarrod there? I need to speak with him."

"Mr. Silverstein is unavailable at the moment," Keith replied.

"Please, could you put him on—"

She didn't even finish before another voice floated through the receiver—a woman's voice, gentle and sweet. "Jarrod," she teased, "what's this surprise? Why all the secrecy?"

"Look up," came Jarrod's deep, familiar voice—so gentle, yet never for her.

A second later, Keith cut the call without hesitation.

At that very moment—

Boom—

An explosion thundered from across the harbor. Elodie looked up, her face drained of color.

Brilliant fireworks burst over the distant waterfront, streaks of color twisting together in the midnight blue sky—beautiful, like something out of a fairy tale.

A noisy crowd had gathered outside the hospital.

"You heard? That's President Silverstein from The Silverstein Group. He threw this whole fireworks show for his girlfriend's birthday—cost over three million dollars!"

"She's Sylvie Fielding, you know! PhD from Pinecrest Institute of Technology, all the top companies are fighting to hire her. She's smart, gorgeous, comes from a powerful family, and her boyfriend is not only handsome but totally untouchable!"

"No wonder Mr. Silverstein is so crazy about her. Who wouldn't be proud to have a girlfriend like that?"

Elodie watched the lavish display for a long time, the test results crumpling in her hand until finally, the thin paper slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the ground.

She turned and walked away.

Later that night.

Jarrod came home to find Elodie sitting alone in the darkened living room.

He flicked on the lights, frowning. "Why aren't you in bed?"