How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Ivan's mind was a blank.

He'd suspected something was wrong with Elodie's health, but it was the truth about the past that had truly crushed him, leaving him with nothing but ashes where his heart used to be.

He hadn't been outside for long when Queenie arrived, practically running.

She'd been keeping tabs on Ivan for a while now, refusing to let him have even the slightest contact with Elodie.

And yet, here he was-she'd just gotten word that Ivan had gone to see Elodie again.

The moment she stepped out of the car, Queenie stormed over, her voice trembling with rage. "Ivan! How could you do this to me? If it weren't for you and Elodie, would I have lost my baby? Why are you still seeking her out?"

She was beside herself, the recent trauma of losing her child still raw, leaving a jagged wound on her heart.

In her mind, both Ivan and Elodie were to blame.

If Elodie hadn't given Ivan the chance, he never would have clung to hope.

Ivan just stared at her, silent.noveldrama

Queenie, trembling with fury, hurled her purse at him. "This is cheating, Ivan! The wedding was only postponed because of the baby, but we're still getting married. You can't keep betraying me—"

Crack.

Without a word, Ivan suddenly raised his hand and slapped her.

The outburst stopped Queenie cold. She staggered, clutching her cheek, and stared in shock at the man before her-his expression cold as ice.

"You"

"When you lost the baby, I actually thought I owed you something. I wanted to do right by you, since you were 'innocent' in all this. But now, Queenie_" Ivan's voice was low and biting, every word spat out through clenched teeth, "—you don't deserve it."

The hate and anger in his eyes made Queenie shiver.

"What are you talking about?"

"You, your father, the whole Harcourt family-you're all snakes in the same pit." Ivan stepped closer, his gaze dark and menacing, gripping her jaw tightly "A wedding? Dream on, I'll

the score with every last one of you."

All this pain he felt he realized-they were the ones who had caused it.

Queenie, wide-eyed, tried to force herself calm. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Ivan let her go, his eyes now only cold and full of loathing. "No need to admit it. We have plenty of time to play."

As soon as Ivan left, the hospital room fell quiet.

Jarrod never looked at Elodie. Instead, he silently stood up and poured her a glass of water.

He kept his face turned, hiding the stiffness and heartbreak in his eyes.

Elodie wrapped her hands around the cup, watching him. "When did you find out?"

Jarrod avoided her gaze, gently adjusting her IV line. "Not long after I found out what was on your computer."

“At the time, all I saw was a pair of

star-crossed lovers. But I was selfish didn't want to tell you,

afraid it would shake your resolve. afraid it

Elodie, when it comes to you, I've

always been a coward."

He realized, just then, that it wasn't so hard to say these things out loud. Not

anymore. Especially now, seeing Elodie like this.

He didn't want to waste another second with her-not one.

Even if she never accepted him, that didn't matter. What mattered was that he hated the person he'd been: stubborn, self-righteous, and too proud to be honest.

If only he'd come clean sooner. Would things have turned out better? Would she have been spared all this pain? Could he have stepped in before it was too late? The thought haunted him, leaving him drowning in regret, unable to breathe.

Elodie suddenly sensed the deep, anxious care Jarrod had always hidden from her-his feelings toward her, and his constant, silent alarm for her well-being.