How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

The nurse's eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know?"

He cast a casual glance at Elodie Thorne, his voice light and unhurried. "You're sharper than she is. When the time comes, I might need you to recommend a specialist—a top one, no expense spared."

Elodie didn't bother to reply. She just looked at him coolly, letting him have his jab. It was payback, clearly, for her earlier remark about him "wasting his time on her."

The nurse, realizing he was teasing his wife, stifled a laugh and slipped away to her other duties once everything was taken care of.

Elodie straightened her clothes and, after a moment, asked, "What were you and Watts Aldridge talking about just now?"

Jarrod Silverstein lowered his gaze. "I thanked him for his selfless dedication to someone else's wife."

She stared at him, picking up on the fact that there was more going on in his mind. "He did save me, that's true. Eldrion Global took a hit, that's true too. So tell me, why this attitude?"

Why?

A flicker of emotion passed through Jarrod's eyes.noveldrama

Watts had withdrawn from the bid-the loss was his alone, and it wasn't as if he stood to gain anything. If it was just a matter of playing hero, there were far easier and cheaper ways to do it. No one could quite pin down his motives, and the whole thing was so elaborate that it was almost impossible to doubt him—even when you wanted to.

Such a massive contract, and he just walked away.

There were countless possible motives at play-none of them as simple as romance or sentiment. There would never be evidence, of course; Jarrod's suspicion was, at best, a touch of jealous speculation.

And that, he thought, was exactly the sort of cunning move someone like Watts would make.

He leaned back, his posture relaxed but unmistakably aristocratic. "Do you want the official answer or the personal one?"

"What's the difference?"

"The official answer is: don't let

yourself be fooled into thinking he's just some naive, well-meaning guyz He just returned and already

a top spot at Eldrion Global, a. company crawling with seasoned operators. He's ambitious and calculating, especially in matters of power and business. Eldrion Global specializes in defense contracts and cutting-edge tech; they have no shortage of talent, and most of their deals involve collaborating with government. Watts had no reason to abandon his stable position there, not even six months after coming back, just to switch departments and dabble in research. Whatever he's planning, don't get dragged into it."

Jarrod's tone was measured, his reasoning clear.

Elodie didn't know exactly what had happened between him and Watts, but she didn't need him to spell out the obvious.

"And the personal answer?" she pressed, guessing there was more history between the two men than he let on.

Jarrod met her gaze, calm and self-assured, his words both dignified and quietly intense. "I'm jealous."

"...Excuse me?"

She gawked at him, her brows knitting in disbelief. Of all the absurd things to say, this had to be the most unexpected.

Fortunately, Jarrod didn't seem inclined to dwell on the subject. He stood, ending the conversation with a brisk, "Take the day to rest. We're heading back to Eldermere tomorrow. You still need a full checkup."

With that, he stepped outside to take a call.

Not long after, Alexander Sterling returned, carrying a cup of hot, sweet broth to

help Elodie regain her strength.

She managed only a few sips before her appetite vanished.

Her case wasn't serious anyway, so she had no intention of spending the night in the ER. Still, just before Jarrod went to handle her discharge, Elodie slipped away to the restroom and ended up throwing up the broth she'd just drunk.

She stood at the sink, staring at her reflection, lost in thought. Whatever was on

her mind, it sent her straight to the doctor's office.

The physician was still there. Elodie walked in and asked, “I have a question.

Could a trace amount of ether cause me to vomit twice?"

The doctor hesitated, thinking it over. "It can irritate certain systems, but it usually doesn't cause obvious symptoms. The vomiting might have other causes-poor digestion, medication side effects, maybe food poisoning. And, of course, if you've been sexually active, there's always the possibility of pregnancy."