Lucinda''s face froze in shock, her usually cool and striking features unraveling
into unguarded disbelief. For a long moment, she seemed at a loss for words.
Then her expression hardened, incredulity recing confusion as she fixed Jarrod
with a stare. "Do you even hear yourself? All this over a woman? Is it really worth
it-"
"When Dad had other women, you certainly didn''t react like this."
Jarrod''s words cut in, leaving no room for doubt.
Back then, he''d been caught in the crossfire of their bitter rtionship more times
than he could count.
He wasn''t even ten when Lucinda and his father started fighting in earnest. But
both families cared deeply about appearances and reputation-their marriage
was a show of unity, so in public they yed the part of a loving couple, while in
private their arguments were explosive and relentless.
He remembered thinking how exhausting it all was.
Neither of them cared about anyone but themselves, whittling away at each other,
day after day, year after year.
Jarrod knew Lucinda had suffered her share of heartbreak in marriage. But he
couldn''t ept that she would knowingly hurt Elodie, standing so firm and
righteous-even though she herself had once been in such a position. Any
"Jarrod!" Lucinda''s voice trembled with anger, her beautiful face quivering.
Clearly, he''d struck a nerve that exposed all the rot she''d tried to hide.
He didn''t want to keep arguing. The pain of the day was already pressing down on
him, suffocating. He nced at her, his tone quiet but unyielding. "My mind''s
made up. I''d appreciate it if you stayed out of my business. But even if you don''t,
it won''t matter."
Turning away, Jarrod called down to the driver to wait outside and take Lucinda
home when she was ready.
He didn''t say another word to her.
When Jarrod stepped back into the room, Elodie was already awake. She sat
quietly in bed, responding to messages on her phone.
She looked up when she heard hime in.
Jarrod acted as if nothing had happened-as if Lucinda had never even been
there.
He walked over and gently touched Elodie''s forehead.
When she''d firste to the hospital, she''d been running a fever, but now she
seemed much better.
"Do you want to talk to me about
what you''re going through?" Jarrod''s
voice was low, weighted with
concern. No matter how heavy his
heart felt, he needed to understand
everything-inside and out-about
Elodie''s condition.
Elodie was still reying what Jarrod had said to Lucinda. It left her shaken.
After all, her illness was obvious to anyone. Jarrod was willing to go against the
entire Silverstein family because of her?
"I''ve already had a few rounds of
chemo," she said quietly, her tone
matter-of-fact. "I''ve been lucky; I
haven''t lost my hair. Other than that,
there''s not much to say. Every
morning I wake up to a handful of
pills, and the
does a number on my stomach."
She spoke evenly, without a trace of self-pity, as if describing someone else''s life,
not her own.
But every word hit Jarrod like a knife to the heart.
He sat at the edge of the bed, staring at the IV in her hand. She couldn''t quite
read the expression in his eyes, but she could feel the weight of his emotion.
Suddenly, Elodie felt a little lost in the face of his reaction-she''d never expected
Jarrod to care this much. "I overheard your conversation with your mother just
now," she confessed softly.
Jarrod''s gaze faltered for a moment and then settled on her.
"I''m just being honest," Elodie
continued. "No one can guarantee
what will happen to me. Lately, it''s
felt like I''m racing against death-
started doing things I''d always put
off, chased old dreams, went back
to the arena I loved and achieved
what I wanted. Other than the child I
never had, I don''t have any real
regrets."