How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

When Elodie saw Patricia being led out, dazed and disheveled, she couldn't help but suspect what was really going on.

The place was swarming with police officers.

Across the room, the privileged heirs lounged around with an air of careless indifference, as if none of this concerned them in the slightest.

Only Patricia stood out. Her face was drawn and pale, and as she was being escorted away, she instinctively lifted her head.

That's when she saw Jarrod, standing beside Elodie.noveldrama

For a split second, her beauty-usually enough to outshine any actress-seemed almost ghostly, her expression clouded with suspicion and disbelief.

Still, she climbed into the police car without protest.

It was only then that Watts seemed to realize what was happening and hurried over to negotiate with the officers.

The entire group made a grand, noisy exit.

Watts stayed behind.

His jaw was clenched tight as he fixed his gaze on Jarrod and strode toward them.

"Mr. Silverstein. What a coincidence, isn't it?" Watts' eyes lingered briefly on Elodie before he asked, "About Patricia-are you just a bystander, or are you involved in all of this?"

Jarrod looked at him, unhurried and calm. "What are you implying, Mr. Aldridge? Patricia seems to have landed herself in trouble, and yet you find the time to come greet me?"

Elodie's eyebrows lifted almost imperceptibly, betraying nothing.

"Watts' eyes grew cold. "That's hardly fair, is it, Mr. Silverstein?"

Patricia was supposed to leave for an art exhibition abroad tomorrow.

Tonight, she'd gathered with friends at the club. Maybe it was because of Jarrod, maybe it was her own creative frustration, but her mood had been volatile-and she'd messed with things she really shouldn't have.

The timing, however, was almost too perfect.

The police had arrived with uncanny precision. The club manager hadn't even warned anyone in the private lounge.

Everyone inside was rounded up.

Not a single person slipped away.

Now they were all being taken in for questioning.

He had arrived too late to stop any of it.

It had all happened so fast, no one saw it coming.

And now Patricia was in custody.

Watts didn't believe for one second that it was just a coincidence.

This had Jarrod's fingerprints all over it.

He was sure of it-this was payback.

Jarrod reached over and took Elodie by the wrist. When his gaze swept toward Watts, his expression was cool, almost icy, the look of

"It's unfortunate about

someone used to being in con

But

you have your hands full now, Mr. Aldridge. I shouldn't take up any more of your time. Good luck."

He didn't even bother to answer Watts' thinly veiled question.

With Elodie in tow, he turned and walked away.

Elodie said nothing, didn't even glance back.

They left without so much as a backward glance.

Watts watched them go, his fists clenching at his sides.

This Patricia situation was going to be messy.

If it could all be smoothed over quietly, it wouldn't be so bad.

But if Jarrod got involved...

Things could spiral out of control.

Patricia's background made everything more complicated-this wasn't just about her, it could blow up into a full-blown scandal.

There were too many players involved-not just her father's side of the family, but even Eldrion Global. They were all connected.

Which is why Watts knew-Jarrod was ruthless. He'd rather make enemies than back down from a move like this.

Inside one of the club's private lounges, Jarrod pulled out a chair for Elodie and waited for her to sit.

Elodie had already pieced together most of what had just happened, but she still asked, "What's really going on with Patricia?"

Jarrod poured her a cup of tea.

Provubstances. She'll have toet

take a drug test tonight. They'l detain her for now."

Even though she'd guessed as much, hearing it out loud still made her sigh

inwardly.

It was clear Jarrod had been orchestrating things behind the scenes.

Catching Patricia in this way was

exactly the kind of move Elodie had imagined-but she knew, when it came to handling things like this, Jarrod always played the game better than anyone.