How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

He'd tried to get in touch with Esmeralda along the way.

There was one call that actually went through.

From patchy updates, he learned Elodie wasn't with Esmeralda—she'd somehow become separated. Worse, he hadn't even managed to contact anyone else from Elodie's group.noveldrama

None of this boded well.

The uncertainty left Jarrod on edge, every nerve stretched taut.

Ahead, the sky glowed with the flicker of fire.

The security team he'd hired was already fanning out, searching for her.

Elodie, with her striking Asian features and undeniable beauty, would surely stand out in any crowd-easy to spot, but that also made her a target.

Jarrod's expression was grim. This was supposed to be a safe zone, but chaos had erupted out of nowhere. No one could have predicted this.

Careful to avoid the broken rubble underfoot, he strode forward, eyes flicking constantly to his phone for updates.

There were countless places around the world plagued by hardship. Jarrod didn't have time to worry about strangers' struggles-right now, all he cared about was finding Elodie, and fast.

She'd always been frail, unable to withstand hardship or exposure. The thought of her out there, vulnerable, was unbearable.

Bang!

A shot rang out behind him, whistling dangerously close.

His bodyguard reacted instantly, grabbing Jarrod and pulling him into cover at lightning speed.

Jarrod scowled, ducking low into the shadows.

He peered out, scanning the distance.

Several vehicles came into view, equipped with high-end gear, flanking a center car. Whoever had fired that shot had meant business-they were coming for him.

"Mr. Silverstein, looks like they're searching for someone," his bodyguard said in a tense whisper. "Specifically, they seem to be looking for someone with Asian features."

Jarrod's eyes narrowed, a chill settling over his face.

"Can you make out who they are?" he asked quietly.

The bodyguard-—an old hand with far too many gray-area contacts—leaned against the wall, peering through the gloom. "That insignia... Quinn?"

Jarrod's eyes slowly narrowed at the name.

Quinn. How could he not recognize it?

Back then, he'd had every generation of the Fielding family investigated, leaving no secrets unturned.

He'd kept meticulous tabs on everyone they'd ever dealt with.

He knew that Sylvie and her daughter had once been connected to the Quinn family in Italy.

Sylvie herself had even had a brief involvement with the Quinn family's second

son.

Now, out of nowhere, the Quinns had shown up here...

A cold, sharp light flickered in Jarrod's eyes.

There was no need to guess anymore-too many things lined up.

And on top of that, someone had clearly leaked his movements.

Who else could it be, here in Italy?

At this point, evacuation was nearly impossible. Worse still, he had no idea what had happened to Elodie.

Jarrod made a snap decision: "Avoid them. Head for the rendezvous point with the others."

With that many men on the other side, regrouping was the safest bet.

He wasn't leaving. Not yet.

But with the Quinn family involved, getting out wouldn't be easy.

They'd likely be trapped here for some time.

Jarrod

his inked quickly-thankfully,

his injuries had mostly had mostly healed,

he

could keep up without much trouble.

Qt belongs to set

His bodyguard followed every order without hesitation.

Together, they slipped into the shadows, heading in a different direction.

*

Meanwhile, Quinn, growing

impatient, stepped out of his car. From the corner of his eye, he caught a shadow creeping toward the vehicles in the darkness. He waved a hand, signaling his men, unwilling to let any possibility slip by.

Lighting a cigarette, he nodded. "Go grab that one!"

Just then, a headlight swept across the darkness and caught Jarrod full in its beam.

Pale skin in the wrong part of

recognition. His expression instantly.

"It's him!" Contest

Jarrod turned back, realizing just how sharp his pursuers were they were coming straight for him.

His worry for Elodie deepened.

Quinn recognized Jarrod almost instantly.

He jumped back into his car, eyes burning with vengeance. "Follow him. Don't let him get away."

Once they were on you, there was no shaking them.

Jarrod dove into a nearby vehicle. His bodyguard spun the wheel, slamming the accelerator.

Behind them, the Quinn convoy gave chase, barely two hundred yards back.

Suddenly, the thumping whir of helicopter blades grew louder overhead, coming closer with every second.