How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod simply dropped into a chair, eyes fixed coldly on the satellite tracker. "I'm not going," he said, his tone icy and distant.

Esmeralda looked at him in surprise. "But-"

He offered no explanation.

By the time Watts got back, dawn was just breaking, the world outside painted in

muted gray.

Almost without thinking, he found himself heading toward Elodie's room. He paused in front of her door, lost in thought for several long moments.

The fact that Jarrod was still alive had caught him off guard. But telling Elodie? That wasn't part of his plan.

He glanced at his watch. Jarrod would need some time to wrap up his affairs. Nearly four hours had passed since their last call.

Casting another glance at Elodie's closed door, Watts walked down the hall and pulled out his phone. "Has Jarrod left yet?" he asked quietly.

The reply was immediate: "His men say they saw him board the plane."

Only then did Watts hang up.

As long as Jarrod was gone, everything would move the way he needed it to. He'd give Jarrod two days, at most.noveldrama

As for Elodie...

He walked back and knocked on her door.

No answer.

He waited a few seconds, then unlocked the door and stepped inside.

As expected, Elodie was sitting on the edge of her bed, lost in thought. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink all night.

No doubt it was because of Jarrod's supposed "death."

A flicker of something unreadable flashed through Watts' eyes.

He came closer. "I want you to resign from your position at the home base," he said, voice even. "It's best if you call them, let them know you're safe. No need to stir up a storm back home."

Elodie gave him a cool look. "Oh? Worried that they'll come asking questions once they find out you've locked me up?"

Watts didn't bother denying it. That was certainly part of it. This whole mess had gotten out of hand.

But there was more.

"I want you to quit," he continued, slower now, "and come with me to Germany." Elodie actually laughed.

Yesterday he'd been dead set on dragging her home, and now he wanted to take her to Germany? What was he playing at?

"And what does that have to do with me?" She arched a brow. "Mr. Aldridge, you think a bit too highly of yourself, don't you?"

She was sharper than he'd expected.

But that was part of who she was-Watts had always known Elodie wasn't the delicate, pliant type. When she lashed out, her words cut deeper than most.

He didn't care anymore. Crouching in front of her, he looked up. "Elodie, I'm giving you a choice."

She stared back, cold and unmoved.

He smiled as if he had all the time in the world. "You quit your job, come

You with me, and I'll bring

your child there so you can be together. How does that sound?"

The moment the words left his mouth, Elodie's expression changed.

Her face went almost ghostly pale.

Because she understood-this was a threat.

Watts knew about her child with Jarrod. He was using the child as leverage, trying

to force her hand.

"Watts, if you ever touch my child, won't hesitate to destroy you-even if it means going down myself! Elodie shot up, grabbing his collar so hard it choked him.

Watts didn't stop her. He just looked up, eyebrow raised. "No need to get worked up. I haven't done anything to the kid. Come with me, and your child will be safe-back in your arms before you know it."

Elodie's hands were trembling, though her face remained ice cold.

Now she knew just how ruthless Watts could be when he wanted something.

With Jarrod's fate uncertain, she couldn't afford to be reckless.

Her child... she had to protect her child, no matter what.

She let him go, fists clenched tight. "Fine."

Outside, guards were stationed everywhere. This place was locked down tight.

For now, she would have to bide her time and wait for the right moment-she was badly outnumbered, and couldn't risk a wrong move.