How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"Reba, that's no way to talk about your sister," Malcom cut her off, his tone stern.

Elodie watched their little performance with a cool detachment, not even bothering to offer them tea. "If you have something to say, just say it."

Malcom forced a smile, clearly eager to get to the point. "Elodie, lately I've been hearing some big news... Sounds like Jarrod's pulled off quite a coup-secured a market that's practically unheard of, both here and abroad. I even had someone look into it for me. From what I hear, Jarrod's investment could easily pull in millions in pure profit every year. Your father's been thinking about getting into investments himself. Maybe you could put in a word, get the Harcourt family in on the action?"

The business world had already been in turmoil over Jarrod's latest move.

It was the kind of strategic win that left everyone stunned.

So young, and he'd managed to corner such a massive, monopolistic market- how could anyone not be rattled by that?

The profit alone was enough to make people lose their minds.

Elodie eyed Malcom's greedy expression with icy disdain. "Mr. Harcourt, your appetite is insatiable. Aren't you afraid it'll be the death of you?"

Reba shot Elodie a furious glare. "Aren't you afraid of tempting fate? Who talks to their father like that?"

Elodie met her gaze, unruffled. "Didn't you always insist that I was the outsider, and you were the real Harcourt heiress? Since when are we family?"

"You really hold a grudge, don't you? With a petty heart like that, how do you expect to accomplish anything?" Reba faltered, but quickly recovered with a cold huff.

Malcom's brow creased in annoyance. "That's enough! Save the bickering- you're here because you need your sister's help."noveldrama

He turned to Elodie, smile back in place. "Reba's not a child anymore. I was thinking—it might be good for her to work with you for a while. You could show her the ropes, introduce her to some valuable contacts. With you guiding her, imagine what you two could accomplish together."

Some people's shamelessness truly knew no bounds.

Elodie let out a cold laugh. "Mr. Harcourt, have you grown so old you think you can just toss aside your pride? Let me be perfectly clear: if you want a piece of Jarrod's business, keep dreaming. If you want to shove Reba into VistaLink Technologies, forget it. Now, if there's nothing else, please leave."

She made it clear they were no longer welcome.

She was sure her words couldn't be more explicit.

Malcom's expression finally changed.

His smile vanished, replaced by a complicated look. "Elodie, shutting every door like this will only hurt you in the end. You shouldn't follow in your mother's footsteps-being so inflexible and blunt will cost you dearly."

A flash of malice and excitement flickered in Reba's eyes. "See, Dad? Didn't I tell

you? She'd rather learn the hard way-why bother being polite?"

Elodie felt a strange, uneasy premonition in the air.

And sure enough-

Malcom sighed heavily, then slid a photograph onto Elodie's desk. "K really didn't want things to come to this. You've broken your father's heart."

Elodie glanced down-and in that instant, her eyes went cold, stripped of all warmth.

The photo was of her.

Four years ago, in that hotel

room-Malcom had arrived before the reporters, slipped in under the radar, and staged the whole scene, sobbing in front of Jarrod and demanding he take responsibility.

Back then, she'd been a mess, huddled under the sheets, not even sure how to defend herself.

The photo was proof of her so-called "scandal"-her bare shoulders exposed, the whole image radiating a seedy, lurid undertone.

It could only be called... explicit.

Elodie's breath turned frosty as she stared at Malcom's self-righteous face.

She never imagined her own father would stoop so low as to secretly photograph

his daughter in such a humiliating state, just to use it against her.

"Tell me, do you really think Mr. Silverstein would want a wife with her scandalous photos plastered all over the place?"