How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue novel Chapter 160

Only Elodie seemed oblivious to how these things worked.

Jarrod set his teacup down with casual indifference. "You can't put a price on happiness and love. Raise it."

Sylvie paused for a split second, then her lips curled into a smile, her eyes soft and glowing with sweetness. She raised her paddle again, chin tilted ever so slightly. "Fifty million."

Ever since Elodie had joined the bidding, her eyes had been glued to Jarrod's table. She'd seen with her own eyes that Sylvie hadn't planned to continue—until Jarrod gave her every ounce of confidence. No matter how high the price, he would back her up.

In that instant, the color drained from Elodie's face. For the first time, she felt a suffocating pressure she couldn't put into words. Her heart clenched tight, aching and numb all at once.

Up ahead, Maurice and the others watched the whole scene unfold with keen interest, glancing at Elodie with looks that needed no translation. Their eyes seemed to mock her, silently declaring her defeat and the absurdity of her challenge.

Was Elodie even qualified to compete with Sylvie?

Grady felt a conflicting mix of emotions. He glanced at Sylvie, then leaned in to whisper to Maurice, "Mr. Silverstein treats Ms. Fielding awfully well... Are they really planning to get married?"

Maurice hesitated, throwing a sidelong glance at Elodie, who looked utterly lost. "I think so," he replied quietly.

Once Elodie was out of the picture, it was only a matter of time.

Grady fell silent, a sour pang in his chest. He knew, deep down, that compared to Jarrod, he didn't stand a chance.

On the other side, Esmeralda could sense exactly how Elodie felt. She leaned closer, urgent. "Do you really care about that ring so much?"

Elodie shook her head. "It's not that. That ring is an heirloom in the Thorne family—it's my mother's wedding ring..."

Esmeralda's face changed dramatically. Grabbing Elodie's hand, she blurted, "Raise your paddle! Go all in! I've got over ten million in my account—we can win this!"

But Elodie only shook her head, resigned. "You don't understand Jarrod."

A few million meant nothing to Jarrod. No matter how high she bid, Jarrod would always raise the stakes for Sylvie—he'd push it to a level Elodie could never hope to reach.