How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue novel Chapter 559

He was genuinely surprised—by all of this.

Elodie didn’t bother to explain.

In the VIP section, Patricia immediately spotted Watts standing with Elodie, engaged in conversation.

Patricia’s brows arched slightly as she turned to Jarrod beside her, lips curving in a sly smile. “I wonder, Mr. Silverstein, what are your thoughts? Between the two of them, who are you rooting for?”

Jarrod met her gaze, his eyes cool and unreadable.

He didn’t answer.

Only then did Patricia’s smile falter and her brows draw together.

Grady, seated nearby, overheard and chimed in, “Isn’t it obvious? The last two rounds were just appetizers. Today is the real deal—the true test of skill. Not everyone can just waltz into a top university and fake it till they make it.”

Maurice glanced uncertainly at Jarrod. Oddly, Jarrod didn’t seem at all anxious about the outcome. Maurice frowned. He knew Sylvie’s abilities—there was no question she had what it took. But with Elodie, things were far less certain.

If Sylvie really did trounce her…

The Silverstein family would definitely have something to say. After all, this was a public competition with plenty of attention. If Mrs. Silverstein herself lost to Sylvie, it would hardly look good—no matter how you spun it.

But Grady’s comment caught Naylor’s attention. Naylor shot him a look and said, “The scores will speak for themselves, Mr. Mercer. There’s really no need for that sort of talk.”

Grady seemed oddly antagonistic, as if he had some personal grudge against Elodie.

He looked like he wanted to snap back, but when he caught Jarrod’s eye, he clenched his jaw and fell silent, clearly reluctant but unwilling to push it further.

Naylor’s comment drew a thoughtful glance from Joseph, who then frowned, as if turning something over in his mind.

Meanwhile, as Elodie was preparing, Sylvie strode up to her.

She gave Elodie a cold once-over. “You still have time to back out if you want to save face.”

Elodie made sure Sylvie was actually talking to her before replying, icy and direct, “Worry about yourself.”

She didn’t bother with pleasantries.

Sylvie’s expression froze for a split second, then twisted into a sneer.

Suit yourself, she thought. If you won’t listen to advice, don’t blame anyone for what comes next.

She didn’t linger, spinning on her heel and walking away.

Esmeralda and Alexander arrived just in time to catch the tail end of the exchange. Esmeralda, puzzled, asked, “What’s with her? She’s got a real talent for bluffing.”

She’d smashed through a personal barrier.

Even Watts and that prodigy Lily were no longer contenders in her mind.

Elodie? She wouldn’t even catch a whiff of Sylvie’s exhaust.

With that thought, Sylvie allowed herself a silent, satisfied smile. But as the host’s announcement echoed through the hall and the results flashed onto the big screen, her smile froze in place.

Not just her—everyone in the audience seemed shocked.

Patricia’s eyes narrowed; instinctively, she glanced at Jarrod, searching for a reaction.

Jarrod simply looked up, his gaze fixed on the brightest name on the screen.

Naylor and Maurice shot to their feet, staring in disbelief at the top spot: ELODIE.

Maurice was stunned, barely able to process what he saw.

Elodie—this good? In a competition like this, with the best of the best, and she still managed—

Sylvie was the most rattled of all. Her composure shattered, and as the results were announced, she snapped, voice tight and sharp, “I’m sorry, I don’t accept this. The results need to be recalculated!”