When Elodie accepted his friend request, Joseph was genuinely surprised. He couldn’t even explain to himself why he’d added her in the first place, or what he was supposed to say now that she’d accepted.

It all felt a bit awkward.

In the end, he didn’t say anything.

Instead, he tapped into Elodie’s social feed and started scrolling.

She didn’t post often, and it looked like her privacy settings were wide open. The latest update was from about two weeks ago—a photo of a hospital building.

The caption read: “Here alone, fingers crossed for good news…”

Joseph couldn’t help picturing Elodie’s calm, detached expression.

Clearly, she’d gone to the doctor by herself.

As he scrolled further, most of her posts were snapshots of daily life-little things that showed how much she loved living. Pictures of desserts she’d made, home- cooked meals, fresh bouquets she’d bought, and her place looking neat and inviting.

It was all so warm and full of intention.

Joseph lingered for a while, thinking that, really, Jarrod ought to be pretty happy.

His thumb paused on a mirror selfie Elodie had posted. He hesitated, then decided not to open it in full.

“Joseph? What are you looking at?” Maurice’s voice broke his reverie. They’d all been out to dinner for a while now, but Joseph had barely said a word and kept staring at his phone.

Jarrod glanced over, his tone unreadable. “Something on your mind?”

He, too, had noticed Joseph seemed distracted all night.

Joseph met Jarrod’s eyes, feeling a sudden, inexplicable irritation. “No.”

Sylvie walked over and glanced at Joseph’s phone. “You seem out of it. Are you feeling all right?”

He quickly locked the screen. “I’m fine.”

Sylvie smiled gently. “Glad to hear it.”

Still, she thought she’d glimpsed a woman’s photo on his screen.

A woman?

Sylvie gave Joseph a second, lingering look.

Jarrod spent the night at Silverstein Mansion. He’d left some important documents

in the study there, and the next morning, as he was getting ready to leave,

Octavia was just heading out for school.

She climbed right into his car, still in her uniform.

Jarrod looked at her, eyebrow raised. “What are you doing?”

Octavia yawned. “Going to school, obviously. Aren’t you picking up my sister-in-

law today? I miss her, thought I’d say hi before class.”

She always called Sylvie “sister-in-law.” Never Elodie.

As Octavia texted Sylvie to say she’d be downstairs soon, she suddenly asked, “Has Elodie been furious lately?”

Jarrod glanced at her. “What do you mean?”

Octavia twirled a strand of hair, thinking. Elodie cared so much about her brother, always wishing and pleading to be acknowledged as his sister-in-law, but Octavia stubbornly refused and kept calling Sylvie by that title instead. She figured Elodie must be livid about it, even if she didn’t show it.

But, honestly, Elodie didn’t compare to Sylvie.

Sylvie was a star in the aviation field, and Octavia wanted to go into that field herself. Sylvie would definitely help her out.

Still, she had to admit, Elodie was good at running a home-her cooking and desserts were always amazing.

Not totally useless, she supposed.

But lately, Elodie had stopped dropping off little treats for her on purpose.

Octavia kind of missed them, but she wasn’t about to act friendly-otherwise, Elodie might get cocky.

“Nothing, really. Just noticed it’s been pretty peaceful lately,” Octavia said, turning back to browse a drone forum.

She idolized the genius who’d developed the U.N2 drone. Someday, she’d love to meet them.

Jarrod pulled out his tablet and started checking the stock market, making it clear he had little interest in any conversation about Elodie.

After they met up with Sylvie, Jarrod dropped Octavia off at school.

She was about to graduate next year, but since she attended an international school, her mornings weren’t too early. When she walked into the classroom, she saw Freya was already there.

Freya had missed a few days after an asthma attack and a short hospital stay. Octavia didn’t bother to say hello. They were the same age and had been compared to each other all their lives-she was over it.

Freya didn’t seem to care, either. She simply took a box of cookies out of her bag and set it on her desk.

Sitting diagonally behind her, Octavia immediately recognized the packaging. “Where’d you get those?” she blurted out.

Freya shot her a look and took a bite. “Not your business.”

Octavia frowned.

She could’ve sworn this was Elodie’s handiwork-she always used these moon- themed boxes, and the cranberry chocolate cookies inside had a familiar scent.

Suddenly, Octavia felt a flash of annoyance.

She couldn’t even say why.

She told herself it was just a coincidence-someone else must have the same taste.

Still, it bothered her.

She shot Freya a glare and said nothing more.

After arriving at her office, Elodie saw a message from Freya.

Freya had sent a photo of the cookies Elodie had given her, with a playful note: “Is

there anything you can’t do? I couldn’t stop myself I finished them all~”

“Elodie, if I ever have any questions about drones, can I come to you~?” Elodie found Freya’s cheerful personality genuinely likable. She replied: [Of course.]

After pocketing her phone, Elodie spent two hours poring over aerospace journals, and suddenly, a new idea clicked. She hurried to call an impromptu meeting with Alexander and the rest of her team.

She remembered that Dr. Charlie had once gifted her a book that would be perfect for this research-full of valuable references.

She looked everywhere but couldn’t find it.

Then it hit her: she’d probably left it at the house she and Jarrod had shared.

She considered calling Jarrod to let him know she’d be stopping by to pick it up-

she didn’t want to intrude-but doubted he’d answer. He hardly ever came home anyway.

She’d just grab the book and slip out.

After working late until eight, Elodie took her medication, then drove over to the

house.