— What do you mean? — I managed to ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

Franklin exchanged a glance with Lydia, who nodded and stepped forward, her eyes soft with an understanding that somehow made the situation even more surreal.

— Edward discovered discrepancies in the company’s finances, Marilyn, — Lydia explained, her voice gentle yet firm. — We’re talking about massive fraud, and when he tried to report it, things turned dangerous. He asked Franklin and me to keep you safe if anything happened to him.

The room tilted as her words sank in. My husband, the man who had shared coffee with me every morning and whispered sweet nothings in the quiet of midnight, had been living a double life, torn between his duties and his conscience.

— There were threats, — Franklin added, his expression grim. — He didn’t want to involve you or Jason until he could prove it without risking your lives.

I felt a wave of nausea at the thought of my husband fighting this battle alone. The danger Franklin spoke of hovered like a dark cloud, and I shivered involuntarily, as if cold tendrils were wrapping around my heart.

— Why didn’t he come to me? — I asked, tears pricking my eyes.

— He was protecting you, Marilyn, — Lydia said softly. — But now, you need to be aware. We think the people behind this fraud might come after anyone who knows too much.

A sense of foreboding filled the room, and I realized my son, Jason, and his wife, Tessa, were unknowingly tangled in this web. They had to be warned, but I couldn’t risk telling them yet, not without knowing who was safe to trust.

— What do I do now? — I asked, the strength returning to my voice as a new resolve took hold.

Franklin leaned forward, his expression earnest. — We need to gather evidence, keep it safe. Lydia and I are working from the inside, but we need you to be cautious. Act normal, and let us handle the investigation.

I nodded, the gravity of the situation settling upon me like a mantle. The world as I knew it had shifted, but the pieces of Edward’s life, and now mine, needed to be put right.

With a newfound determination, I left Franklin’s office, knowing the truth, though terrifying, was a necessary compass. Edward’s legacy was at stake, and I was now an unwitting guardian of his secrets. The funeral was indeed just the beginning, but I was ready to face whatever lay ahead, for Edward, for Jason, and for the truth.