The silence in Franklin’s office was thick with anticipation, as palpable as the tension crackling in the air. I stood there, rooted to the spot, as my gaze shifted from Franklin to the shadowy figure by the window. It was then that the figure stepped forward, revealing themselves with a hesitant grace that belied the threat Franklin had implied.
I recognized her instantly. Lydia Thompson. She was one of Edward’s closest colleagues, someone I thought I knew, but in that moment, her presence only added layers of confusion to the chaos swirling in my mind.
— Marilyn — Franklin began, his voice steady but tinged with a gravity that turned my stomach. — I’m sorry for the abruptness, but you need to know the truth. Your husband… Edward was involved in something serious, something that goes beyond business.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as sandpaper. Edward and secrets? The Edward I knew was a straightforward man, his loyalty as steadfast as the love he had shown me.
— 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.
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