THE END OF THE ROAD

As Edward drove, the silence between us was almost comforting. There was no need for words now, no more explaining. The soft hum of the car engine was the only sound filling the space. I glanced out the window, the city slipping past us, my thoughts moving just as fast. I couldn't shake the weight of what I'd just learned.

As much as I expected something to go amiss or to be something unexpected, this had exceeded even my wildest imagination, time and time again, during the past 20 minutes. Edward hadn't said a word since we started driving again, and for now, that was fine. After everything we discussed, I think we both needed silence to let it all settle in.

I leaned my head back against the seat, feeling emotions bubbling beneath the surface.

His demeanour had changed during our last conversation—something deeper than the calculated, business-like tone he'd taken when we first met. The gravity of his request weighed more heavily on me now, but it wasn't until I thought back to that conversation that I fully understood why.

I shifted in my seat, stealing a glance at Edward. His hands were steady on the wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead. His posture was as straight as ever, but there was something behind it. A sort of exhaustion. He had always come across as powerful and in control, but now, in the quiet of the car, I could sense a vulnerability he had kept hidden before. It struck me as odd how much I had started to understand him, even in this short time since he'd made his proposition.

_

I remember staring at him, waiting for an answer. The mood shifted between us and my heart suddenly pounded in my chest.

"Yes, Abigail," Edward had said, his voice low and measured, "there's something I need to tell you. I planned to reveal it to you when I explained all of this, but it's not as easy as I thought it was. This will clear everything out, it's the real reason I'm doing this."

There was something in his tone that made me nervous. His eyes met mine, and for the first time since we'd met, there was no guardedness, no business-like reserve. Just honesty.

"I'm sick," he said, the words heavy. "Very sick."

I didn't know what to say. My mind went blank.

But it didn't matter, because he didn't give me time to respond. "I have little over a year left, maybe two if I'm lucky. It's why I need to make sure Mark is set up before I'm gone. I want him to take over the company, to have what is rightfully his, and the stability he needs to thrive. But he can't do that alone. If I want to fix this in this little time, I can't wait for the board to trust him, he needs you. That's why I came to this extreme, why I came to you."

There was no way I could have predicted this—this whole arrangement, the urgency of it all, was rooted in something far more personal than I'd realized.

My throat tightened, and I could only nod as the weight of his words sank in. Suddenly, the deal we had made—the year, maybe two, I'd agreed to—felt much more significant.

It was more than just an arrangement for the company's sake. It was about giving Edward peace of mind before his time ran out.

"I know this isn't easy to take in," Edward continued, his voice softer now. "But I want you to know that I trust you, Abigail. You have the skills, the intelligence, and the drive to help Mark get his rightful place and to help through this transition. I wouldn't have approached you if I didn't believe that."

I had to swallow the lump in my throat before speaking. "I'm sorry… If I had known…" I managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

He shook his head. "Don't be, I'm okay. I've made my peace with it. And you weren't supposed to know until now... I didn't want to burden you with it unnecessarily. But you deserve to know why I'm asking so much of you."

I nodded, and for a minute, we were silent, leaving me some time to process.

"I'm guessing this isn't public, right?" I said.

He shook his head. "No, you're the only one that knows. Well, except my physician and my lawyer."

"Mark?"

"No. I can't do that to him now… I need him to focus his efforts at work. Once I feel we're in a safe place, and I get confirmation from my friends at the board, I will tell him. I hope you understand and that you don't reveal this to him. This is not in any contract; I'm simply trusting you to keep this secret."

"Of course. It's not my place to say anything." I didn't hesitate with my answer, I believed it. I didn't know Mark, perhaps if he was a friend I would feel differently, but right now I couldn't imagine betraying Edward's trust in this, it was his illness.

_

I found myself wondering about him as a father—what he was like to his son, Mark. A part of me couldn't help but feel a small pang of jealousy. Edward was a man with all the resources in the world, yet his biggest concern was his son's future. My parents, on the other hand, had left me with nothing but burdens. They hadn't even considered what would happen to me after their schemes fell apart.

Edward, for all his flaws, was trying to ensure his son would be set up for life. It was a strange contrast—one that gnawed at me. My parents had never been that thoughtful. They didn't think twice about what their actions might do to me, leaving me to clean up their mess. And now, here I was, thrown into a mess of my own.

I clenched my fists lightly in my lap, pushing the thought away, there was no use for jealousy on this. I needed to focus on the present.

I glanced at Edward again. He seemed lost in thought, his face impassive as he focused on driving. I wanted to say something, to offer him some kind of reassurance, but the words stuck in my throat. What do you say to someone who's just told you they're dying?