By midday, a call came from authorities informing her that Ramon had been in a serious highway incident and would not be coming home anytime soon. The days that followed blurred together: paperwork, long conversations with relatives, and the heaviness that settles when life changes without permission.
With trembling hands, she opened the safe.
Inside were neatly stacked files, notebooks filled with Ramon’s handwriting, and a small envelope with her name written carefully on the front.
“For Selena,” the letter began. “If you are reading this, I am no longer with you. I am sorry for years of silence. Everything I did was for your protection.”
Selena’s breath caught.
The letter unfolded a story she had never imagined. Years earlier, Ramon’s company had become tied up in serious financial misconduct. While reviewing routine files, he had discovered irregularities involving certain corporate leaders. When he attempted to report the issue through internal channels, he found himself facing immense pressure not to speak.
