Crimson Love (Crimes On Love)

Part 2: Chapter 3: The Dark Legacy Of The Rose Family

The Rose family had always been seen as royalty within high society. They were the embodiment of old money, their fortune dating back generations, built on industries that spanned everything from shipping to real estate. But behind the glamorous facade and perfectly manicured estates, the Rose family had a history steeped in shadows—a legacy of crime, corruption, and power plays that kept them at the top.

Diamond grew up with stories of her great-grandfather, Cornelius Rose, a visionary entrepreneur who turned the family's wealth into an empire during the early 1900s. What the public didn't know, however, was that Cornelius had been as ruthless as he was brilliant. He built his fortune not just through savvy business deals but through more illicit means—extortion, bribery, and smuggling. During the Prohibition era, Cornelius seized an opportunity, becoming one of the most notorious bootleggers on the East Coast.

Cornelius's connections with organized crime ran deep. While he publicly brushed shoulders with politicians and businessmen, he privately brokered deals with mobsters, using his influence to smuggle alcohol, weapons, and other contraband into the country. The money from these illegal operations flowed into legitimate businesses, and soon, the Rose family became untouchable. By the time the Prohibition ended, Cornelius had cemented the Rose name as one synonymous with wealth and power, leaving behind a carefully constructed empire that blended both legal and illegal endeavors.

By the time Victor Rose, Diamond's father, took the reins of the family business in the late 1980s, the Rose empire had become far more sophisticated in hiding its criminal activities. Victor wasn't as overt as Cornelius, but he was just as ruthless. He expanded the family's reach into the world of corporate finance, but at the same time, he strengthened the family's connections to the underworld. The Roses dealt in real estate, banking, and stock markets on the surface, but beneath it all, they were laundering money for drug cartels, paying off politicians, and orchestrating insider trading schemes that made them millions.

Victor kept his hands clean, at least in public. He was known for his charm, his philanthropy, and his influence in political circles. But behind closed doors, he was as cold and calculating as the worst of criminals. Deals were made in dark rooms, fortunes shifted in silence, and anyone who threatened the Rose dynasty's power either vanished or was financially ruined. There was no question about who ran the city from the shadows—Victor had his hand in everything, from the police force to city council, ensuring that the Rose family was always one step ahead of the law.

Even Diamond, for all her innocence, couldn't escape the whispers of what her family really did. Growing up, she had often overheard conversations between her father and his associates—murmurs of "moving shipments" and "taking care of problems." Her mother, Evelyn Rose, had played her part too, always the perfect hostess, entertaining powerful men and women who knew better than to cross the Roses. The glamorous dinner parties Diamond attended as a child were just masks for the deals being brokered in the study afterward.

Evelyn herself wasn't just a trophy wife. She was an integral part of the family's success, using her connections with high society to control the flow of information, manage the family's image, and, when necessary, act as a diplomat between her husband and the powerful men they worked with. Beneath her cool exterior, Evelyn had a sharp mind and a heart of steel. She could charm anyone into doing her bidding while making them feel like it was their own idea. She was the perfect complement to Victor's brutal pragmatism, ensuring the Rose family's rise to the top wasn't just built on fear, but also on loyalty and alliances.

And then there was Sebastian, Diamond's younger brother, the golden boy groomed to inherit it all. Even from a young age, it was clear that he was more than willing to follow in their father's footsteps. He had a vicious streak, always eager to prove himself by doing the dirty work. It wasn't uncommon for Diamond to overhear conversations between her father and Sebastian, where Victor would discuss "opportunities" that involved making people "disappear" or manipulating markets to destroy a competitor's company. Sebastian took to it all without question, eager to prove his worth in the eyes of his father.

But the most disturbing part of the family's dealings was how they always maintained a veneer of respectability. The Roses were constantly in the public eye, attending charity galas, being photographed for society magazines, and hosting fundraisers for political candidates. Victor made sure to support causes that would earn them public favor, even as he bribed the very politicians they funded to look the other way when it came to their more illicit activities.

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A Sister's Involvement: Olivia Rose

Diamond's older sister, Olivia Rose, was a different story altogether. Where Sebastian sought out violence and chaos, Olivia was cold, calculating, and far more dangerous in her own way. At twenty-six, she had risen quickly in the world of corporate finance, already running several of the family's most lucrative companies. Olivia didn't need to get her hands dirty like Sebastian. She knew how to manipulate markets, crush competitors, and make millions without ever setting foot outside her high-rise office.

Olivia had embraced the Rose legacy with open arms, relishing the power and control that came with their wealth. While Sebastian was focused on street-level operations, Olivia was the brains behind the corporate empire. She orchestrated complex financial schemes, using the family's legitimate businesses to launder money and cover up their criminal activities. And she did it all with a smile, knowing that no one would ever suspect the perfect, polished Olivia Rose of being involved in anything illegal.

Whereas Diamond felt trapped by their family's legacy, Olivia thrived in it. She had always been their father's favorite, the heir he trusted most with the future of the Rose empire. Unlike Diamond, who often rebelled against their family's strict expectations, Olivia never questioned their methods. To her, the ends always justified the means.

In many ways, Olivia was the person Diamond feared becoming. Cold, detached, and willing to sacrifice anything—even her own happiness—for the sake of the family. Olivia's loyalty to the Rose dynasty was absolute, and she had no patience for Diamond's attempts to break free from their control.

Their dynamic was strained, to say the least. Olivia often viewed Diamond as naïve, someone who didn't understand the importance of preserving their legacy. And Diamond, in turn, resented Olivia's willingness to do whatever it took to maintain their power, no matter the cost.

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The Turning Point

As Diamond grew older, she began to see the cracks in the perfect facade of her family. Victor's control over the city wasn't as absolute as he liked to think, and the criminal underworld was full of rivals eager to take a piece of the Rose empire. There were whispers in the city—rumors of other crime families gaining ground, of new players entering the game. The Roses, once untouchable, were slowly becoming targets.

One of the most dangerous threats to their dynasty came from within the city's burgeoning drug trade. Valentina's world, though seemingly separate, was beginning to collide with the Rose family's operations. The city's gangs had begun to carve out territory that had previously been under the Roses' control. Victor and Sebastian had tried to maintain dominance, but the street-level violence and the unpredictability of the gangs were beyond their reach. This was a new era of crime, one that didn't adhere to the polished rules of old money and privilege.