Found Obsession

Chapter 54: Greco's case V: Teresa

"No," Raven said firmly, his expression unreadable.

Before he could step back, Rose grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close, her breath shaky but her resolve unwavering. "I will not stand here and do nothing after what I just heard," she hissed, her voice tight with anger and pain. "That girl-" Her words caught in her throat, the weight of it all feeling like a punch to the gut.

She pushed him away, jerking back, unable to meet his eyes. Her whole body trembled, not from fear, but from the overwhelming need to act.

"I told her I would get her out," Rose said, her voice cracking. "And this isn't just about Brianna. There are others, Raven. If I go to the police now, without any concrete evidence, by the time they even start investigating, they'll be gone. And I can't-" She swallowed hard, her eyes flashing with determination. "I can't afford that."

The air between them was thick with tension, the gravity of what Rose was asking hanging heavy in the room. Raven's unreadable gaze flickered for a moment, but he remained silent.

Rose's voice softened but remained steady. "Please... help me."

After a long, tense pause, Raven nodded, his eyes dark and serious.

"Listen to me, Rose." He grabbed her gently but firmly, guiding her to sit down in the chair. He then took a seat directly in front of her, his voice low and full of warning. "Once I sell you, there is no turning back."

Rose swallowed hard and nodded, her heart pounding. She had come too far to back down now.

Raven's expression tightened, his eyes distant, as if he were recalling something painful. "The ones who are hard to tame..." He paused, his voice wavering slightly, "...they receive beatings, abuse and rape. Or worse death."

For a moment, Rose felt her resolve falter. She didn't want to hear it, didn't want to know what he had gone through. But she couldn't ignore it, not when she knew he was speaking from experience.

"Raven..." she whispered, her voice barely audible, "what exactly happened to you?"

His gaze snapped to hers, sharp and commanding. "Don't ask me anything for once. Just listen. If you want to survive this, you need to listen." His tone left no room for argument.

Rose nodded, sitting up straighter, bracing herself.

"When you're in there," Raven continued, his voice steady but grim, "keep a low profile. Make them think you're scared. Too scared to fight back or speak up. They prey on that. They'll use you to watch over others-make you feel like you've earned some small amount of control. But it's an illusion. It's all manipulation. If you gain their trust you can find information."

He leaned in closer, his eyes burning with intensity. "Don't trust anyone, especially the friendly ones. They'll turn on you the second it benefits them."

Rose's throat tightened as she absorbed his words. She knew she was walking into a nightmare, but this was worse than she had anticipated.

"They'll test you," Raven said, his voice dropping to a whisper. " Show them fear, but don't let it break you. The moment you fight back, they'll crush you, do it unless necessary."

He paused for a moment, looking down at his hands.

Rose's heart raced, her mind reeling from everything he was telling her. But she knew he was right. If she had any hope of getting the information they needed, of saving those children, she had to play the part. She had to survive.

"Blend in," Raven continued, his voice hard. "Be useful, but not too useful. Do what they tell you, but don't stand out."

Rose clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she nodded. Every fiber of her being was screaming with fear.