Found Obsession

Chapter 65: The Project, the Lists and Going Back

"To our knowledge, this project was initiated by Edward Thorn," Mark explained, handing Rose a photograph of a couple. "It was rejected, as you can see. Edward was inspired by her, the woman he loved-a girl named Crystal Finch. They were working on it together."

Rose examined the photograph as he pointed, her mind swirling with questions. "How did we end up-"

"Hold on," Mark interjected.

Rose nodded, and Sasha slid a newspaper clipping toward her. Crystal Finch: Humiliated by Edward Thorn for Being a Low-Society Child, Commits Suicide.

Rose's brow furrowed. "Why would he work on a project with her and then humiliate her?"

"Exactly, this is a lie but only the ones involved in this project know. He explained to us his family set him up." Jonathan replied. "After losing her, Edward became obsessed with finding others to help him the elderly ones refused him-so he sought out children from prominent families."

"He found no one willing to help until we did," Sasha continued. She took a steadying breath before saying, "I am an illegitimate daughter. His only daughter after so many sons-and, ironically, favorite-child. My stepmother resented it." She gave a sad smile. "Mr. Hutton only visited my mother 'for fun.' She helped him launder money, saying she'd do anything for the man she loved."

"You realized you wanted to help Edward- for your mother's sake, to feel you were doing something." Rose whispered.

Sasha nodded, eyes downcast.

"My family, the Delaneys, deals drugs," Mark added quietly. "I've never agreed with it. When I heard about the project, I saw it as a chance to finally do something meaningful. After wrestling with myself, I joined."

Rose's gaze shifted to Jonathan.

He hesitated, then spoke. "My father cheated on his wife, and I was the result-an illegitimate child, just like Edward and Sasha. My family despised and humiliated my mother and I constantly. But when my father's wife only gave him daughters, I suddenly became his 'favorite,' and after my mother's passing, he took me in. I've lived under their roof, full of resentment, pretending to be someone I'm not. Signing onto this project..." He looked down, voice lowering. "It felt like my rebellion."

Rose leaned back in her chair, trying to process everything.

"And me?" she asked quietly.

They exchanged glances, hesitating.

"You... never exactly told us what your family did to you," Mark began slowly. "You just showed up one night. You'd overheard us in the school library-that's what you said-and the very next evening, you appeared at our meeting."

Sasha nodded, a faint smile. "Edward was shocked to see you, actually. We all were. You are the only Hansley child we always thought you had everything and were the perfect child."

Jonathan added, "You handed us an updated version of the project, fully written out, and told us we'd have to be more discreet if we wanted it to succeed. Then you walked out, just like that."

Rose chuckled, amused by this glimpse of her younger self.

"At school, you always kept to yourself," Mark recalled. "You wore oversized clothes, and no matter how many times we tried sitting with you or talking, you'd just walk away and ignore us."

Sasha nodded. "Then one night, you came to a meeting and told us not to get close to you-that it was dangerous. You warned us this wasn't just a simple project that for the moment they saw it as fun and thought of Edward as a stupid child but when we grew up and they saw how different we thought of them, and that we were joining forces we'd all be in serious trouble."