Found Obsession

Chapter 102: Mark's Body. Wyatt Leaving. Tragical moment.

Hey there, HAPPY END OF THE YEAR

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December 29, 2005

Rose knelt by Raven's false grave, her fingers trembling as she arranged the flowers she had brought. The cold air bit at her cheeks, but she barely noticed it, her thoughts too heavy to focus on anything else.

It had been days since anyone had heard anything about Mark, and the weight of the unknown pressed heavily on her chest.

Her heart tightened painfully, the ache of loss and fear growing unbearable. First Raven, now Mark—

Wyatt had been putting on a strong front, but even he seemed affected. He had buried himself in work, focusing on the bank's growing profits and managing the opening of new branches. Rose admired his resilience, but she could see the strain in his eyes when he thought no one was watching.

Levi had called earlier, his voice light as he reassured her that he was safe and back with Margaret. He had even laughed while telling her how he had knocked Lucas out with a dart and left him in a bus to find his way home. The memory had made Rose chuckle softly, but the momentary distraction did little to soothe her.

Jonathan, Sasha, and Rose had been forced to maintain the facade that everything was fine. They presented themselves at work, acting as if the world wasn't crumbling around them. But Rose could feel the tension crackling between them, the unspoken fears and doubts.

Since Levi had darted Riley and Teresa, things had grown strained. The silent suspicion hung in the air, but Rose chose to remain quiet, unsure how to mend the fractures forming in their relationships.

She placed the final flower on the grave and sat back on her heels, staring at the headstone.

An empty grave, she thought bitterly. A false marker for someone they had loved and lost.

Her chest tightened as her mind wandered to Mark. Was he scared? Was he alone somewhere, unsure of what was to come? The thought made her feel hollow, a suffocating emptiness spreading through her.

She hadn't been able to sleep for days, and it showed in the shadows beneath her eyes and the heaviness in her movements. Also, Mark had revealed one name that had left them cold and they were still unsure on how to handle.

Rose's gaze dropped to the grave as she let her thoughts drift. Her mind then wandered to the marks on her body, the strange black streaks that had grown over time. She had inspected them recently and noticed something shocking—the streaks had retreated.

The mark on her foot had shrunk back to its original form, just the simple mark she originally had. The streaks on her back had also reduced, thinning to what they looked like the day she discovered them.

Her stomach churned at the realization.

That Christian event, she thought. Her singing, maybe the prayers—it had done something. Something had done something to the Marks.

Rose swallowed hard, her hand instinctively brushing over the faint remnants of the mark on her arm.

She closed her eyes, letting the silence of the graveyard wrap around her.

Rose was scared—terrified, even. The thought that the mark might not kill her anymore sent shivers down her spine.

Soon a shadow loomed beside her. Startled, she looked up to find Rebecca holding a bouquet of flowers as well.

Rose stood abruptly, a wave of anger surging through her chest. She kept quiet, swallowing the sharp words she wanted to say. If Raven had chosen to take his own life, it was because of her.