Found Obsession

Chapter 124: The Truth About The Greco Family

March 23, 2006. 9:00 AM

Rose opened her eyes slowly, the familiar surroundings of her bedroom doing little to ease the terror that gripped her chest. The fear she had fallen asleep with hadn't faded—it was still there, coiled tight in her throat.

She tightened her hold on the blankets, trying to steady her breathing.

The weight on her hand let her know it hadn't been a nightmare. The ring was on her finger. She immediately took it off and tossed it.

Rose sat up slowly, her movements deliberate, as though sudden motion might shatter her fragile composure.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the box resting on the nightstand. A ribbon tied neatly around it, chocolates, a single red rose, the spear, and a note.

She swallowed hard, her throat dry as she reached for the note, unfolding it with trembling fingers.

Detective,

I must have gone overboard with the punishment I provided, but it seems I wasn't clear enough last time and I don't like my warnings to not be taken seriously.

I do not retract my actions. There is no regret—he was going to harm you.

I do, however, apologize for taking something that was not mine: your spear. I was making sure no extra marriage papers had been left when I found it, I felt a strange connection to it as strange as it sounds. I'll be leaving it here.

I also know you've been under a lot of stress. As a courtesy, I'll be giving you space this week. Just please be careful with letting your guard down.

Rose's breath hitched as she finished reading. She swallowed again, her eyes drifting to the spear resting beside the note. She understood exactly what the message meant—it was about the soldier, the informants, and seeing those children.

She realized that if she crossed the line, if she didn't hurry things would be worse than what they had been last night. It wasn't a child's game. She somehow deep down had thought Elijah wouldn't... That with his obsession he wouldn't harm her again and since he had also helped her multiple times maybe she had become to confident over how he would treat her. And yes, he didn't seem to want to harm her pyshically but last night was proof there were always other ways.

What in the world had she been thinking? An obsessed man. From the word obsessed things were very wrong. 

Her mind reeled with everything she had seen. Elijah's brutal methods, the way he had tortured that man, the cold efficiency in his actions—it was a stark reminder of the darkness she was up against. All thanks to her family.

She gripped the note tightly, her resolve hardening. She couldn't let Levi or any of the children fall into this abyss. She wouldn't dare take on the guilt of seeing them become what Elijah and his team had become.

Rose's breathing steadied as her focus sharpened. She had to find out who she was dealing with. She needed more answers.

She had once thought uncovering their identities was too dangerous—not for her, but for them. If high society found them, the guilt would eat her alive. She had also been too scared to dig deeper, afraid of what she might uncover. Scared to shatter more.

But after what she had seen last night—the cold efficiency of Elijah's methods—she began to doubt that ignorance was the right choice.

They had become her blind spot. She would have to find a way to uncover the truth without exposing them to high society.

Because she could no longer hold back the questions she had left on the back of her mind.

If Riley was part of Elijah's group but also from the Greco family—they were wealthy, with police influence—there were inconsistencies there. Questions she hadn't dared to ask.