Found Obsession

Chapter 125: The Children In The Photograph

Rose returned home after a long night, exhaustion tugging at her, though her mind refused to rest.

She had told Samuel she would see what she could find out and then explained Morgan's workload so he could take over, then the commissioner's insisted that she get some sleep and she left. 

Percy had also informed her that she couldn't send letters until Jonathan provided his current location. Worried was an understatement.

Now, pacing inside her apartment, Rose's nerves felt like frayed wires. Sleep evaded her as her thoughts spiraled through everything—her family's secrets, the Vatican, Jonathan, Elijah and the danger looming over everyone connected to her.

Oh lord, now the Vatican.

Don't collapse again, she told herself. With that, she forced herself to prepare something quick to eat.

Her eyes flicked to the living room. The memories of what had occurred there churned in her stomach, forcing her to retreat to her bedroom. She decided to take a bath, hoping it would calm her.

Sitting in the warm water, hugging her knees, Rose felt small. The weight of the revelations overwhelmed her. Her family were murderers, and now she wondered: Was there a division between the Hansleys and the Vatican because of that? Could the Vatican somehow help her?

She bit her lip, unsure if seeking their help was even an option—or if it would make things worse.

When she finished bathing, she brushed her teeth, applied lotion, and locked her balcony door. Securing her room, she lay in bed and willed herself to sleep.

For a short time, she succeeded.

But she woke up drenched in sweat, her heart pounding. Nightmares of the murdered children at the Adlers' orphanage haunted her. The two men. The 17 survivors. Each image gripped her mind, refusing to let go.

Breathing hard, Rose glanced at the clock. She'd only managed two hours of sleep.

She brought her hands to her forehead, her red hair spilling across her face.

Knowing sleep was impossible, Rose resolved to keep going. She dressed quickly, scanned her room for any hidden devices, and headed to her hidden room.

Sitting at her desk, she opened her laptop to check her email. One message caught her attention—it was from Wyatt.

Subject: Update from Our Side
From: Wyatt

Rose,

Everything is going fine here. Levi, a kid named Joshua, and the two soldiers are teaching the children self-defense. Farming is progressing well.

The cameras show many civilians around here packed up and left. The place feels isolated now, but we've all agreed to stay put.

The profits and money are still growing, and Levi helped me set up private servers so we can't be tracked while I attend meetings.

If you need anything from us, just let us know.

Stay safe,
Wyatt

Rose exhaled in relief as she read.

She quickly typed a reply:

Subject: Email received

To: Wyatt

Wyatt,

Thank you for the update. I'm glad to hear everything is going well. Please be very careful with everything.