From Mob Princess to Mugshot Photographer novel Chapter 103

**Chapter 7**

As the first light of dawn broke through the curtains, Aiden found himself staring at his phone, the remnants of a sleepless night weighing heavily on his mind. With a shaky breath, he decided to reach out to Zoey.

[Are you awake? I overreacted last night. Don’t overthink it. Raven is my sister, and I couldn’t let your ex hurt her.]

He hesitated for a moment, his thumb hovering over the screen, before quickly typing another message.

[The wedding is in two days. Rest well. I’ll send someone to take care of you while you recover.]

The messages flew out in a flurry, his fingers moving faster than his mind could process. It wasn’t until he hit ‘send’ that he realized he had received no response from her. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach.

For the next two days, he remained a constant presence at Raven’s bedside, refusing to leave the hospital. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, but his focus was solely on his sister, who lay unconscious, fighting her own battles. He replayed the events of that night in his mind, a constant loop of worry and frustration.

Then, on the morning of the wedding, a luxurious bridal car pulled up outside the mansion, its polished surface gleaming in the sunlight. Aiden’s anticipation quickly morphed into anxiety when he noticed that Zoey was nowhere to be found.

His patience, already frayed, snapped. A dark premonition crept into his heart as he rushed inside, his voice echoing through the halls.

“Where’s Zoey? Today’s the wedding! Why aren’t these jewels unpacked yet?” he barked, his eyes scanning the staff for a hint of an answer.

Confusion painted the faces of the workers around him. One of them finally spoke up, “Miss Parker? She left two days ago and hasn’t returned. I thought she was with you…”

Aiden’s frustration boiled over, his heart racing. “Zoey is injured! And you just let her stay somewhere else?” His voice rose, filled with disbelief.

He quickly summoned his assistant, his anger barely contained. “Where’s Zoey? Didn’t I tell someone to take care of her? Why wasn’t I informed she hadn’t returned?”

The assistant’s face turned ashen, fear evident in his wide eyes. “Sir, didn’t you say we didn’t need to send anyone anymore?”

“When did I ever say that?” Aiden snapped, his mind racing with the implications of the assistant’s words.

With trembling hands, the assistant pulled out his phone, displaying their chat history. Aiden’s heart sank as he recalled the night Raven had been playing with his phone, her innocent laughter now a haunting memory.

“I never sent that message!” he exclaimed, realization crashing over him like a tidal wave.

“Zoey’s been missing for two days, and none of you knew? Why are you standing there? Find her!” His voice was a mixture of desperation and fury, each word laced with urgency.

After sending his assistant on a frantic search, Aiden scoured the mansion, his heart pounding in his chest with every room he checked. But all traces of Zoey had vanished, replaced by receipts for charity donations—a cruel reminder of her absence.

His heart raced as he whispered a silent plea.

“Zoey, don’t go with him. Don’t disappoint me. Please…”

But the silence that enveloped him was deafening, mocking his desperation. The minutes crawled by, and as the time for the wedding ceremony approached, panic began to take hold of him.

When the hotel called for the tenth time, Aiden’s composure shattered. “Cancel the wedding! Don’t contact me again!” he shouted, disbelief coursing through him. He couldn’t fathom the idea of Zoey leaving with her ex-husband, the very man she had despised for three long years.

He retraced their steps, visiting every place they had shared memories—amusement parks, shopping malls, and city streets—each location a painful reminder of what he might lose.

At the university entrance, he finally encountered a group of students who had seen Zoey just days earlier. Their words sent a chill down his spine. She had been there, and she had looked terrible.

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