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.

The entire truth unfurled before him like a dark tapestry, revealing his own foolishness. He had been naive to believe that a woman would willingly share her husband with another. Raven had played the innocent victim in public while orchestrating Zoey’s suffering behind closed doors.

And he, in his ignorance, had never stood by Zoey’s side when she needed him the most. He had saved her from a life of despair abroad, yet now he had shattered her hopes with his own hands.

His words, “I regret saving you,” echoed in his mind, a haunting reminder of his betrayal. In a fit of rage and despair, he raised his hand and struck himself across the face, the pain grounding him in reality as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Then, he spotted Raven in the hallway, her demeanor light and carefree. But as soon as she saw him, her expression shifted to one of fragility, as if her facade was crumbling.

“Aiden, you’re here?” she said, her voice laced with false sweetness. “Did you come to see me? I’m sorry—did I ruin your wedding with Zoey again?”

This was the woman he had cherished for five long years, the one who had been supposedly injured in the fire. Without uttering a word, he took her by the arm and led her into a nearby hospital room, locking the door behind them.

“Print a divorce agreement and bring it here,” he demanded, his voice steady despite the storm raging inside him. “Don’t let Raven leave this room until after she delivers the baby!”

A doctor passing by gave him a puzzled look, raising an eyebrow. “What delivery? She’s not even pregnant.”

Aiden let out a laugh that bordered on insanity, the absurdity of the situation washing over him. With the divorce papers signed, he sent Raven away, forbidding her from ever returning to the Sinclair home.

Days turned into weeks, and still, Zoey remained missing. Aiden felt the weight of guilt pressing down on him, knowing full well that she blamed him for what had happened. He had no right to show his face in front of her.

One month later, he found himself kneeling at the graves of Zoey’s parents, the weight of his actions crashing down upon him. He knocked his head against the ground repeatedly, the pain a small penance for the heartbreak he had caused.

“Sir, Ma’am, I’m so sorry. I broke my promise,” he whispered, tears streaming down his face. “Please watch over Zoey from heaven. Let her find peace and happiness for the rest of her life.”