From Mob Princess to Mugshot Photographer novel Chapter 48

**Chapter 12**

In the bustling lobby of the precinct, Alexander’s assistant, Jones, stood rigidly at the front desk, his posture as straight as a ruler. A carefully crafted smile adorned his face, masking the anxiety that churned within him.

“Officer,” he began, his voice steady despite the tension in the air, “we have a situation. A key employee from our company is missing, and we urgently need your assistance in locating her.”

The desk officer glanced up, his expression shifting from routine to alert. “What is the name and ID number of the missing person?” he inquired, fingers poised over the keyboard, ready to input crucial information.

“Her name is Olivia Hayes. Her ID number is—”

A sudden realization struck Jones. Officer Hayes?

The officer’s fingers hesitated for a brief moment, and he scrutinized Jones with a discerning gaze. “What is your relationship to the missing person?” he asked, his tone now tinged with curiosity.

“I’m her boss’s assistant,” Jones replied, his heart racing as he felt the weight of the officer’s scrutiny.

The officer’s eyes roamed over Jones, assessing him thoroughly before he closed the computer window with a definitive click. “Understood. We’ll reach out to you if we have any updates,” he stated, his tone dismissive.

Jones felt a frown tug at his lips, sensing the brush-off. “But her last known location was this precinct. Can we please review the surveillance footage? My boss is extremely concerned about her well-being,” he pressed, desperation creeping into his voice.

The officer’s demeanor remained cool and unyielding. “Surveillance footage is not available for public viewing. You’ll be contacted if there are any developments,” he replied, his voice devoid of empathy.

Just as Jones was about to press the matter further, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor behind him.

“Officer Hayes, I need you to sign off on this report, please,” a familiar female voice called out.

“Okay,” the officer responded, his tone shifting slightly.

Jones spun around, his heart leaping at the sight before him. At the end of the corridor stood Olivia Hayes, clad in a crisp police uniform, confidently handing a file to a tall man beside her.

Her hair was cut short and neatly styled, a service weapon holstered at her hip. The transformation was striking; she was unrecognizable from the silent, submissive bodyguard he had once known.

“Miss Hayes!” he exclaimed, his voice filled with surprise and relief.

For a fleeting moment, Olivia’s back stiffened, a hint of recognition flickering in her posture. But without turning or breaking her stride, she swiftly rounded the corner, leaving Jones in a whirlwind of confusion.

Ethan, the tall man beside her, halted abruptly, blocking Jones’s path. His sharp gaze, magnified by his glasses, settled on the Pierce Industries badge that adorned Jones’s chest. “Are you looking for someone?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Jones eyed him cautiously, feeling a surge of apprehension. “Yes, I’m looking for the woman who just passed—Olivia Hayes. She’s my boss’s bodyguard. And you are?” he replied, trying to maintain his composure.

Ethan casually closed the file he had been holding, but his eyes remained guarded. He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “There’s no ‘Miss Hayes’ you’re looking for here. You should leave,” he warned, an unmistakable edge in his tone.

Jones felt a chill run down his spine, cowed into silence by the man’s intimidating presence. Yet, he was certain of what he had seen. That was undeniably Olivia Hayes. But why was she wearing a SWAT uniform?

With urgency, he relayed this startling discovery to Alexander.

“Mr. Pierce, we’ve confirmed that Miss Hayes’s last known location was the police precinct,” he reported, his voice steady despite the turmoil within.

The precinct?

Alexander, behind the wheel of his car, slammed on the brakes, his heart racing as he processed the information.

Her memory is back.

The Olivia who had once taken knives for him, who had shared his bed and vowed to stand by him through thick and thin… had truly cast him aside.

“Meet me at the office. I need all the details,” Alexander commanded, ending the call abruptly, his mind racing with dark thoughts.

In the penthouse office of Pierce Tower, Alexander sprang to his feet, his office chair clattering to the floor in his haste.

“She was in uniform?! Are you absolutely certain?” he demanded, disbelief coloring his tone.

Jones nodded, his expression serious. “Yes, and the man with her seemed hostile, as if he was deliberately blocking me from approaching her.”

His phone rang again, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw it was Chloe. With a sigh, he silenced it, knowing he couldn’t deal with her right now.

Meanwhile, back at the Pierce villa, chaos reigned as Chloe shattered another expensive vase in a fit of rage.

Her phone screen illuminated with the message: [Alexander Pierce: 12 Missed Calls].

“Olivia Hayes… you persistent bitch…” she seethed, the thought of the woman who had consumed Alexander’s every thought igniting a surge of fury within her. In a fit of rage, she swept an entire table’s worth of dishes onto the floor, the sound of shattering porcelain echoing through the room. The servants froze, eyes wide with shock.

“Aaaahhh!!!” she screamed, her knuckles white as she gripped a wine glass tightly, the glass threatening to crack under her pressure.

“You think changing your identity will be enough to steal Alexander from me?!” she shouted, her voice filled with venom.

Suddenly, a news report flashed on the TV, detailing an undercover operation targeting a cartel.

A chilling laugh escaped Chloe’s lips. “Perfect, Olivia Hayes… It’s time to settle all of our debts…”

At the SWAT training range, Olivia fired her last round, the sound echoing in the air as she pulled off her noise-canceling headphones, her body still humming with adrenaline.

Familiar footsteps approached from behind, and Ethan handed her a towel, concern etched on his face. “Alexander had his people scour the city’s surveillance and entry and exit logs,” he informed her, his tone serious.

She wiped the sweat from her temple, a smirk playing on her lips. “Let him try. Undercover files are encrypted at the highest level. I doubt he’ll find anything,” she replied confidently, the fire within her unwavering.

Ethan studied her for a moment, a question lingering in his eyes. “Are you afraid of seeing him?” he asked, his voice softer.

“No…”

Olivia gazed out at the distant city lights, her heart heavy with memories. “It’s just that thinking about the past makes me sick,” she admitted, the pain evident in her voice.

The night wind tousled her short hair, and Ethan chuckled softly, admiration flickering in his gaze.

It seemed… Olivia Hayes was far tougher than he had ever imagined.