FORTY THREE

“Mia,” Olivia greeted, trying to mask her surprise with politeness.

Mia’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Olivia , her voice dripping with disdain.“I see you’re still here.”

Olivia straightened, meeting Mia’s gaze evenly, “I’m helping Lucas with something important.”

Mia scoffed, her tone icy, “I'm sure you are, it's amazing how you’ve managed to worm your way into his life.”

Olivia felt a flicker of irritation but kept her composure, “You think I'm here cause I want to? I’m only here to help, okay.” Oliviia say, even when her heart is already falling for Lucas.

Mia's eyes flashed with anger, “He dosen't need your help, he needs someone who understands his world, not some journalist playing detective.”

Olivia stood her ground, her voice steady, “I may be a journalist but I'm not playing. I care about Lucas, and I'm doing everything I can to protect him.”

Mia stepped closer , her expression hostile, “You think you know him? You think you can protect a Mafia boss? You're just a distraction, and a dangerous one at that.”

Olivia bristled, her eyes blazing, “I’m not a distraction. I’m here because I want to help. And for your information,Lucas wants me here.”

Mia's lips curled into a sneer, “Of course, he does, you must have seduced him to it.”

Before Olivia could respond , the door to the study opened again, and Lucas walked in, his eyes immediately narrowing as he saw Mia . “What are you doing here?” He asked, his voice cold and controlled.

Mia turned to Lucas, her demeanor shifting instantly from hostility to desperation. “Lucas, we need to talk.”

Lucas’s expression hardened, “there's nothing to talk about Mia, You’ve made your choices.”

Mia’s eyes filled with tears,her voice trembling. “It's not what you think. Marco ….”

Lucas cut her off, his voice icy, “I don't want to hear about Marco, you betrayed me Mia.”

Olivia watched the exchange, her heart pounding, she hadn't known the full extent of the drama between Lucas and Mia, but it was clear that the betrayal had cut deep.

Mia turned back to Olivia, her eyes blazing, “this is all your fault. Ever since you showed up, everything has fallen apart.”

Lucas stepped in, placing his masculine self between Mia and Olivia, his presence a shield between them “That's enough Mia, Olivia has nothing to do with your choices.”

Mia looked at Lucas, her expression filled with pain and anger. “You don't see it, do you? She turned you against me.”

Lucas' eyes were like steel, “No, You did that yourself.” Lucas said, his two hands pocketed in his pants.

The tension in the room was palpable , the air thick with unresolved emotions and u spoken words. Olivia felt a mix of sympathy and frustration for Mia.

Mia’s eyes flickered between Lucas and Olivia, her expression hardening, “This isn't over,” she said, her voice low and dangerous, her gaze on Mia.

With that she turned and stormed out of the study, leaving Lucas And Olivia.

Lucas let out a heavy sigh, running a head through his hair, “I'm sorry you had to see that,” he said, his voice softer now.

Olivia stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm, “It's okay, I'm here for you, remember.”

Lucas looked at her , his eyes filled with gratitude and something deeper. “I know , and appreciate it more than you know.”

They stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of the confrontation lingering in the air.

Finally, Lucas spoke, his voice steady. “Let's get back to work. We have a lot to do.”

Olivia nodded, determination settling in her chest. “Right.”

As they turned back to the task at hand, Olivia couldn't shake the feeling the battle with Mia was far from over.

As Mia’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Lucas handled the folder to Olivia, “Here are the past year’s call records of Harris. See if you find anything.”

Olivia took the folder, her fingers brushing Lucas's hands briefly, “I'll work on this right away.”

Lucas nodded, watching her with a mix of admiration and concern.

Oliviia flipped through the pages of phone records. She settled into a chair , spreading out the documents on the desk,her mind sharp and focused.

Hours passed as Olivia sifted through the records, cross referencing numbers and nothing patterns.

Hours later , Olivia’s eyes widened, “Lucas, look at this,” she said, pointing to a series of calls between Harris and a known associate of Massimo.”

Lucas leaned over, his expression darkening as he read the records. “Good work pretty doll, this is exactly what we needed.”

Olivia felt a surge of satisfaction, but she knew their work was far from over, “This is just the beginning we need to dig deeper.”

Lucas nodded, his respect for Olivia growing with each passing moment, “Alright, let's keep at it.”

Hours stretched into evening as Olivia and Lucas continued their investigation. Olivia's fingers flew all over the keyboard of her laptop, her mind razor-sharp as she delved into the digital trail left by detective Harris. Lucas sat nearby, his presence comforting.

As the clock struck midnight, Olivia let out a triumphant exclamation, “Got something.”

Lucas leaned closer, his eyes narrowing as he focused on the screen. “What is it?”

Olivia pointed to a series of emails and messages between Harris and several known criminal associates, “These communications show that Harris has been involved in coordinating shipment of illegal arms and drugs. He's not just a corrupt cop; he’s deeply embedded in the criminal underworld.”

Lucas's expression hardened, his eyes cold and calculating. “This is exactly what we need. We can use this to leverage him.”

Olivia nodded, her determination unwavering, “we need to gather more evidence to ensure we have a solid case. Once we have enough we can decide the best course of action.”

Lucas placed a gentle kiss on Olivia's forehead, “You’ve done an amazing job.”

A small smile played on Olivia’s lips, feeling a rush of satisfaction at Lucas's prause, “Thanks, Lucas. But we are not done yet.”

Lucas's phone buzzed , pulling their attention away from the computer screen. He glanced at the callers ID and saw it was Vincent, “Excuse me,” he said stepping out of the room to take the call.

Olivia continued her work, her eyes scanning through the remaining documents and digital records.