Jackson Hart: The Student Billionaire

Chapter 267: The Picture and the Promise!

Hailey’s pulse quickened as Andrew’s words hung in the air. The warm, tranquil glow of the riverside lanterns suddenly felt colder, as if the world itself had tilted toward something darker.

“What do you mean ‘not good’?” she pressed, though her voice was already carrying the weight of a guess she didn’t want to make.

Andrew shook his head, his gaze fixed on the restaurant entrance. “If James didn’t want to say it on the phone, it has to be serious. He sounded… off.”

The waiter appeared beside them again, oblivious to the tension building between them. “Would you like anything else, sir? Ma’am?”

Hailey offered a polite, distracted shake of her head. “Just the bill, please.”

As the waiter walked away, Andrew pulled out his phone again, staring at the darkened screen as if expecting another call. The seconds dragged, filled only by the muted chatter of other diners and the soft rippling of the river.

Fifteen minutes later, headlights swept across the far end of the outdoor patio. A dark