Chapter 18. Jackson’s Worry

Emma stood silently on the sidewalk, her eyes following the silhouette of Ricard’s Bentley Continental GT as it gradually disappeared into the night. She picked up her phone and unlocked the screen. Instantly, the screen lit up with numerous notifications, missed calls, and messages from Jackson, all brimming with anxious concern. She scrolled through each message:

“Emma, where are you? Why aren’t you answering?”

“Are you okay? I’m really worried.”

“Call me back as soon as you see this, please.”

“Is something wrong? I can’t be at ease not knowing where you are.”

Each message was brief, but filled with worry, as if Jackson was trying to stay calm but couldn’t hide the anxiety in his heart. The number of messages and missed calls made Emma feel a bit guilty for causing him such concern.

Without hesitating further, she dialed Jackson’s number and brought the phone to her ear. After just one short ring, the line picked up immediately, and Jackson’s vo