015

Hailey's POV

Paxton’s sleek black car pulled up in front of the most luxurious restaurant in the city, and my stomach churned as I stepped out. The restaurant's grand entrance glowed warmly against the darkening sky, its golden lights and immaculate glass doors. I wasn’t sure why Paxton had brought me here for *this talk* he kept hinting about, but the anxious feeling in my chest told me it wasn’t going to be anything simple.

We were seated at a table near the window, where the city’s lights sparkled in the background, but I tried to calm my nerves. The waiter came by to take our orders, and I could barely look him in the eye. My fingers fidgeted with the edge of my napkin, but I couldn’t focus on anything. Paxton was quiet, his face unreadable. The silence between us felt thick, almost suffocating, like we were standing on opposite sides of a cliff, waiting to see who would jump first.

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Ugh… so…” I mumbled, hoping he’d take the hint to start talki