Chapter 26
~ Hailey ~
The tension from earlier had settled into something more manageable by the time we all gathered around the Christmas tree. Jackson had arranged the presents with the precision of someone who'd clearly been planning this moment for weeks — each box carefully positioned, name tags facing outward, the whole display looking like something from a holiday catalog.
Yvonne had transformed completely. Gone was the sharp-edged woman who'd been interrogating me minutes ago. In her place sat someone soft, giggly, draped across Jackson's side like a contented cat. She laughed at everything he said, touched his arm constantly, gazed up at him with wide, adoring eyes.
The performance was masterful. I had to give her that.
"Alright, alright," Jackson said, rubbing his hands toge
