Chapter 245: You Only Need To Know Three Things

Slowly, Zachary lifted one hand and gently cupped Sienna’s chin. His thumb brushed softly across her smooth skin, the familiar gesture carrying far more tender meaning than words ever could.

"Alright," he said. "I won’t stay angry, and I won’t scold her. Only because you ask me not to."

The tension in Sienna’s shoulders eased immediately.

"But," he continued with a gentle smile, "don’t ask me to stay silent about it. I still need to talk to her."

Sienna blinked. "Talk to her about what?"

"I need to tell her how important you are to me." His voice was calm, but there was unmistakable certainty in every word. "She needs to understand your place in my heart, and behave accordingly."

Sienna stared at him, surprised by the seriousness in his tone.

"You... you’re going to tell her about our marriage?"

He nodded without hesitation.

"Hmm. And not only that." His thumb continued to stroke her chin gently as he held her gaze. "I’m also going to tell her the truth about you being Skylar’s biological mother."

Sienna’s breath caught.

For a few seconds, she could only look at him. Ever since they had gotten married, they had carefully kept the truth hidden from most of his family. Although she understood the reasons behind it, part of her had always wondered when that secret would finally come to an end.

Now, Zachary was telling her that the moment had arrived.

Her heart immediately filled with mixed emotions. Nervousness settled heavily in her chest because she had no idea how Zoey—or the rest of his family—would react once they learned the truth. She couldn’t stop herself from imagining countless possibilities, some hopeful and others frightening.

Even so, beneath all those worries was a quiet happiness she could no longer deny. Zachary was no longer trying to protect their marriage by keeping her hidden from his family. Instead, he was choosing to stand beside her openly.

The realization warmed her heart. It wasn’t only because he wanted everyone in his family to know she was his wife. It was because she herself was finally ready to let the people closest to him see her as part of his life.

Looking into his steady eyes, Sienna found the courage to smile. Her fingers tightened around his hand, silently telling him that although she was nervous about what lay ahead, she trusted him completely.

Whatever happened after he told the truth, she knew they would face it together.

...

The next morning, instead of heading straight to his office, Zachary stopped at his private café in the middle of the city.

The café had not yet opened to the public, leaving the space quiet and undisturbed.

Sitting at a table by the window, he calmly enjoyed a cup of morning coffee while reading something on his iPad. His expression remained composed, but every now and then, he glanced toward the entrance as though waiting for someone.

A few minutes later, the café door opened, and Zoey walked inside. A frown immediately appeared on her face when she spotted Zachary sitting alone. Without wasting any time, she walked directly toward his table.

Only after she stopped beside the table did Zachary lift his eyes from the iPad. He looked at her for a brief moment before silently gesturing for her to sit across from him.

Zoey pulled out the chair with a quiet sigh before taking her seat. Her sharp eyes never left his face as she let out a bitter laugh.

"I can’t believe Sienna managed to do this, forcing you to come to this place just to meet me," she said, shaking her head.

Before Zachary could say anything, she continued, "Bro, did you seriously want to be with her? No, right? She’s just someone you’re playing with—"

She couldn’t finish her sentence because Zachary calmly raised one hand, stopping her before she could say another word.

Zoey let out a frustrated sigh, recognizing the silent warning. Although she clearly wasn’t satisfied, she leaned back in her chair and allowed him to speak first.

"She is my wife," Zachary said without the slightest hesitation. His voice remained calm, but there was undeniable firmness behind every word. "Don’t speak badly about her, and show some respect."

Zoey’s eyes widened instantly. She stared at him as though she had misheard.

"Wife?" she repeated in disbelief. "You mean... you two are already lawfully married? When?!"

Zachary didn’t bother answering with words. He simply gave a small nod before lifting his coffee cup and taking another slow sip, completely unfazed by the shock written all over his sister’s face.

Zoey inhaled sharply, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"Zach, are you insane?" she blurted out. "You actually married her? Are you trying to give Mom and Dad heart attacks?"

"They’ll find out eventually," Zachary replied evenly. "Also, she’s Sky’s biological mother and the woman who was able to melt my heart. So why wouldn’t I marry her?"

Silence immediately settled between them.

Zachary calmly placed his cup back on the saucer. He watched his sister with quiet amusement as she struggled to process everything he had just revealed. For someone who was usually quick and composed in responding, Zoey had become unusually quiet and failed to hide her bafflement.

Meanwhile, countless thoughts raced through Zoey’s mind.

’Zach is legally married to Sienna?’

’And Sienna is Skylar’s biological mother?’

’Does that mean they’ve known each other for years?’

’Then why didn’t I know any of this?’

The more she thought about it, the deeper her frown and bafflement became. She looked back at her brother, her mind filling with questions she desperately wanted answered.

"Why did she leave Skylar?" she finally asked. "Why did you let her work at the Imperial Hotel? And why did you only marry her now?"

For the first time since she arrived, Zachary’s expression changed slightly. A trace of tension crossed his face, though it disappeared almost as quickly as it came. Remaining composed, he gently placed his coffee cup on the table before leaning back in his chair.

"Zoey," he said firmly, "I’m going to say this only once. I don’t owe you any explanation beyond what I’ve already told you."

His voice wasn’t raised, but the authority in it was unmistakable.

"You only need to know three things. Sienna is my wife, your sister-in-law, and Skylar’s mother."