Chapter 266: Meeting Zachary’s Parents (2)

A middle-aged butler opened it before Zachary and Sienna even reached it.

"Good morning, Young Master."

"Morning, Geoffrey."

The butler’s eyes briefly shifted toward Sienna before offering her a polite bow. "Good morning, Madam."

"Good morning, Geoffrey," Sienna replied politely and warmly.

"This way, please."

Geoffrey led them through the spacious entrance hall and into an elegant sitting room bathed in warm natural light. Everything inside was tasteful and meticulously arranged, reflecting years of careful attention.

"Please have a seat," the butler said politely. "I’ll inform Master and Madam that you’ve arrived."

"Thank you," said Zachary and Sienna at the exact same time.

After Geoffrey quietly left the room, silence settled between them once again.

Sienna looked around, trying to distract herself by admiring the family photographs displayed on a nearby shelf. Some showed Zachary as a child. Others captured family vacations and formal events over the years.

She smiled faintly when she spotted a younger Zachary standing awkwardly beside his parents in one picture.

"You looked so serious."

Zachary followed her gaze and laughed. "My father insisted I stand properly for every photo."

"I can tell."

"I smiled after the photographer stopped taking pictures. Every time."

That earned him another laugh.

"I’m starting to think Skylar inherited that from you."

Zachary’s laugh echoed through the room. He then cheerfully answered, "I hope he inherited your smile instead."

"Hmm, I agree with that."

The light conversation helped ease some of Sienna’s nervousness. Even so, she found herself glancing toward the doorway every few seconds.

Noticing her uneasiness, Zachary gently covered her hand with his once more.

"Wife, they’ll be here soon."

She nodded. "I know."

"And no matter how this conversation begins, I’ll handle it with you."

She looked at him gratefully. "Thank you, honey."

Just then, footsteps echoed from the hallway.

A moment later, Kennedy Sterling and Hannah Sterling entered the sitting room together. Both of them stopped when they saw Zachary.

"Father. Mother."

Zachary stood and greeted them respectfully.

Sienna immediately rose to her feet as well.

Kennedy smiled faintly and joined them in the seating area. "You came earlier than I expected."

"Yes, Father. I wanted to see both of you as soon as possible."

Hannah’s eyes briefly met Sienna’s. The memory of yesterday’s confrontation was unmistakable in her expression, though she remained silent.

Zachary took a slow breath before reaching for Sienna’s hand. He gently guided her to stand beside him. His fingers tightened reassuringly around hers before he looked at his parents.

"Father, Mother," he began calmly, "I’d like to formally introduce someone to you."

Both Kennedy and Hannah turned their full attention to Sienna.

"This is Sienna." He paused briefly to glance at her before continuing. "She isn’t just Skylar’s mother..."

Sienna felt his hand gently squeeze hers.

"She is also my wife," he added.

The room fell silent.

Before either of his parents could recover from that revelation, Zachary calmly added the words that stunned them even more.

"We’ve already registered our marriage."

Kennedy and Hannah stared at the couple in complete disbelief, their expressions frozen as the weight of Zachary’s confession slowly settled over the room.

Seeing his parents remain frozen as they stared at Sienna, Zachary couldn’t help but smile. He walked over to his mother, gently took her hand, and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Mom, Dad, let’s sit down and talk."

His calm voice finally broke the silence.

Hannah looked at him for a moment before allowing him to guide her to the sofa. Kennedy quietly followed and sat beside his wife, though his eyes never left Sienna.

After making sure his parents were comfortable, Zachary returned to Sienna’s side.

He leaned closer and spoke softly enough that only she could hear.

"Let’s sit too."

Sienna nodded.

As they sat across from his parents, she quietly folded her hands in her lap. She could clearly feel both Hannah’s and Kennedy’s eyes resting on her, making it difficult to hide her nervousness. She reminded herself to stay calm, lifted her chin slightly, and met their gazes as politely as she could.

Before she could gather the courage to say anything, Zachary gently reached for her hand. His fingers intertwined with hers.

The simple gesture eased the tightness in her chest. She lowered her eyes to their joined hands for a brief moment before glancing at him. His reassuring smile silently reminded her that she wasn’t facing this alone.

Taking a slow breath, she looked back at Hannah and Kennedy.

She had expected Hannah to question her, criticize her, or bring up what had happened at the mall the day before.

Instead, Hannah surprised her.

"Sienna..."

Hannah called. Her voice was gentle, carrying none of the suspicion or coldness from their first meeting.

Sienna immediately looked at her.

"I’m sorry about what happened yesterday," Hannah said sincerely. "I didn’t know who you were, yet I accused you of terrible things. I even believed you were trying to take my grandson away."

Her eyes filled with genuine regret.

"I owe you an apology."

Sienna was genuinely taken aback. She had prepared herself for another difficult conversation, but Hannah’s heartfelt apology completely caught her off guard.

For a brief moment, she simply looked at the older woman.

Then she noticed something she hadn’t expected.

Yesterday, Hannah had looked at her with suspicion, almost as though she were a stranger who intended to harm Skylar. Today, however, that wary expression had completely disappeared. In its place was warmth, regret, and an honest desire to make amends.

That small change eased the lingering anxiety in Sienna’s heart. She smiled softly.

"Ma’am, it’s alright."

Her voice trembled ever so slightly, but it was filled with sincerity.

"I understand why you reacted that way. From your perspective, you were only trying to protect Skylar. Any grandmother would have done the same."

Hannah’s shoulders visibly relaxed.

"Even so," she replied gently, "I should have listened before making assumptions."

Sienna shook her head.

"I’ve already put it behind me."

A warm smile slowly spread across Hannah’s face.

"Thank you, Sienna."

There was another brief silence, but this time it was comfortable rather than tense.

Hannah studied Sienna for another moment before speaking again.

"I have to admit something."

Sienna looked at her curiously.