Chapter 297: Confident

Riley ended the call with a smile and slipped his phone into his pocket. He opened the car door and stepped outside, still in a remarkably good mood.

Today had gone better than he had expected. He was confident Sterling Tech had a strong chance of winning the military project, and if everything went according to plan... Jessica would keep pursuing Zachary.

He entered the Sterling Group building with renewed confidence.

Winning the project would prove he could lead Sterling Tech. Once Jessica created a rift between Zachary and Sienna, Riley believed he would finally have a chance to win the woman he loved.

For now, everything seemed to be moving exactly the way he wanted.

When Riley arrived outside his father’s office, the newly opened elevator doors behind him opened again, and his uncle, Samuel Sterling, stepped out. Riley had just raised his hand to knock when he noticed Samuel approaching, so he stopped and waited for him.

"Uncle, you also came to meet Dad?"

"Yes. Why are you here, Riley?" Samuel asked, confusion evident in his eyes. "I thought you were at the military base for the tender."

"It’s done," Riley replied with a proud smile. "I came here right away to share the good news with Dad."

Samuel nodded in understanding. "Well done, Riley. You did a good job." He gently patted Riley’s shoulder before gesturing toward the office door. "Go ahead and knock."

Riley nodded and knocked on the door.

A moment later, William Sterling’s voice came from inside. "Come in."

Riley opened the door and entered with Samuel right behind him. They walked inside and sat on the big letter-L couch with William on the other end. He couldn’t hide the broad smile on his face as he looked between his father and uncle.

Both men were clearly waiting for him to explain why he had come, but Riley seemed to enjoy making them wait a little longer.

William eventually raised an eyebrow. "Are you just going to sit there and smile like that?"

Riley briefly cleared his throat, realizing that his father was becoming impatient. He then began explaining what had happened at the military headquarters. He told them about how he and his team had submitted their proposal, how the presentation had gone, and how the senior officials had responded afterward.

He spoke confidently as he explained everything he knew, carefully emphasizing the positive reaction they had received.

After several minutes, Riley finally concluded, "The tender announcement will be made in a week, and I’m certain we’ll win this project."

Silence followed his statement.

Riley looked at his father and then at his uncle, waiting for one of them to react. Neither man immediately said anything. The silence slowly made Riley uncomfortable, and his confidence began to weaken slightly.

’Dang it. Why isn’t Dad saying anything? Does he still doubt me?’

He was about to explain further when William finally spoke.

"What about the other companies? Have they given their presentations yet?"

"Not yet," Riley answered quickly. "There are still two companies scheduled to present. One of them is Cresswell Tech. Their presentation is tomorrow."

"So, we can’t celebrate getting the project yet," Samuel said, his expression becoming more serious. "The other companies, especially Cresswell, still have a chance to impress the officials."

"I know, Uncle," Riley replied. "But don’t worry about them. They’ll screw up their presentation tomorrow."

William and Samuel exchanged confused looks.

"What do you mean?" William asked.

Riley was slightly surprised by his father’s question, but he quickly controlled his expression.

There was no way he could tell his father what he had actually done. If his father discovered that he had obtained and used the idea from Cresswell Tech’s proposal, the situation could become complicated.

He had stolen their original idea a month earlier. Since then, his team had worked hard to revise their own proposal and adapt it using Cresswell Tech’s concept. The result was much stronger than the version Sterling Tech had originally developed.

As long as no one discovered where the idea had come from, Riley believed they had a good chance of winning.

Hurriedly, he smiled and said, "I’m just saying, Dad. There’s no need to worry about them. I have confidence in our team, and Sterling Tech will secure this project."

William studied his son for a moment before his expression softened. Samuel also seemed less concerned after seeing how confident Riley was.

"Good," William said happily. "If you manage to secure this project, you’ll receive a big reward from me."

Riley’s face immediately lit up. "Thank you, Dad."

William nodded before glancing at the time. "You two can go back to your work. I have a meeting outside now."

He stood from the sofa and returned to his desk, making it clear that the conversation was over.

Riley and Samuel also stood. After saying goodbye to William, they left the office together. However, once they reached the hallway, Riley didn’t head back toward his own department. He had something else in mind.

He planned to visit The Secret Garden Restaurant and Café.

The thought immediately lifted his mood. He wanted to see Sienna, even if he only had a short opportunity to talk to her. After everything that had happened, he felt that seeing her would make his day even better.

As he walked toward the elevator, Riley took out his cell phone and called Sienna. He wanted to let her know that he was on his way and hoped she would still be at the restaurant when he arrived.

The call rang several times, but Sienna didn’t answer.

Riley frowned slightly and tried again.

Still no answer.

He lowered the phone and stared at the screen for a moment. He knew Sienna could be busy, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment. After a brief hesitation, he decided to call Mia instead.

The call connected after a few rings.

"Hello?"

"Mia, it’s Riley."

"Yeah, of course I know..." Mia replied with a light chuckle. "What’s up?"

"Is Sienna still at the restaurant?"