Chapter 303: The Grand Opening (4)

Zachary’s eyes narrowed sharply as he asked Jimmy, "You sent your people to follow me? Are you joking, right?"

Jimmy raised his hand in surrender and playfully replied, "Yeah. Of course I didn’t. I was just teasing you, man. But... I still can’t believe you’re already married..."

Sienna couldn’t help but smile at Jimmy’s disbelief. He’d been caught completely off guard, and she found his reaction amusing.

Jimmy finally turned his attention to her and offered his hand. "Hello, Mrs. Sterling. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jimmy, Zach’s friend and business partner."

"Hello, Jimmy. It’s nice to meet you too. Just call me Sienna..." She replied as she accepted his handshake. "And, thank you for coming to our opening."

"It’s my pleasure. Actually, I would say it’s an honor," Jimmy replied with a playful grin. "I came here thinking I was just attending another restaurant opening. Instead, I discovered the biggest secret my good friend has been hiding from me."

Zachary gave him a warning look. "Don’t make a big deal out of it."

Jimmy laughed. "How can I not? You kept your marriage hidden from me for so long. Do you know how embarrassing this is for someone in my industry?"

Sienna covered her smile with her hand, trying not to laugh too loudly. "I’m sorry, Jimmy. I didn’t realize keeping our marriage private would hurt your professional reputation."

Jimmy looked at her for a moment before laughing again. "Sienna, even though we just met, I already like you. Such a witty lady. At least someone in this family understands how to tease Zach."

"Hey," Zachary protested lightly, though the smile on his face showed that he wasn’t actually offended. "You two just met, and you’re already teaming up against me?"

Sienna glanced at her husband with an innocent expression. "I didn’t do anything. Jimmy started it."

"Exactly," Jimmy said immediately. "And I did it because I always want my friend here to chill a little."

Zachary shook his head. "I can already tell bringing you here was a mistake."

"Too late," Jimmy replied cheerfully. "I’m already inside, and I’ve already met your wife. You can’t send me home now."

The light conversation eased the atmosphere, and Sienna felt more comfortable around Jimmy. She had expected Zachary’s business friends to be all serious and intimidating, especially someone as influential as Jimmy. Still, his relaxed personality made it easier for her to speak naturally.

"All right, let’s continue upstairs. The others are already waiting," Zachary said, taking Sienna’s hand.

"Oh, Kevin and the others have already arrived?" Sienna asked as they started toward the stairs. She had been so busy welcoming Zachary’s family that she hadn’t realized some of his friends had already arrived.

"Yes, they called me earlier," Zachary replied.

He held her hand securely as they climbed the stairs, while Jimmy followed closely behind them.

Sienna glanced at their joined hands and smiled to herself, feeling a quiet sense of happiness. She had spent most of the day worrying about the opening, the media, and the possibility that her marriage might become public, but having Zachary beside her made those worries feel much smaller.

As they reached the second floor, Jimmy looked at the couple walking a few steps ahead of him and smiled knowingly.

"So, Zach, can I publish exclusively on your marital status tomorrow?" Jimmy asked casually, clearly enjoying the opportunity to tease him.

His question was enough to make Zachary and Sienna pause. They both turned to look at him, and Sienna couldn’t help but give him a slightly awkward look.

"Come on, Zach. You need to grant me the exclusive rights to the story," Jimmy pleaded, his expression becoming more serious for only a moment before the amusement returned to his eyes.

Zachary’s lips curved slightly as he looked at Jimmy. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by the question. "Sure, man. But you can’t upload my wife’s picture or dig into her personal life."

"I promise you I won’t do that..." Jimmy promised immediately. He raised one hand as though he were making a formal agreement, which made Sienna smile despite herself.

"And you should also write about this place," Zachary added, glancing around the second floor before looking back at Jimmy.

Jimmy nodded solemnly, then turned his attention to Sienna with a confident smile. "Sure! I’ll exclusively ask my people to review this place. Don’t worry, Sienna... I’ll make sure your café and restaurant draw public attention."

Zachary nodded, satisfied with Jimmy’s answer.

"Thank you, Jimmy... I really appreciate your help." Sienna said with a sincere smile. She appreciated that he was willing to help promote the new place, even if his teasing had made the conversation a little awkward.

"Don’t say that, Sienna. Consider it part of the exclusive package," Jimmy replied, earning a small laugh from Sienna.

...

Sienna didn’t linger for long after that. She had only accompanied Zachary upstairs to meet his friends. Once she welcomed them, she thanked them for coming, made sure they received the best service from the staff, and excused herself. She still had plenty to handle downstairs, and she didn’t want to spend too much time away from the restaurant while everything was still being managed.

She continued monitoring the situation outside with Mia, and occasionally checking on Ava’s area of responsibility.

Even though the evening had started smoothly, Sienna knew there were always small things that could go wrong when so many guests were gathered in one place. She wanted to make sure the staff stayed organized and that everyone received the attention they needed.

After several more minutes passed, everything continued to run smoothly. All the guests had arrived, everyone seemed to be enjoying their dinner, and the staff had settled into a steady rhythm.

Since nothing demanded her immediate attention, Sienna was finally able to relax a bit. She and Mia eventually found a quiet table in the corner and sat down for a short rest.

They had barely had enough time to enjoy the break when Riley’s voice came from behind them.

"Sienna, Mia..." Riley walked casually, approaching them. "So, here you are."

Mia looked up first and smiled. "Boss Riley, you finally came. I thought you forgot."

"How could I forget..." Riley stopped right beside their table and looked directly at Sienna. "Here, my present for you..."