Chapter 342: Final Plan

Zoey blinked, then gave him an awkward little smile. “I was just telling you.”

“I need to change for my next meeting. You can leave now.”

His voice wasn’t loud or angry, but something in his flat tone made it clear he wasn’t accepting any refusal. Zachary stood from the sofa and walked toward the bedroom.

Zoey was speechless at his attitude. She knew Zachary well enough to understand that the quieter he became, the more serious his mood was. When he was genuinely irritated, he rarely raised his voice. He simply became silent, and somehow that was much more intimidating, if not frightening.

“Brother,” she called after him, forcing her cheerful tone back into her voice. “Don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”

Zachary stopped for a brief moment but didn’t turn around.

“I won’t.”

Zoey swallowed and gave a small nod even though he couldn’t see her. “Okay. Good. I’ll leave you to get ready.”

She quickly walked toward the door and slipped out of the presidential suite, closing it behind her.

The moment Zoey left, Zachary stopped just before entering the bedroom. His hand remained at his side as his expression gradually changed. The calmness that had been in his eyes earlier slowly disappeared, replaced by a darker look.

‘Riley was here…? How interesting!’

Zachary stood silently for another moment before finally turning toward the bedroom. He had a meeting to attend, and he wasn’t going to let Riley’s presence interfere with his business.

…

Later that afternoon, in one of the rooms at the Imperial Hotel, Jessica Simmons sat nervously, staring at the door.

She had already been waiting for Riley to come to her room for ten minutes, but he still hadn’t shown up.

The longer she waited, the more impatient she became.

“Seriously, Riley Sterling!? Why did you keep me waiting all this time?”

She vented her frustration by throwing a cushion onto the floor, hoping the small act would calm her, but it didn’t. She felt even more irritated. She glanced at the door again, then reached for her phone, just as she was about to call him.

Before she could, the doorbell rang, jolting her out of her seat.

“It must be him!”

Jessica hurried to the door. The moment she saw Riley standing outside, she rushed to open it.

“My goodness, Riley, you finally made it,” Jessica said with relief as she stepped aside and motioned for him to come in.

Rather than saying anything, Riley gave her a warm smile, enough to soften her expression. She didn’t ask any questions, walked inside, and made herself comfortable in the seating area.

Jessica watched as Riley settled into the seat across from her. He looked calm and friendly, as she remembered, though a trace of exhaustion lingered in his eyes.

“Sorry, Sis,” Riley finally spoke. “I just finished the business meeting. It was boring, but I couldn’t escape it. That’s why I could only come to see you now.”

“It’s fine.” Jessica gave him a small smile. She couldn’t help feeling a little concerned when she saw how tired he looked. “So, is the first day finally over?”

“Kind of.” Riley leaned back in his seat and relaxed his shoulders. “There are still a few dinner meetings tonight, but I won’t be attending them. Only my dad and Uncle Zach will be there.”

Jessica’s eyes immediately brightened at the mention of Zachary’s name. Her hands, which had been resting on her lap, slowly tightened together as memories of her former relationship came rushing back.

Even after all this time, hearing his name was enough to make her heart beat faster.

She took a few seconds to regain her composure before asking carefully, “So, how is Zach? Did he come alone? Ugh, I can’t wait to meet him!”

Riley couldn’t help chuckling when he noticed the slight blush spreading across Jessica’s face.

“Relax, Sis. There’s no need to rush into meeting him. Just follow the plan, and eventually, he’ll end up with you.”

Instead of calming her down, his words only made Jessica blush more. She looked away briefly before meeting his eyes again.

“I’m trying, okay! But it’s difficult… You know how long it’s been since I last saw him. Just the thought of running into him in the elevator is driving me crazy.”

Riley laughed again. He understood why she was nervous, but they had already come this far. There was no point in letting her emotions interfere with what they had planned.

After a few more seconds, Jessica finally regained her composure. She straightened in her seat and focused on him.

“So, what is the final plan for tomorrow night?” She asked.

Riley’s expression shifted as he began explaining what he had arranged for the following evening. He intended to slip something into his uncle’s drink at the gala dinner and ensure Zachary ended up in his bedroom afterward. Jessica would then enter the room.

“So, Sister… Once my uncle is in his presidential suite and you enter his room, that’s up to you. You need to make sure he stays with you that night. In the morning, I’ll make sure the media gets photographs of the two of you together.”

Jessica’s eyes widened as the plan became clearer in her mind. She clasped her hands excitedly in front of her chest, and the nervousness she had been feeling was replaced by anticipation.

“Don’t worry, Riley. I’ll make sure to use the opportunity you’re giving me.”

“Good. That’s what I wanted to hear, Sis.”

Jessica nodded, her expression becoming more determined. She had waited for a long time for another chance to get close to Zachary, and now she believed that tomorrow night would finally give her the opportunity she had been waiting for.

Riley watched her carefully, making sure she understood that there was no room for mistakes. Although his voice remained calm, the seriousness in his expression made it clear that he expected her to follow through with their plan.

Jessica noticed the change in his demeanor and nodded again. “I understand. I won’t ruin it.”

“Then everything should go according to plan,” Riley replied, then excused himself to return to his room.