Acting The Part

Chapter 2: Caleb

The conference room was colder than I expected, the air conditioning turned up too high for an early autumn morning. But I barely noticed it. The moment I stepped inside, dressed in my sharpest Brioni suit, my eyes slid over the long mahogany table, taking in the familiar faces of the board members, all here for one reason: to witness the changing of the guard. To witness me step into the role I'd been groomed for my entire life.

I straightened my tie, a thin smile on my lips. Professional, calm. I had this in the bag. My grandfather, Casper Drake, sat at the head of the table, his thinning gray hair slicked back, his aristocratic nose casting a shadow over his weathered face.

He looked every bit the titan of industry he was, and I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride. Everything I was, everything I'd accomplished, was because of him. And today, I'd finally take his place.

My blue eyes scanned the room. The shareholders were seated, some already glancing at their watches, eager to get this meeting over with. The board members whispered among themselves, but I noticed more than a few nods in my direction. Good. They knew who their next leader was.

I walked over to my seat, directly to the right of my grandfather, and took a deep breath before sitting down. Casper glanced at me, his lips curling into a small smile. The old man had always been hard to read, but today, I wasn't worried. This was my day.

"Gentlemen," my grandfather's voice boomed through the room, silencing the quiet murmurs. He rose from his seat, placing both hands on the table in front of him. "Thank you all for being here today. Today marks a pivotal moment in the history of Drake Conglomerate."

The familiar weight of expectation settled on my shoulders, but it was a weight I'd carried for years. I was ready for this. I'd been ready for this since the day I graduated college with my business degree. Hell, even before that.

While other kids were chasing dreams of being professional athletes or musicians, I'd been sitting in boardrooms, shadowing my grandfather, learning how to mold a company into a global empire.

Casper continued, his voice steady and strong. "As you all know, I've been at the helm of Drake Conglomerate for decades. I've seen this company grow from a small family business to one of the largest conglomerates in the world. We've faced challenges—economic downturns, market fluctuations, even internal strife—but we've come out stronger each time."

I nodded along, my confidence building with every word. The board members clapped politely, offering murmurs of agreement. I leaned back slightly in my chair, my fingers tapping the armrest rhythmically. This was it. The moment we'd all been waiting for.

My grandfather paused, looking around the room before continuing. "But the time has come for me to step down. I've given my blood, sweat, and tears to this company, and I couldn't be prouder of what we've achieved together." He turned to me, his eyes locking onto mine. "And now, it's time for the next generation to take the reins."

I felt a surge of anticipation. My grandfather's speech was winding down, and soon, he'd announce what everyone already knew: that I, Caleb Drake, would be the next CEO of Drake Conglomerate. I could already picture it. The congratulations. The handshakes. The board's approval. Hell, I'd probably even get a few pats on the back from the shareholders who had doubted me when I first started.

But then, something changed. Casper's expression shifted, and the smile that had been on his face earlier disappeared.

"However," he said, his voice slowing, "I have not yet decided which of my grandsons will take my place."

For a second, I thought I'd misheard him. The words didn't register. Not immediately. But then I saw the looks on the faces of the board members—some shocked, others exchanging confused glances. I straightened in my chair, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest.

"What?" I muttered under my breath, but before I could say anything else, the doors to the conference room opened, and in walked the last people I expected to see.

Marcus. Jonathan. Bastian. And fucking Rachel.

My cousins.

I clenched my jaw, my hands curling into fists beneath the table. What the hell were they doing here? They had no place in this room, in this company. Marcus had barely been involved with the family business—he'd spent more time traveling across Europe, playing at being a philanthropist.

Jonathan was just a spoiled brat who couldn't keep himself out of trouble. Bastian was busy playing football, trying to make a career out of it to his utter failure. And Rachel? She'd never shown any interest in the company at all.

The board members began whispering, glancing between me and my cousins. I could feel the tension in the room rising, and it took every ounce of control to keep from standing up and demanding an explanation.

My grandfather raised his hand, silencing the whispers. "For the past few months, I've been considering the future of this company," he said, his gaze sweeping the room. "And while Caleb has shown incredible business acumen, there are other qualities that must be considered when choosing a leader."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My entire life, my grandfather had drilled into me the importance of business, of making the right decisions, of being ruthless when necessary. And now, at the moment when it was supposed to all pay off, he was hesitating?

Marcus, the eldest of my cousins, smirked at me from across the table. "Looks like the golden boy isn't so golden after all," he muttered, loud enough for me to hear.

I shot him a glare. "Shut up, Marcus."

But Marcus wasn't done. He leaned forward, his smirk widening. "You might be good at making money, Caleb, but let's be real. You've got the emotional intelligence of a rock. No one wants a leader who treats people like disposable assets."

I could feel the heat rising in my chest, my hands trembling with the effort of holding myself back. Who the hell did he think he was? He hadn't spent a single day in the trenches like I had. He hadn't sacrificed anything for this company.

My grandfather raised his hand again, cutting off any further arguments. "Caleb, I know you've worked hard. And I know you're capable. But there's more to leadership than just business strategy. Drake started as a family company. And even though we've grown into a global conglomerate, the core values remain the same. We value people. We value family."

I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up a finger, stopping me. "That's why I've decided that for the next six months, all of you will be under observation. I want to see how each of you handles the responsibilities of leadership. Only then will I decide who will take my place."

The room fell into silence. My cousins exchanged smug glances, while the board members whispered among themselves. My heart pounded in my ears, my vision tunneling.

Six months? I didn't have six months. I'd worked my ass off for this. I'd sacrificed everything. And now he wanted me to compete with these idiots?

I stood abruptly, the chair scraping loudly against the floor, but before I could say anything, my grandfather gave me a pointed look. "Caleb, this isn't the end. You're still in the running. But I need to see more from you than just business smarts."

I couldn't listen to this anymore. Without another word, I stormed out of the conference room, my blood boiling with rage.

The moment I reached my office, I slammed the door behind me, the sound echoing through the empty space. I could barely see straight. All I could think about was how everything I'd worked for had just been ripped away from me.

I grabbed the coffee cup on my desk and hurled it at the window. It shattered, coffee splattering everywhere, but I didn't care. I couldn't fucking believe this.

After everything I'd done. After all the deals I'd closed. After all the long nights and sacrifices.

This is what I got?

I stood there, breathing heavily, staring at the broken cup on the floor. That's what they thought of me. A broken, disposable piece of glass.

But they were wrong.

I wasn't going to let them take this from me. Not my grandfather, not my cousins, not anyone.

This company was mine. And I'd do whatever it took to make sure it stayed that way.