Acting The Part

Chapter 25: Caleb

Chapter 25: Caleb

I held Megan's hand as we walked into the room, the weight of the moment pressing down on me. My grandfather, along with the rest of my charming relatives, was already seated, waiting with expectant eyes.

Great. It seemed like everyone was eager to meet my fiancée—eager to pick her apart, more like it.

Megan's hand trembled slightly in mine. I could feel it even though she tried to hide it. I squeezed her palm, offering what little reassurance I could muster. I wasn't sure if it was more for her or for me.

This was a family that could turn even the calmest situation into a battlefield, and I'd just walked her straight into it. I should've prepared her better for this, should've warned her about the minefield she was about to step into.

But it was too late now.

"Grandfather," I said, keeping my voice steady as I introduced her. "This is Megan."

I gestured to her, and she offered a polite smile, the kind she probably practiced in front of the mirror. She was good at this—faking confidence—but I could feel the tension radiating from her.

I introduced her to the rest of the room, my cousins, my aunts and uncles. They all sat there, watching her like vultures waiting for a meal. The air was thick with judgment.

My grandfather, Casper Drake, leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he took Megan in. His gaze was piercing, and I could tell he was already sizing her up, trying to figure out what game she was playing. He grunted, breaking the silence.

"Are you really marrying this bastard grandson of mine?" His tone was sharp, almost mocking. "Or is he paying you?"

Fuck. I knew he'd be hard on her, but I didn't expect him to be this blunt, this cruel. I clenched my jaw, but before I could say anything, Megan's eyes widened just slightly, and then, like a pro, she recovered.

She blinked, looking taken aback, but in a way that felt natural, not rehearsed. She was a damn good actress, I had to give her that.

"No!" she exclaimed, her voice high with what seemed like genuine offense. "My goodness, no! We're in love."

The room fell quiet, all eyes now on my grandfather. He squinted at her, suspicion clear in his expression.

"Are you?" he asked, his voice dripping with skepticism. "Then why the hell did this bastard keep you a secret? And why does he only reveal you now, during the fight for the succession?"

I felt my stomach drop. Shit.

Megan didn't know about the succession. I meant to tell her, I did. But between the chaos of everything and, well, the fact that we'd spent most of our time tangled up in bed, it slipped my mind.

I glanced at her, and sure enough, she looked surprised. I could see questions forming in her eyes, and I cursed myself for not preparing her better for this moment.

My grandfather caught the look between us, and his lips curled into a small, knowing smile. He turned his gaze back to Megan. "It seems the lady doesn't know about the succession."

Before I could jump in and explain, Megan, ever the diplomat, gave a soft, polite smile and shook her head. "I don't care about the succession," she said, her voice calm and steady. "I love Caleb for who he is, not for his money or his family."

Her words hit me harder than I expected. They were simple words, but they felt... real. When I looked into her eyes, I saw something there—honesty. I could feel it in the way she said it, like she actually meant it.

My heart started to race. Fuck. I wanted to believe her.

Had anyone ever truly appreciated me for who I was? No. They all just wanted a piece of the Drake fortune—everyone, from the women I dated to the so-called friends I kept around.

But Megan... when I looked into her eyes, I couldn't help but think, maybe she was different.

My grandfather wasn't buying it, though. His expression remained hard, his eyes cold. "Right," he said, his voice thick with disbelief. "You don't care about the money or the family. You just happened to fall in love with the heir to a billion-dollar empire. That's convenient."

Megan didn't flinch. She kept her composure, her chin held high. "I don't expect you to believe me, Mr. Drake," she said, her voice respectful but firm. "But I know who I fell in love with. Caleb isn't just an heir to me. He's a person. A good man."

My chest tightened. I didn't know whether to feel flattered or terrified. No one, not a single person in my life, had ever spoken about me like that. Not to my family, not to anyone.

Megan, standing there, defending me in front of my grandfather... it was something I didn't know how to process. I wasn't used to being defended. I was used to being used.

My grandfather shook his head, clearly unimpressed. "You'll have to do better than that if you want to convince me."

Before Megan could respond, Marcus, my eldest cousin, decided to chime in. Of course, he couldn't let the moment pass without stirring the pot.

"So, Caleb," he said with a smirk, leaning forward in his chair. "Where exactly did you meet this beautiful lady?"

His tone was casual, but I knew Marcus well enough to recognize the underlying mockery. He wasn't asking because he cared. He was asking because he wanted to poke holes in our story—because he wanted to see me squirm.

I shot him a sharp look, but before I could answer, Megan beat me to it. "We met through mutual friends," she said smoothly, offering Marcus a charming smile. "It was unexpected, but sometimes the best things in life are."

Marcus raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, but he didn't push further. Instead, Jonathan, my other cousin, decided to take his turn.

"And how long have you two been together?" Jonathan asked, his voice dripping with faux curiosity.

I could feel the trap being set, but Megan didn't miss a beat. "Long enough to know that I want to spend my life with him," she said, her voice steady, her smile unwavering.

My cousins exchanged glances, clearly unsatisfied with the vague answer. But Megan had handled them perfectly, not giving them any ammunition to use against us.

I felt a strange mix of pride and relief wash over me. She was holding her own in this den of wolves, and I couldn't help but admire her for it.

But I knew this wasn't over. My grandfather wasn't done. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his gaze fixed on Megan. "You've got guts," he said, his voice low and calculating. "I'll give you that. But guts don't mean you'll survive in this family."

Megan didn't flinch. "I'm not afraid of your family, Mr. Drake."

I felt my breath catch. She wasn't just standing up to my grandfather—she was challenging him. And in this family, challenges didn't end well for most people.

My grandfather let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You should be."

The room fell into a tense silence, the weight of his words hanging in the air. I could feel Megan's hand tighten around mine, but she didn't back down. She stood tall, her posture strong, her eyes locked on my grandfather's.

I wanted to say something, to defend her, but part of me knew this was a test. My grandfather was testing her, pushing her to see how far she'd go. And Megan... Well, she was passing with flying colors.

But I couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. My family wasn't going to let this go.

They weren't going to let Megan walk into our lives without a fight. And I wasn't sure if I could protect her from that.

"Enough," I said, my voice cutting through the silence. I stood up, pulling Megan's hand gently. "We're done here."

My grandfather raised an eyebrow, but he didn't argue. He simply leaned back in his chair, watching us with that same calculating gaze.