Acting The Part

Chapter 26: Megan

I felt like I was walking into some kind of lion's den. The moment Caleb and I stepped into the room, it was as if all the air got sucked out, leaving me gasping for breath.

Everyone was staring at me, their eyes sharp, dissecting me like I was some kind of specimen under a microscope. I tried to keep my head high, but with every step, the weight of their gazes made it harder to breathe.

I didn't know how many people were actually in this family, but it felt like Caleb had an army of relatives. Each one of them was dressed to the nines, looking like they'd just stepped out of a fashion magazine.

Their clothes, their jewelry, even the way they held their wine glasses—it all screamed wealth, power, and judgment.

And I was an outsider. The imposter. The fraud who didn't belong.

Caleb's hand was warm in mine, but it wasn't enough to calm the panic rising in my chest. My heart was racing, my stomach twisted into knots. I could feel sweat forming on the back of my neck, and I prayed they couldn't see how nervous I was.

God, I wished I could disappear. But I couldn't. I had to endure this.

Caleb's grandfather, Casper Drake, was at the center of it all, like a king surveying his court. His eyes were cold, calculating, and I could feel his judgment before he even said a word. He grilled me, and man, I felt like I was burning alive with his questions.

Caleb was there, though and his presence made things easier. Just as I thought we were about to leave, his grandfather stopped Caleb. I stiffened.

"Caleb, a word," the old man said, his voice a command, not a request.

I barely had time to process what was happening before Caleb squeezed my hand, giving me a quick, apologetic smile. "I'll be right back," he whispered, then he was gone, leaving me alone.

Alone with them. Alone with his family.

The moment Caleb was out of earshot, the atmosphere shifted. The polite smiles that had been plastered on the women's faces faded, replaced by sharp, cutting looks.

The men, who had been polite, now seemed to undress me with their eyes, their stares lingering on parts of my body in a way that made my skin crawl. I suddenly felt exposed, like I was wearing the wrong clothes, or maybe no clothes at all.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but it was no use. They were circling me like predators, waiting for the right moment to strike. And then, they did.

"So," one of the women said, her voice dripping with false sweetness, "you're an actress, right?"

I nodded, forcing a polite smile. "Yes, I am."

She exchanged a look with the woman next to her, and they both laughed, but it wasn't the kind of laugh you join in on. It was the kind of laugh that made you feel small, stupid.

"An actress," the other woman said, her voice mocking. "That's cute. Do you do anything... real?"

I blinked, shocked by the bluntness of the jab. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong," the first woman said, still smiling that fake smile. "I'm sure acting is fun and all, but you know, real work? Like, do you have any real skills?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, another woman chimed in. "Honestly, I don't know why Caleb even bothered with an actress. Doesn't he know better?"

The others laughed, and I felt my face flush with heat. I could feel their eyes on me, dissecting me, tearing me apart. Every word was a jab, a cut, slicing at my already fragile self-esteem.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. "Caleb and I love each other," I said, my voice firmer than I felt. "That's what matters."

They all exchanged looks again, and I could see the disbelief in their faces. They didn't believe me.

They didn't believe us. To them, I was just another gold-digger, another woman who saw dollar signs when she looked at Caleb.

"And how did you two meet?" one of the older women asked, her tone dripping with condescension. "I'm sure it's a fascinating story."

I stuck to the story Caleb and I had agreed on, explaining that we met through mutual friends. But they weren't buying it. They weren't buying any of it.

They nodded along, but I could see the smirks, the way they exchanged glances like they were all in on some joke I wasn't privy to.

The men weren't much better. They didn't say anything, but the way they were looking at me—Jesus, it made my skin crawl. Their eyes were glued to my body, like I was some kind of object, not a person. I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to protect myself from their leering stares, but it didn't help.

It was like being back in high school, when everyone whispered behind my back, saying I was just going to end up like my mother. It was like being that scared, insecure girl all over again—the girl who was told she wasn't good enough, wasn't smart enough, wasn't anything enough.

The girl who was only good for one thing: following in her mother's footsteps, selling flesh.

The words echoed in my head, the same words I'd heard all my life. "She's going to end up like her mother." "She's just another hooker in the making." "She'll never amount to anything."

I couldn't breathe. I couldn't stand it anymore. My heart pounded in my chest, my skin felt too tight, and the room was closing in on me. I felt like I was going to be sick.

Without thinking, I pushed myself up from the chair and bolted out of the room. I didn't care if it was rude. I didn't care what they thought. I just needed to get out.

I needed air. I needed to escape.

I barely noticed where I was going until I found myself in the garden outside. The air was cool, and I gulped it in like I'd been drowning.

My hands were shaking, my stomach rolling with nausea. I stumbled to the back of the garden, away from the house, away from the eyes, and collapsed onto a stone bench.

Tears burned at the back of my eyes, and I tried to hold them back, but it was no use. They spilled over, hot and fast, running down my cheeks. I buried my face in my hands, sobbing quietly, feeling more alone than I had in a long time.

I hated this. I hated feeling like this. Useless. Worthless. Like I was nothing. Like I was always going to be less than dirt.

I don't know how long I sat there, crying, but it felt like forever. I just wanted to disappear, to vanish into thin air where no one could hurt me, where no one could judge me, where no one could see me.

But I couldn't disappear. I was stuck here, in this world that wasn't mine, with people who hated me just for existing.

And I didn't know how much longer I could take it.