Rags To Riches: The Rise Of Mr. Nobody.

Chapter 8: The Suit Makes The Man: Meeting The Board.

Mr. Rodriguez then looked over Jayden's simple outfit and smiled gently, reaching under his desk to pull out a designer garment bag. “You can use the private lounge connected to this office to change. A proper outfit can do wonders for a man's confidence.”

Jayden appraised his own clothes, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He had specifically worn the absolute best outfit in his entire wardrobe today—a jacket that had been a twenty-third birthday gift from his friends.

He accepted the bag, walked into the connected private room, and found himself stunned by the luxury of the executive changing suite.

'There's an entire apartment hidden in this office,' he realized.

Unzipping the bag, his eyes went wide when he caught sight of the price tag attached to the flawless, tailored tuxedo.

“Five thousand dollars...” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

'Money.'

He slipped into the tuxedo, and when he turned to look at himself in the full-length mirror, his mouth fell half open. The fabric hugged his shoulders perfectly, looking more like a successful business man than a tired baker.

“Money really does make the man,” he murmured, turning to inspect the fit. “This doesn't even look like me.”

When he stepped back out into the main office, Mr. Rodriguez stood up, a proud smile on his face. “Excellent. Sit back down for a moment.” For the remainder of the hour, Rodriguez rapidly drilled Jayden on key business metrics, operations, and exactly what to expect from the leeches waiting for him.

****

Before long, the grand boardroom was packed to maximum capacity. Every local shareholder and board member in the city was seated around the massive mahogany table, while high-definition screens broadcasted live video feeds of the international board members tuning in from abroad. The room was a powerhouse of the most successful business minds in the country.

Jayden let out a slow, controlled breath, clenching his fists tightly to stop any trembling. He stepped forward, opening the double doors and walking into the room with Mr. Rodriguez by his right side.

Every single eye shifted toward the door. The loud murmurs and arguments instantly died down into a suffocating silence.

“Good day, everyone. I hope you are all doing well,” Mr. Rodriguez spoke out, his voice commanding as he addressed the assembly. “This emergency meeting has been called to formally introduce the new Chief Executive Officer of Apexium.”

Instantly, the room erupted into whispers and mutters.

Jayden frowned, his eyes scanning the hostile faces.

“Who exactly is he?” one shareholder took the initiative to demand, his voice dripping with skepticism.

Mr. Rodriguez gestured smoothly toward Jayden, signaling him to step to the head of the table. “This is Jayden Hart. He is the successor explicitly chosen and written into the contract by the Chairman himself.”

The room exploded.

“What?!”

“How is that even possible?!”

“Are you seriously joking right now, Mr. Rodriguez?” a senior board member, Mr. Brooks, scoffed loudly, slamming a hand on the table. “The Chairman thinks he can just appoint some random nobody without the board's consent to run a multi-billion-dollar empire? Does this boy even know how a business works? He's just using an expensive suit to cover up his lack of pedigree.”

“Look at him,” another man, Mr. Victor, chimed in, a mocking sneer on his face. “Do you truly believe a kid like this can manage an entity of this scale? Mr. Rodriguez, our stock prices will plummet the exact second the public finds out a total nobody with zero business intelligence is heading our executive board!”

Before Rodriguez could even attempt to defuse the situation, a prominent businesswoman near the front stood up. “This company deserves better. The Chairman was legally obligated to consult us on a transition of this magnitude. Our capital is invested in these walls, and we have a right to vote!”

“Please, everyone, understand that this is strictly the legal execution of the—” Mr. Rodriguez tried to speak over the noise, but Jayden smoothly cut in, placing a hand on his arm.

“Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez. I’ll address them myself.”

Mr. Rodriguez glanced at him, whispering softly, “Are you sure, sir?”

Jayden gave a single, firm nod. A confident smile spread across Rodriguez’s face as he stepped back, yielding the absolute center of the room to the young heir.

Jayden stepped up to the microphone, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire expanse of the boardroom, meeting the glaring eyes of every millionaire and billionaire present.

“Good day, everyone. My name is Jayden Hart,” Jayden spoke, his voice completely clear, exuding an undeniable authority that surprised even himself. “I can see that many of you have strong opinions on the matter, and I don't mind listening to them.”

Mr. Brooks rose up immediately. “Yes, we absolutely do! This company is supposed to respect its major shareholders, not blindside us with a child!”

Several other members began shouting their agreement, while a small, quiet minority sat back, waiting to see how the boy would react. The room was dissolving into chaos.

“We have a right to—” Mr. Brooks started shouting again.

“Let me ask you a question, Mr. Brooks,” Jayden interrupted, his voice dropping to a dangerously calm level that surprises everyone. He raised his eyes to address the entire room. “Exactly how many of you in here are in complete disagreement with this arrangement?”

The board members exchanged tense glances. Slowly, defiantly, a large hand went up. Then another. Within seconds, more than half the room had their hands raised high in protest.

Jayden didn't flinch. He simply locked eyes with Mr. Brooks, a cold, unyielding expression settling over his face.

“The door is open,” Jayden said smoothly. “The CFO will ensure your shares are completely bought out today. Get out.”