Rebirth Snatching Back My Stolen Luck novel Chapter 46

Callum scoffed. “Small branch, my foot.”

I ignored him and pushed on.

“Now for the third and most important reason… ” I tilted my chin up, a smug smile tugging at my lips. “As the largest shareholder of this company, isn’t it only natural I get first pick on unused or underutilized space?”

Callum leaned forward, his arms unfolding and gaze narrowing.

“You’ve really planned all this out from the start, haven’t you? You’re a damn sly fox, Dean.”

I gave him a mock bow from my seat. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Callum rolled his eyes. Again.

Honestly, no man I knew rolled his eyes more than him. Then again, I was the reason he picked up the habit, thanks to being left speechless by me one too many times.

“The sixth floor,” I said without hesitation. “I did some digging. The print publication division currently occupies it, but in today’s digital–first world, it’s basically obsolete.”

“Their recent sales are proof–on good days they barely break even, and on bad days, they take losses.”

“Honestly…” I looked him dead in the eye. “I don’t get how or why they’re still around.”

To anyone else, that might‘ ve sounded blunt–maybe even like I was criticizing his management. But we’d known each other long enough for me to speak freely.

Still, I watched his expression closely.

“I’m not offended,” he said, catching on. “In fact, I agree with you. That division’s long past its prime. I’ve been say- ing we should disband it and reassign the staff elsewhere.”

He raised his hands in a show of helplessness. “But some of the execs are sentimentally attached. They claim it’s one of the company’s founding departments. That scrapping it would be disrespecting our roots, or something.”

“Moreover, some of our longest–serving employees are there, too.‘

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“So every time the idea is raised, it gets shut down almost immediately.”

The more he spoke, the deeper my frown became, until I finally couldn’t help but raise a hand, and asked.

“Sorry, but are we running a business here or a charity?”

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“If a division is no longer viable, shouldn’t it be shut down to prevent further losses?”

“And how have they even sustained it this long? Let me guess–by lecching off the profits of other departments?”

I scoffed. “Then do me a favor–tell those executives that if they’re so emotionally attached, they are welcome to fund the division out of their own pockets. The company won’t keep footing the bill.”

A silence settled after my rant, both of us staring at each other across the desk.

Then Callum smiled.

“Now you’re finally speaking like the true largest shareholder of the company.”

I returned the smile, but something about his words made me pause.

“Wait. What do you mean by ‘true‘ shareholder?” I squinted at him. “Are you saying I’ve just been playing pretend this whole time?”

Callum chuckled unapologetically. “Well, haven’t you?”

“Let’s review a few of your faults, shall we?” He leaned back, then began ticking off one finger after the other.

“You’re completely hands–off. You never ask questions. Getting you to offer input is like pulling teeth. You skip ev- ery meeting and leave all the talking and voting to me.”

A casual shrug followed. “So aside from the title on paper, what exactly have you been doing?”

… Was it weird that I found his words unarguably reasonable?

He went on. “Do you know there are people in this company who think the whole ‘largest shareholder‘ thing is just a myth? That it’s actually me behind the scenes?”

“You have no idea how many grilling sessions I’ve had to endure because of

I felt a twinge of guilt at his words. A rare occurrence.

It truly wasn’t cool of me to leave everything to him like that.

you.”

“Fine. I’ll handle the matter of disbanding the print publication division myself, and personally bring it up at the next board meeting.”

The moment I finished,

I caught the smug grin tugging at Callum’s lips.

I stared at him dumbfounded.

Damn it. I’d been tricked.

me right fel

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