His eyes twinkled. “What do you think about that?”
It was a loaded question. We both knew it.
“I think Derek would be a fine ceremonial leader,” I said carefully. “He’s good with people. Charismatic. Looks the part.”
“And Marcus?”
“Marcus understands the financial side well enough. He’d probably delegate most of the actual work anyway.”
Grandpa nodded slowly. “And what about you, Paige?”
“What about me?”
“What would you do if you were running this company?”
I’d been asked this question in various forms for three years. And for three years, I’d given honest, thoughtful answers—not because I wanted the job, but because I genuinely cared about making things better.
“First thing? Fix the West Coast shipping delays. The routing system is costing us time and money. Second, implement the quality control changes I suggested for the Morrison contract, but companywide, not just for one client. Third, upgrade the accounting software. Jennifer’s been working with a system from 2015 and it’s slowing down everything.”
He leaned back in his chair.
“You’ve given this some thought.”
“You asked.”
“I’ve been asking these questions for three years, Paige. And for three years, you’ve had answers. Real answers. Not theories or strategies—actual solutions.”
I shrugged. “I like solving problems.”
“Your parents think you lack ambition.”
“Maybe I do. Or maybe I just have different priorities.”
He smiled at that.
“In two hours, this company is going to have a new leader. And that person is going to face challenges your brothers can’t even imagine.”
Something in his tone made my stomach flutter.
“Grandpa—”
“The announcement starts at four,” he said, standing up. “You should probably be there.”
“Of course, I’ll be there.”
“Good.”
He walked around the desk and put his hand on my shoulder.
“Because today, Paige, everything changes.”
The auditorium was buzzing with energy by 3:30—employees, investors, board members, and family all gathering for what everyone assumed would be a standard succession announcement.
I found a seat in the back, as usual, where I could observe without being noticed.
My parents sat in the front row, practically glowing with pride. Mom kept turning around to wave at various important-looking people, making sure they saw her. Dad was checking his phone constantly, probably coordinating with whoever was handling the press release.
Derek and Marcus sat on either side of them, both looking like they’d rather be anywhere else. Derek kept adjusting his tie. Marcus was staring at the podium with an expression I couldn’t quite read.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice said over the speakers, “please welcome William Montgomery, founder and CEO of Montgomery Industries.”
The applause was thunderous.
Grandpa had been leading this company for forty years, and he was genuinely beloved—not just by family, but by employees who’d watched him build something meaningful.
He stepped up to the microphone and waited for the noise to die down.
“Thank you all for being here today,” he began. “Forty years ago, I started this company with a simple philosophy: treat people well, solve real problems, and success will follow. Today, I’m here to talk about the future of that philosophy.”
Standard opening. Nothing surprising yet.
“Building a company isn’t about finding the right strategies or having the perfect plan. It’s about understanding what matters and having the courage to act on that understanding.”
I noticed he wasn’t reading from notes. This speech was coming from somewhere deeper.
“Over the years, I’ve watched many talented people come through these doors. Some had impressive credentials. Some had natural charisma. Some had ambitious plans for growth and expansion.”
His eyes swept the room, landing briefly on Derek and Marcus.
“But the most valuable person in any organization isn’t necessarily the loudest or the most visible. Sometimes it’s the person who notices what everyone else misses—the person who cares more about solutions than recognition. The person who understands that real leadership happens in the quiet moments when nobody’s watching.”
Mom was nodding along enthusiastically, probably thinking he was building up to announcing Derek as the new CEO. I could see her mentally rehearsing her proud-mother speech.
“Three years ago,” Grandpa continued, “someone started working in this building. Someone who could have coasted on their connections, but chose instead to learn every aspect of our business—someone who spent time in every department, not to network or climb ladders, but to understand how we actually operate.”
The audience was completely silent. Now this wasn’t going where anyone expected.
“This person fixed problems before they became crises, improved systems without asking for credit, built relationships with employees based on respect, not authority.”
I felt my heart start racing.
“This person never asked for a promotion, never demanded recognition, never played political games or maneuvered for position. They simply did the work that needed to be done.”
Derek was frowning now. This didn’t sound like a speech about him.
“Which is why,” Grandpa said, his voice growing stronger, “I’m proud to announce that the new CEO of Montgomery Industries will be my granddaughter, Paige Montgomery.”
The silence was deafening. Then the whispers started.
“Who?”
“Which granddaughter?”
“I thought Derek.”
I sat frozen in my chair, staring at Grandpa as he continued speaking.
“For those who don’t know, Paige has been working here for three years under her first name only. She’s the person who solved the Morrison Industries quality crisis. She’s the reason our shipping delays decreased by 40% last quarter. She’s behind the efficiency improvements that saved us nearly two million this year.”
The whispers were getting louder.
“Paige Montgomery isn’t just my choice because she’s family. She’s my choice because she’s proven through her actions that she understands what leadership really means. Not managing people, but serving them. Not commanding respect, but earning it.”
Mom’s face had gone completely white. Dad was staring at Grandpa like he’d lost his mind. Derek looked like he’d been slapped.
But Marcus—Marcus was looking right at me, and slowly he started to smile.
“The transition will begin immediately,” Grandpa said. “I have complete confidence that this company will thrive under Paige’s leadership. She has my full support, and I hope she’ll have yours as well.”
He gestured toward the back of the room.
“Paige, would you like to say a few words?”
Every head in the auditorium turned to look at me.
I stood up slowly, my legs feeling like they belonged to someone else. The walk to the podium felt like it took forever and no time at all.
As I passed my parents’ row, I could feel their shock radiating like heat. Derek wouldn’t meet my eyes, but Marcus reached out and squeezed my hand as I walked by.
I reached the podium and looked out at the crowd—employees I’d worked beside for three years, many of whom were just now realizing who I actually was. Investors who’d probably never heard my name before today. Board members who were clearly trying to process what had just happened.
And my family sitting in the front row, looking like their world had just been turned upside down.
Because it had.
“Thank you, Grandpa,” I said into the microphone. “And thank you all for being here today.”
My voice was steady, which surprised me.
“I know this announcement comes as a shock to many of you. It comes as a shock to me, too. But I want you to know that I don’t take this responsibility lightly.”
I looked directly at Derek and Marcus.
“This company succeeds because of all of you—because of the people who show up every day and do the work that matters. Because of the relationships we’ve built with our clients and partners. Because of the values my grandfather instilled here forty years ago.”
I paused, letting that sink in.
“I’ve spent the last three years learning from all of you—learning what works, what doesn’t, and what we can do better. That’s not going to change. I may have a new title, but I’m still going to be the person who asks questions, who listens to your ideas, and who believes that the best solutions come from understanding problems, not ignoring them.”
The applause started slowly, then built. Employees who’d worked with me were clapping enthusiastically. Others were still processing, but they were clapping, too.
As the noise died down, I looked at my parents again.
“I know some of you expected this announcement to go differently,” I said. “Change is never easy, but I hope we can all work together to build something even better than what we have now.”
More applause.
“Thank you again for your time and your trust. I’m looking forward to getting to work.”
I stepped away from the podium and started back toward my seat, but Grandpa intercepted me and pulled me into a hug.
“I’m proud of you,” he whispered in my ear.
“Thank you for believing in me,” I whispered back.
As we separated, I caught sight of my parents’ faces again. Mom looked like she was about to cry. Dad was staring at me like I was a stranger.
And Derek—Derek was standing up, adjusting his tie one more time, and walking toward the exit without a word.
The real test was just beginning.
The reception after the announcement was… interesting.
Half the room wanted to congratulate me. The other half wanted to figure out what the hell had just happened.
I found myself surrounded by employees I’d worked with, all of them suddenly understanding why their problems had gotten solved so quickly over the past few years.
“I knew it,” Jennifer from accounting said, grinning widely. “I knew you weren’t just a receptionist. You knew too much.”
“The Morrison contract fix,” said Paul from logistics. “That was you, wasn’t it? Not Derek.”
I smiled, but didn’t answer directly. “That was a team effort. Derek deserves credit for presenting the solution.”
But Paul shook his head. “No. I remember now. You came down to the production floor asking questions about quality control. A week later, Derek announces he’s figured out the problem.”
He laughed.
“You’ve been covering for them this whole time.”
Before I could respond, I felt a hand on my shoulder.
I turned to see Marcus standing behind me, still in his expensive suit, but somehow looking younger than he had that morning.
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked.
I excused myself from the group and followed him to a quieter corner of the room.
“How long have you known?” he asked.
“Known what?”
“Come on, Paige. How long have you known this was coming?”
I studied his face. “You really want to know?”
He nodded.
“I didn’t know until today. But I’ve suspected for a few months that Grandpa was evaluating us differently than Mom and Dad realized.”
Marcus was quiet for a moment. “The weekly meetings. You knew about those?”
“I suspected. You always seemed to know things about the business that didn’t come from answering phones.”
He ran his hand through his hair. “I should have paid more attention.”
“Marcus—no.”
“Let me finish.” He looked around the room, then back at me. “I’ve been coasting. We both know it. Dad and Mom had this plan for how things would go and I just went along with it. But you’ve actually been working.”
I didn’t know what to say to that.
“Are you angry with me?” he asked.
The question surprised me. “Why would I be angry?”
“Because I’ve been taking credit for things you accomplished. Because I’ve been treating you like hired help instead of my sister. Because I never bothered to learn what you were actually doing here.”
I considered that for a moment.
“I’m not angry,” I said finally. “But I am disappointed.”
He winced. “Fair enough.”
“Where’s Derek?”
“He left. Said he needed to process.” Marcus shook his head. “He’s not taking this well.”
“And you?”
He was quiet for a long moment, looking out at the reception still in full swing.
“Honestly?” he said. “I’m relieved.”
That surprised me. “Relieved?”
“Marcus—”
“I never wanted this job, Paige. Not really. I wanted the idea of it. The status, the respect, the way people would look at me. But the actual work—the responsibility—the idea of people depending on me to make the right decisions…”
He shook his head. “It terrified me.”
“You could have learned the way I did.”
“Could I really?” He looked at me seriously. “Be honest. If I had started asking questions, spending time with employees, trying to understand the business, would I have been as good at it as you?”
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