youngest of two children.
There's Xander and then there's me. And he's only my half brother, on my father's side.
Xander's mother, I never met. But the rumor was that daddy beat her so hard one day, he accidentally killed her. Not that it's ever been proven. The official line is that she just upped and left, leaving him to raise Xander by himself.
That must have been tough on the kid, especially when my daddy remarried again. Then I came along, six years later, just enough time and distance to drive a real wedge between us. We were never that close. When I was starting kindergarten, he’d already finished it. Etc, etc. We never shared any experiences or fun when we were kids. He was always kind of aloof. Snooty. Thought he was better than everyone else.
As soon as I could speak, I was packed off to a private school, on the other side of the country and I only ever saw my relatives, my family, at the holidays. And at school, everyone teased me, calling me son of a billionaire and shit like that. They threatened me and ground my nose in the dirt.
But the thing was, I never felt like I was the son of money. I never had nothing, you understand? Apart from my school fees, daddy never gave me squat. I had less pocket money than the other kids. Less new clothes. Less everything.
All my life I've had to fight for things. Not like that brother of mine, Xander. He's the true son - in daddy's eyes at least. He was always the favorite. It was so obvious. He always got what he wanted.
Well, anyway, when finally daddy died, a few years ago, he left everything to Xander. Absolutely everything. The whole kit and caboodle.
I know you're looking at me like you don't believe it, but it's true.
Everything I'm telling you right now is the truth.
That's how he started his company. Through family money. Through daddy’s money that he inherited, just for being the favorite.
Me, I had to work hard on my own. Had to build myself up through sheer hard work and determination.
But you know what, though, Cassie? I'm fucking glad of it. It’s taught me that I can do this on my own. It’s taught me who I really am. Not like that faker.
So that's why I chose to honor my mother's maiden name and not try to make it in this world on my family reputation. The 'D' in my name may stand for 'Drake' but like hell am I gonna cash in on that legacy now, when it's given me nothing but bullshit and heartache …
Fuck that.
I’d rather die than be called a Drake.
Chapter Eighteen
§
Half Truths & New Beginnings
As Caleb came to a close on his tale, I could tell that there was still a lot of anger and resentment still burning and churning inside him, and it made me feel thankful that my own family situation had, in contrast, been a good one. I mean, sure, it was absolutely horrible when my father died, but at least there had been real love in our family. While in Caleb's life, it sounded like there had been only anger, hatred and recriminations.
I reached out and stroked his face softly. He flinched. Then smiled.
"Listen, Cassie," he mumbled, glancing up at the large silver clock face on the wall opposite. "I think it's best if you go soon … I don't feel like I'd be particularly great company this evening … Talking about my past always puts me in a rather funny mood …”
"Sure," I said, picking up my glass and finishing my last drops of wine. "I understand."
"But thank you so much for tonight," he said, smiling sheepishly, boyishly, up at me as I stood.
Caleb got up from the couch too and saw me out to the front door.
And as I approached it, I passed a large mahogany cabinet, with a few simple ornaments and photo frames displayed tastefully on its shelves.
I paused; something odd caught my eye.
Caleb looked over to where I was staring: at a large silver photo frame, displaying a picture of him and Kelly, that stick-thin bitchy girl that had been taunting Xander at the ball
There's Xander and then there's me. And he's only my half brother, on my father's side.
Xander's mother, I never met. But the rumor was that daddy beat her so hard one day, he accidentally killed her. Not that it's ever been proven. The official line is that she just upped and left, leaving him to raise Xander by himself.
That must have been tough on the kid, especially when my daddy remarried again. Then I came along, six years later, just enough time and distance to drive a real wedge between us. We were never that close. When I was starting kindergarten, he’d already finished it. Etc, etc. We never shared any experiences or fun when we were kids. He was always kind of aloof. Snooty. Thought he was better than everyone else.
As soon as I could speak, I was packed off to a private school, on the other side of the country and I only ever saw my relatives, my family, at the holidays. And at school, everyone teased me, calling me son of a billionaire and shit like that. They threatened me and ground my nose in the dirt.
But the thing was, I never felt like I was the son of money. I never had nothing, you understand? Apart from my school fees, daddy never gave me squat. I had less pocket money than the other kids. Less new clothes. Less everything.
All my life I've had to fight for things. Not like that brother of mine, Xander. He's the true son - in daddy's eyes at least. He was always the favorite. It was so obvious. He always got what he wanted.
Well, anyway, when finally daddy died, a few years ago, he left everything to Xander. Absolutely everything. The whole kit and caboodle.
I know you're looking at me like you don't believe it, but it's true.
Everything I'm telling you right now is the truth.
That's how he started his company. Through family money. Through daddy’s money that he inherited, just for being the favorite.
Me, I had to work hard on my own. Had to build myself up through sheer hard work and determination.
But you know what, though, Cassie? I'm fucking glad of it. It’s taught me that I can do this on my own. It’s taught me who I really am. Not like that faker.
So that's why I chose to honor my mother's maiden name and not try to make it in this world on my family reputation. The 'D' in my name may stand for 'Drake' but like hell am I gonna cash in on that legacy now, when it's given me nothing but bullshit and heartache …
Fuck that.
I’d rather die than be called a Drake.
Chapter Eighteen
§
Half Truths & New Beginnings
As Caleb came to a close on his tale, I could tell that there was still a lot of anger and resentment still burning and churning inside him, and it made me feel thankful that my own family situation had, in contrast, been a good one. I mean, sure, it was absolutely horrible when my father died, but at least there had been real love in our family. While in Caleb's life, it sounded like there had been only anger, hatred and recriminations.
I reached out and stroked his face softly. He flinched. Then smiled.
"Listen, Cassie," he mumbled, glancing up at the large silver clock face on the wall opposite. "I think it's best if you go soon … I don't feel like I'd be particularly great company this evening … Talking about my past always puts me in a rather funny mood …”
"Sure," I said, picking up my glass and finishing my last drops of wine. "I understand."
"But thank you so much for tonight," he said, smiling sheepishly, boyishly, up at me as I stood.
Caleb got up from the couch too and saw me out to the front door.
And as I approached it, I passed a large mahogany cabinet, with a few simple ornaments and photo frames displayed tastefully on its shelves.
I paused; something odd caught my eye.
Caleb looked over to where I was staring: at a large silver photo frame, displaying a picture of him and Kelly, that stick-thin bitchy girl that had been taunting Xander at the ball
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