Chapter 53: Good Job

Chapter 53: Good JobFor a moment after Gray introduced himself, there was silence.

And then, slowly, one by one, some of the people inside offered nods. Others gave brief smiles or simply watched, observing with unreadable expressions on their face.

Gray didn’t let it bother him. He was actually fine, feeling as if his nervousness had suddenly vanished.

He walked toward the nearest open seat beside Marcus, who stood up slightly to greet him with a small nod.

"You’re right on time, Sir," Marcus said quietly, then gestured toward the chair beside him.

Gray nodded and took the seat without hesitation.

Across the long table sat the board members involved in overseeing Lancaster Group’s local investments and business operations. Some of them were older, suited men with sleek watches and neutral expressions.

Others looked comparably younger, maybe in their late thirties.

And at the head of the table sat Jonathan Lancaster.

Gray met his gaze briefly.

Jonathan gave a small smile and an approving nod as if assuring Gray that he was doing just fine.

When Gray turned his gaze again, he was met with Chloe’s proud smile. She didn’t say anything. She just smiled at him. Gray returned it briefly before the two of them shifted their focus to Marcus, who had just stood up to finally begin the meeting.

"Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for making time today," Marcus formally began. "As you’re all aware, we’re here to officially carry out the handover of the Riverside Branch. The business has been operational for over a year under Lancaster Group’s management, and as of today, it will be formally transferred under the oversight of Mr. Gray Adams."

Gray sat up straighter as the attention slowly turned to him again.

"Before we proceed to the documentation and formalities," Marcus continued, "we’d like to invite Mr. Adams to give a brief introduction."

Gray’s heart thudded once in his chest.

’I can do this,’ He inhaled through his nose and stood slowly.

Even if his heart was beating fast, surprisingly, his fingers didn’t tremble, and his knees didn’t shake.

He was nervous, yes, but it was more to himself than the others. He just wasn’t used to speaking to the crowd.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Once again, Gray greeted everyone in a solemn voice. My name is Gray Adams," he said, looking around the room calmly. "I’ve worked different jobs since I was sixteen. Truth to be told, his opportunity wasn’t something I expected. Instead, it was a sudden venture." He paused.

A few people leaned forward slightly as if intrigued by what he said.

"I didn’t come from a business background aside from a few years of my study," Gray continued, his voice was steady and low. "Let’s just say that we didn’t have much opportunity, so I did what I could to get by."

His eyes scanned the room, meeting a few gazes.

"I’m not sharing this to earn sympathy or make excuses," he said. "But I want you to understand one thing—I know what it feels like to be at the bottom."

There was a brief silence in the room as he said those words. Even the ones with unreadable expressions seemed to be listening a little closer now.

"I know what it’s like to worry about bills. To walk into rooms like this and feel like you don’t belong. But right now, I’m here... because someone believed in me."

Gray glanced toward Jonathan briefly, then back at the room.

"And since I’ve been given this chance, I intend to prove myself worthy of it. I may not have the experience you all do, but I’m willing to learn. I’m not here to work, but I’m here to build something that lasts."

He took a slow breath and smiled.

"That’s all. Thank you." He turned to Marcus and nodded at him before returning to his seat.

For a while, the room was silent again. And then, soft whispers, approving nods, and one or two faint claps from the side of the room sounded.

Many of the people in the room were in Gray’s position once. Despite their suits and composed appearances now, most of them weren’t born into wealth or privilege. They were self-made men and women who had clawed their way into the industry, building their reputations with the help of Jonathan.

It was one of Jonathan’s life visions. To help as many as he can succeed.

And so, when Gray spoke, there was an unspoken thread of understanding that passed through the room.

What Gray had said wasn’t just words. It was something several of them had once lived and experienced.

And because of that, their silence became quiet nods of approval.

Some of the members exchanged brief glances with each other, almost as if they didn’t expect someone like Gray to speak with that kind of sincerity.

Among all of them, Gray was probably the youngest.

When the formalities resumed, Marcus began going over the transfer procedures and necessary signatories. It didn’t take long. Soon after, the floor was open for the board to share their own sentiments and opinions.

"If I may," one of the older board members raised their hand to get everyone’s attention. "Mr. Adams, I appreciate your words. But may I ask, what’s your understanding of the current state of the Riverside Branch’s profit margin over the past three quarters?"

The question made the other members nod. It was important for them to know if Gray had an idea of what he was about to run.

And Gray? He didn’t flinch at the question at all.

"Thank you for the question, Sir," he replied smoothly.

"Based on the reports, the sales in quarter one reflected a minor loss of 2.1% due to transitional staffing and a delayed supplier contract. Quarter two made up for that with a 5.4% gain, largely from marketing adjustments and a revised product strategy. The third quarter sat at a 3.8% increase in profit margin. Currently, the projections show that we might be able to further increase that margin due to seasonal demand and the completed logistics upgrade."

"Hmm..."

"It seems like he read the reports."

"This is good."

A low hum of approval voiced from the other members.

"It seems like you’re knowledgeable enough, Mr. Gray." The same board member smiled before simply leaning back in his chair.

After that, another one raised his hand, too.

"Mr. Adams, what are your initial plans for expansion?" one of the board members asked, his pen tapping lightly against his notepad.

"I don’t plan on expanding just yet," he said clearly. "Not until the foundation of the branch is solid." Gray smiled.

"My goal right now is to improve the Riverside Branch. I want it to be one of the best groceries in the city—not the biggest, but the most trusted. The kind of place that people can go back to not just because it’s close, but because they actually want to."

Some of the board members exchanged glances. Others nodded faintly.

"To do that, I believe we need to focus on customer experience, product quality, and operational consistency," Gray continued. "We’ll look at optimizing our shelf space, highlighting local produce, improving our store layout, and training staff to deliver better service. If we can make the Riverside Branch a standard of excellence, expansion will come naturally later."

His voice remained composed. More questions were asked, and Gray continued answering everything.

Marcus glanced sideways at Gray, a faint hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Even Jonathan gave a subtle nod of approval.

All of them looked impressed as Gray flawlessly answered each question. He didn’t set any unrealistic goals. Instead, he focused on what they could realistically do now and in the future months.