x
I'd only been back twelve hours, and already my inbox looked like a war zone.
One week. One summit in Vienna. A few brutal layovers.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn49d0qeLTs
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9iTgkytD4
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡja6D8CalOx
But by the man at the top.
Husine Begović didn't ask for opinions. He gave orders.
Still, when I saw Ayub's name missing from my leadership circle, I had to reread it three times.
Transferred. Reassigned.
To Lamija's division.
I sat back in my chair, jaw tight.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqQfu8X4GlM
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLpiofCGKf
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOswNLJ5Zr
He was my stabilizer.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImcxosSEk8
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4WEetP1UL
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIo36iPxZE
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFui7xOT7R
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBPu2vzjfH
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvDCSLXGV5
Just a line moved from one chart to another, as if it meant nothing.
To me, it did.
I was still working through my flagged emails when the knock came.
Right on time.
Didn't even have to check the clock.
"Come in."
Ayub stepped inside, shoulders squared but tension radiating off him.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDb24j5ZJ80
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpBiFxwW2d
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vDBVCf3qx
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6wHDgkeV0
"Jet lagged and already three fires deep, so just say it."
He sat.
"I need to be reassigned," he said.
There it was.
I raised an eyebrow. "Thought so."
He shifted.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYrzHFufxU
"I just... I don't think I'm a good fit for Lamija's team. She works differently. Pushes hard. I don't know if I—"
"Ayub," I cut in, not angry, just sharp.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgZNPl5IGb1
"You don't want to work with Lamija. Just say that. Don't dress it up in performance talk."
He exhaled through his nose, gaze dropping.
"You saw the update last night?"
He nodded. "Thought it was a mistake."
"It wasn't. Babo moved you.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡugHCV2qYD6
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0xkCwIxvc
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJNNCuGZVr
You're one of the best assets in this building.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7RGgwq5pSW
You execute without fanfare, without ego, and you get it done."
His jaw flexed.
"But the reason she doesn't know that—the reason no one outside my team knows that—is because you don't let anyone see you.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCp9CbrHqd
You do the job, then vanish.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7u2Au22G3
You stay safe in the background and act surprised when no one hands you a stage."
Still quiet. That was always his move.
I leaned forward, voice lower.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsdyNrfi7F
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GndQ6t3re
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJpYmyqAuw
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKTdriMie1
But now you're finally in her space and you want to retreat."
He said nothing, but his silence cracked louder than any words.
"She's not going to break you, Ayub."
He looked up, finally.
"You think she's this impossible standard, and maybe she is.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhrduWPfXY
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5Z3q0jKU4
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ24xjUMtrqH
You don't need to compete with her.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7K1zml463
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZmqZN80ef
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQl5pGyt3k
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJmkKX9r3j
You belong here more than half the clowns drawing a paycheck off our name."
Still nothing.
"You want me to go to Babo and reverse it? Can't. Wouldn't, even if I could."
His brow creased.
"Because you're not running this time. You're going to show up. Show her who you really are. And if she doesn't like it? That's her problem. At least she'll finally see you."
I let the words land. Let the silence sit.
Then I added, lighter, "You know what might actually help though? We get her married off."
He blinked. Just blinked.
"I'm serious," I said, straight-faced. "Set her up. Vet the prospects. Do background checks, call their mothers, screen their blood type. Maybe get psychological evaluations done ahead of time."
I tapped my tablet. "You could run the whole operation. Set up interviews. Coffee tastings. Prayer compatibility tests."
Ayub gave me the driest look I'd ever seen.
"I mean it," I added with a smirk.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQhIoT4r1E
"It'd be good for the company. Imagine the morale boost."
As he stood, he didn't say a word—just flicked me off on the way to the door.
I grinned.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhSykRtcwV
"That's more like it."
He walked out, shoulders still tight, but not shrinking.
I watched the door click shut behind him.
Maybe Babo knew what he was doing.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdYIPcOpG9
But it still felt like a warning shot.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
And now we meet Imran — eldest son, CEO-in-training, corporate firefighter, part-time therapist, full-time older brother who absolutely did not sign up for any of this.
He's trying to keep the entire empire from imploding while his father plays chess with people's careers and his sister sharpens her metaphorical sword before breakfast.
Also, yes — his solution to workplace tension is matchmaking.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGlctWqLsdm
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqKJIb8cnWh
Lamija wants control.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQkIGDhCoMv
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4Hq4tHPLr
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3HleHCrKT
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcanOeCSn6
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxASiFQpCE8
- Ash&Olive
15Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08SAIQKLTP
