"What the hell was that?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcMMIOZx4q
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUpIHNief9
Imran didn’t wait until they were out of the building. The door had barely clicked shut before he tossed the question like a grenade between them.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7xvY5VxB3
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqeNGLl3CL
Ayub sighed. "What was what?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNFbpilZQn
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61ifjuHTV4
Imran turned on his heel to face him, grinning like the proud older brother of a man who had just learned how to throw a punch. "That line. That delivery. That tone. You know exactly what."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhQdnzePlb
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGRtve8BPk
Ayub kept walking toward the elevator. "She pushed. I responded."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPRyN0GZ5S
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwr0C37JZi6
"Responded? That wasn’t a response. That was flirting, and not even the accidental kind. You actually had bass in your voice, bro. I almost blushed."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaB6IIvXpme
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3n19N1GIu
Ayub rubbed the back of his neck. "She was messing with me the whole meeting. It was... a lot."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgLSNVdsW2
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtHth1GnOnR
Imran hit the elevator button, still grinning. "She put you with Jasmina. That was the ultimate middle finger."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuSkxMYvwn
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom8LcTrPA2
"Trust me, I know."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRhwifBx0i
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMuhu8Q2xr
"Jasmina's been glowing all day, by the way. Like she just got nominated for an award. 'I get to work with Lamija's Ayub,'" Imran mimicked in a pitch-perfect impression.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Q9raN2AR8
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHu2oY10kV
Ayub gave him a flat look.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciaKyQS5Yr
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HRIdbgu0y
"You don’t like her?" Imran asked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzwKlIJw4d
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2yadAJz2W6
"She’s nice. Not for me."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXL6xnVUrLW
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXRcKAJQCWn
Imran raised a brow. "Because she’s not Lamija."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1s6NTS8iu
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGtUx91vgf
Ayub said nothing.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb9ENOL9Zd
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4NIHmm0Aa
The elevator doors opened. They stepped in. The silence stretched.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWoUPhghqS
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuLN1UMwCi
Imran looked at him sideways. "So what is this then?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4ne0MAeGr
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0sfK8f0bA
"What?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLyIft1uDH
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4qJcNZM8Xo
"Are you... hoping for something now? With her?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBj8WaNQ8Nq
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6whY2GJ4d4
Ayub stared straight ahead, the numbers lighting up one by one above the doors.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUbK2ZuDsn
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC675QkqTDF
He didn’t answer.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rVTe3IHPB
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0gi7qkdni
But the tightness in his jaw said enough.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbHggxkFvG
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2XKAK81ah
Imran nodded slowly. "Man. You’re really in it now."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwIqYmDLAcD
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYKgie9wpG
They drove in mostly silence until Imran turned down a narrow street. He had told Lamija they were checking out the property on Marindvor. This was not it. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUcQXcknaCE
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxXgMOVby3i
"Where are we going?" Ayub asked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6ZlWLPpqi
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dPBE7QyqN
Imran smirked. "To see a site I’m working on. New project. Off the company books, more personal."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOYB4c7HJk
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaraxYie7qd
Ayub raised a brow. "You’re not usually one for side ventures."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNImvieZvVj
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOJRQ9GI6fA
"This one’s different. I want to open a gym. Full training setup. MMA, strength, discipline. Talha will run it.”
Ayub turned to him, startled. "Talha?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12DRq4FAp5
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2htpR3Cjt
Imran nodded. "Yeah. I haven’t told him yet. He thinks I’m moving him to northern logistics."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2q58OMFD8
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCKTE6zqYt
Ayub let out a low laugh. "He’s going to think you’ve lost your mind."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkuDnsIbqJ9
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNqJQt2ht6
"Maybe. But he’s ready. He just doesn’t know it yet."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRqeLP5OfT
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWJUNssh9c
Ayub hesitated, glancing toward the building. "You sure? Talha looks one bad day away from a lawsuit half the time. He’s intense."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxX8IaZOLI
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuWnLDEMty6
Imran shrugged. "So are most people with greatness in them. He needs direction. And he needs to know we believe he can lead, not just fight."
They stepped out of the car and stood in front of the building—tall windows covered in dust, scaffolding still clinging to one side. From the outside it didn’t look like much yet.
But inside?
Inside, it had bones.
High ceilings. Reinforced walls. The echo of potential.
They moved through slowly, dodging ladders, exposed wires, and half-unwrapped fixtures. Imran rattled off specs—bag layout, ventilation, locker spacing—but Ayub barely heard him. He was already seeing it. The mats. The sweat. The chaos with rules. He could picture Talha in the middle of it all—loud, focused, alive in a way he rarely was outside a ring.
"This could be good for him," Ayub said. "The kind of good he doesn’t think he deserves."
Imran just nodded.
Ayub kept walking.
And the more he saw, the harder it was to ignore the weight sitting in his chest.
Because this wasn’t just a gym.
This was a gift.
Not the flashy kind. Not for show. This was the kind of thing you gave to people you considered your own. Something that said, You belong here, even if you don’t believe it yet.
Ayub glanced back at Imran—at the way he moved through the site like he was laying down pieces of a future that already had space for all of them in it.
No fanfare. No speeches. Just action.
That’s what the Begovićs did. They didn’t hand you pity. They handed you responsibility. Ownership. Purpose. And somehow, they made you feel like it had always been yours.
Ayub looked around again, jaw tight.
This family—Imran, his father, even Lamija—they spent their wealth like it was a shared resource. Like it belonged to all of them. Not just blood, but anyone who stayed long enough to earn a place.
They took him in when his own family left him on a doorstep.
Now Imran was building Talha a gym.
He didn’t say thank you. Not out loud.
He just stood there, letting it sink in.
This was what legacy looked like.
Not power. Not reputation.
Just people investing in each other like they meant it.
"You ever going to admit how far gone you are?" Imran asked, not even bothering to look up from his clipboard.
Ayub shot him a look. “I told you—I’m not letting her mess with me anymore.”
Imran grinned. “Look at you. Boundaries. Words. Growth. Ayub 2.0.”
Ayub snorted. “She pushed. I pushed back. That’s all it was.”
Imran didn’t push it. Just raised an eyebrow and went back to checking off specs.
Then Ayub asked, almost offhand, “You still chasing Selma?”
Imran looked up, unfazed. “I wouldn’t call it chasing.”
Ayub scoffed. “She pushes you away like it’s her job, and you just keep showing up like it’s yours.”
Imran smirked. “We’re persistent. Not reckless.”
Ayub raised a brow. “You Begovićs don’t know when to back off. It’s admirable. And deeply concerning.”
Imran laughed, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “She’s different.”
“I know.”
“She keeps me at a distance like I’m a grenade with the pin halfway out.",” Imran said, quieter now. “And I get it. She’s been through hell.”
Ayub nodded. She had a look in her eyes that he often saw in himself and Talha. Like she was always bracing for something to fall apart. "Someone like you would be good for her," Ayub said aloud before he could stop himself.
Imran was silent for a second, then said, “I just want her to let me love her. Her and Sanel—both of them. That’s all.”
Ayub didn’t respond right away.
Then, quietly: “You’d be good for her.”
Imran didn’t react. He just held his clipboard a little tighter.
And Ayub didn’t say anything else.
Because some things didn’t need to be unpacked in the middle of a construction site.
Some things just needed to be said once—and meant.
They walked the rest of the site in silence. When they stepped back out into the sun, Ayub glanced once more over his shoulder at the building.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3J79hzab7G
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JywycRFW0
It didn’t look like much.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRoc42vnwZ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXAMdkFLU1
But it would.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDYUZWA1YH6
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyUFWQiSDe
They climbed into the car, the doors closing with a thud. Imran tapped the ignition. Just as the engine came to life, so did the screen.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMim8vhQ1PO
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCckOIGveBW
The caller ID lit up.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XlN3cx8Es
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVb17Vxaii
Adil.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9mrQrONyX
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcO511m1E1
Both men groaned in unison.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2p2fGwFMb
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhE3IT6KFu1
"Why is it always him?" Ayub muttered. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbdcP0DX8u
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUjyXNur25
Imran didn’t answer right away. His jaw had already locked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1az5R9fV9D
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybPG3yNs96
Adil’s older brother—Nedim—had been circling Lamija like a vulture for months. It was never about romance. Never about her. It was strategy. A merger dressed in gold cufflinks and tailored suits.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbg3fQUoV2
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡusESsadSNS
Nedim marries Lamija. Their logistics company folds into Begović Industries. The families become one on paper.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTluCYEBno
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqNmEr63Gl
Ayub’s stomach turned every time he thought about it.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqsMyqzZbM
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp0Yt8TtdIs
Husine had built the company with ruthless precision, but when it came to his daughters? They were never pawns. They were the jewels in his crown. And Imran lived to protect those jewels. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKPXdvnTU3
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiz50Rl1RJj
Lamija had turned Nedim down in every language they shared—blunt, cold, unmoved.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqNMjOVb6p
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGAACgPffN
She wasn’t interested.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJ90ipkx0u
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkftbyDAzWF
And if she ever did lose her senses and gave that bastard a chance, Imran would burn the whole board before he let her become someone’s strategic win.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcD15IGqDs
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSG8TVGyML
He jabbed the speaker icon.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi02Ao0mz5q
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb5V8QwwNxq
“Adil,” he said, voice flat.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS05dDXndXm
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69Az2wfayv
“Imran!” Adil’s voice poured through the car, smooth and smug as ever. “Still hiding from society in dusty construction zones?”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXxq1DCssZ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9FhvI9Uzh
Imran didn’t answer. Ayub stayed silent.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgC95N6b73
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhYfrAaWDE
“Listen,” Adil continued, “I need a favor. Nedim saw that Lamija’s been eyeing the new Solène bag—you know, the crazy limited drop, three per country. He wants to get it for her.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7KS42bzknZ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpWfH1h583
Imran’s expression didn’t shift. “Already got it.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpQYRS8gKg
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwhoAe8jag
Adil laughed. “Of course you did. Always a step ahead. Then maybe give it to Amina instead? Let Nedim take care of Lamija. It might open a door.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyHMFxtHlh
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHNzoaRr6L
Imran’s voice dropped into ice. “As long as I breathe, Lamija and Amina will be taken care of. Tell Nedim to back off. She’s off limits.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEJLWV4M2j
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7cMMoJHNl
There was a pause on the line.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjRWoVGIVkS
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvmlSdmg1d
“I’m serious, Adil,” Imran continued. “It will never happen. My father would burn your company to the ground before he marries her off like cattle. And I’ll burn everything your family has ever built down just for the fucking fun of it.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oM8xS0DFf
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡahJStfkze2
Adil gave a short, uneasy laugh. “Alright, alright. No offense meant.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56ztnJRuhp
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpWzzdhk1T0
“Then stop acting like this is business,” Imran snapped. “She’s not part of your portfolio.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi4hqAhvZh
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTicCAm7O9K
The call ended.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBYt08aQvu
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OFiP9PeIb
Imran tapped the screen off and stared ahead, jaw tight.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tuK5edJoP
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EPyH4NMGW
Neither of them spoke for a while.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74HpoQzLd0
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYkM5Ngg7t
Then Ayub muttered, “I hate that guy.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpGk9lsaHU
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEinLhm2yJ
Imran’s fists flexed on the wheel. “Same.”
Ayub watched him in silence. There was nothing to say—because he knew if it ever came down to it, Imran would burn it all.
That was the difference.
Men like Imran protected from the front.
Men like Ayub watched from the edge, unsure if they were even allowed to step into the fight.
And for the first time all day, Ayub wasn’t just angry.
He was reminded.
That no matter how steady he stood, no matter how much he gave, a woman like Lamija might never see him as more than a shadow behind her father’s throne.
"What the hell was that?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAoKy8lsYOq
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwtKnZgNwm
Imran didn’t wait until they were out of the building. The door had barely clicked shut before he tossed the question like a grenade between them.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDG4N7HzPLo
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qoYBh52Cm
Ayub sighed. "What was what?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2c7m2qi7lg
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzBdbTQ8YP
Imran turned on his heel to face him, grinning like the proud older brother of a man who had just learned how to throw a punch. "That line. That delivery. That tone. You know exactly what."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl02VL3Ypcf
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdcpk1CwFkz
Ayub kept walking toward the elevator. "She pushed. I responded."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFctCMculTp
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNI9LnNkqds
"Responded? That wasn’t a response. That was flirting, and not even the accidental kind. You actually had bass in your voice, bro. I almost blushed."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR10f45j93Z
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaL8mv1YgKs
Ayub rubbed the back of his neck. "She was messing with me the whole meeting. It was... a lot."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnOBQgM9e7s
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdqA7HCpsh
Imran hit the elevator button, still grinning. "She put you with Jasmina. That was the ultimate middle finger."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rjcUI78X7
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLiG9SO6qr
"Trust me, I know."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaF8JZxXrFg
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fDzoA43hJ
"Jasmina's been glowing all day, by the way. Like she just got nominated for an award. 'I get to work with Lamija's Ayub,'" Imran mimicked in a pitch-perfect impression.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqf0Uj0qdR
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxTR7PmUQ6
Ayub gave him a flat look.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B3aYbotwy
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuPGQMRBGZ
"You don’t like her?" Imran asked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9j2hjlNYk8
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfOQE14Er0
"She’s nice. Not for me."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUIYpdhJWO
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmD4Yfbh1Ce
Imran raised a brow. "Because she’s not Lamija."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNSjtstxE0
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfehCtY0qYW
Ayub said nothing.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1asDxij10
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hChVgg0aw
The elevator doors opened. They stepped in. The silence stretched.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhfJhuMy6ky
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYWThiUkgx
Imran looked at him sideways. "So what is this then?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡipbjXiJgcR
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7E72dkG3y
"What?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMUS2Z7owc
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYOaRma1aKJ
"Are you... hoping for something now? With her?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQiDFS7V7fH
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtb7z2D57yK
Ayub stared straight ahead, the numbers lighting up one by one above the doors.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHnRSJ4Pck
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuXcd6UURo
He didn’t answer.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHuRSvrxVQs
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5LJuveSUi
But the tightness in his jaw said enough.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW41QF6Pn8N
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8sAgb8GbQy
Imran nodded slowly. "Man. You’re really in it now."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNscBtam43
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiI2SNzvuM4
They drove in mostly silence until Imran turned down a narrow street. He had told Lamija they were checking out the property on Marindvor. This was not it. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4FI6TWg2A
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJCAg89nPh
"Where are we going?" Ayub asked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ybCk1R7d2
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeV0ykRQQD
Imran smirked. "To see a site I’m working on. New project. Off the company books, more personal."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFHLeyCcNU
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqN3GkZK8p
Ayub raised a brow. "You’re not usually one for side ventures."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9CtV1lqX9
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcXAnbDr0Q6
"This one’s different. I want to open a gym. Full training setup. MMA, strength, discipline. Talha will run it.”
Ayub turned to him, startled. "Talha?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGyIb1uezg
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqcXJ9uR2K
Imran nodded. "Yeah. I haven’t told him yet. He thinks I’m moving him to northern logistics."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxi4t2Un9l
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDddZdgarX
Ayub let out a low laugh. "He’s going to think you’ve lost your mind."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkTq0LqhMUU
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoZ07KclVk
"Maybe. But he’s ready. He just doesn’t know it yet."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSsJ3t38bZ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBpgrVCdzK
Ayub hesitated, glancing toward the building. "You sure? Talha looks one bad day away from a lawsuit half the time. He’s intense."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wHXxIzXsr
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡisg8tTkUyz
Imran shrugged. "So are most people with greatness in them. He needs direction. And he needs to know we believe he can lead, not just fight."
They stepped out of the car and stood in front of the building—tall windows covered in dust, scaffolding still clinging to one side. From the outside it didn’t look like much yet.
But inside?
Inside, it had bones.
High ceilings. Reinforced walls. The echo of potential.
They moved through slowly, dodging ladders, exposed wires, and half-unwrapped fixtures. Imran rattled off specs—bag layout, ventilation, locker spacing—but Ayub barely heard him. He was already seeing it. The mats. The sweat. The chaos with rules. He could picture Talha in the middle of it all—loud, focused, alive in a way he rarely was outside a ring.
"This could be good for him," Ayub said. "The kind of good he doesn’t think he deserves."
Imran just nodded.
Ayub kept walking.
And the more he saw, the harder it was to ignore the weight sitting in his chest.
Because this wasn’t just a gym.
This was a gift.
Not the flashy kind. Not for show. This was the kind of thing you gave to people you considered your own. Something that said, You belong here, even if you don’t believe it yet.
Ayub glanced back at Imran—at the way he moved through the site like he was laying down pieces of a future that already had space for all of them in it.
No fanfare. No speeches. Just action.
That’s what the Begovićs did. They didn’t hand you pity. They handed you responsibility. Ownership. Purpose. And somehow, they made you feel like it had always been yours.
Ayub looked around again, jaw tight.
This family—Imran, his father, even Lamija—they spent their wealth like it was a shared resource. Like it belonged to all of them. Not just blood, but anyone who stayed long enough to earn a place.
They took him in when his own family left him on a doorstep.
Now Imran was building Talha a gym.
He didn’t say thank you. Not out loud.
He just stood there, letting it sink in.
This was what legacy looked like.
Not power. Not reputation.
Just people investing in each other like they meant it.
"You ever going to admit how far gone you are?" Imran asked, not even bothering to look up from his clipboard.
Ayub shot him a look. “I told you—I’m not letting her mess with me anymore.”
Imran grinned. “Look at you. Boundaries. Words. Growth. Ayub 2.0.”
Ayub snorted. “She pushed. I pushed back. That’s all it was.”
Imran didn’t push it. Just raised an eyebrow and went back to checking off specs.
Then Ayub asked, almost offhand, “You still chasing Selma?”
Imran looked up, unfazed. “I wouldn’t call it chasing.”
Ayub scoffed. “She pushes you away like it’s her job, and you just keep showing up like it’s yours.”
Imran smirked. “We’re persistent. Not reckless.”
Ayub raised a brow. “You Begovićs don’t know when to back off. It’s admirable. And deeply concerning.”
Imran laughed, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “She’s different.”
“I know.”
“She keeps me at a distance like I’m a grenade with the pin halfway out.",” Imran said, quieter now. “And I get it. She’s been through hell.”
Ayub nodded. She had a look in her eyes that he often saw in himself and Talha. Like she was always bracing for something to fall apart. "Someone like you would be good for her," Ayub said aloud before he could stop himself.
Imran was silent for a second, then said, “I just want her to let me love her. Her and Sanel—both of them. That’s all.”
Ayub didn’t respond right away.
Then, quietly: “You’d be good for her.”
Imran didn’t react. He just held his clipboard a little tighter.
And Ayub didn’t say anything else.
Because some things didn’t need to be unpacked in the middle of a construction site.
Some things just needed to be said once—and meant.
They walked the rest of the site in silence. When they stepped back out into the sun, Ayub glanced once more over his shoulder at the building.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlQDfi0oGe
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHevs55n8og
It didn’t look like much.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgHArWr2q0P
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4A6T6rx7q
But it would.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyuyDZSnRuM
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRK5faLQQe
They climbed into the car, the doors closing with a thud. Imran tapped the ignition. Just as the engine came to life, so did the screen.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRgiWs5wnk
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpJX5z6yJR
The caller ID lit up.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJB2Xm1d99v
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsatpWSDzg0
Adil.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBoCNKTjSD
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ4Cb8cz5ov
Both men groaned in unison.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeg3Gu0oj2l
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDD3M3a0NFj
"Why is it always him?" Ayub muttered. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qLH8uZsLn
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4oqyqLedt
Imran didn’t answer right away. His jaw had already locked.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AiYb2vBrI
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJkgaqBpVu
Adil’s older brother—Nedim—had been circling Lamija like a vulture for months. It was never about romance. Never about her. It was strategy. A merger dressed in gold cufflinks and tailored suits.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxly1STsNeA
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡar1v6iqgps
Nedim marries Lamija. Their logistics company folds into Begović Industries. The families become one on paper.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRfQBhfTt5
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPTIxAvWg5
Ayub’s stomach turned every time he thought about it.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEkFfMphAf6
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdvnIHNgCWC
Husine had built the company with ruthless precision, but when it came to his daughters? They were never pawns. They were the jewels in his crown. And Imran lived to protect those jewels. 105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6dUgVbiMQ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2icORRXj5r
Lamija had turned Nedim down in every language they shared—blunt, cold, unmoved.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofCeXNpDVk
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jin2b2pvQ
She wasn’t interested.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0oT2pEeMXi
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq0DANEDDi
And if she ever did lose her senses and gave that bastard a chance, Imran would burn the whole board before he let her become someone’s strategic win.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3Re7EW80C
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwZfvarklE
He jabbed the speaker icon.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutEeTl4Wer
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PhYPWhzqN
“Adil,” he said, voice flat.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOR5EsHhl4
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujlHZh1Rws
“Imran!” Adil’s voice poured through the car, smooth and smug as ever. “Still hiding from society in dusty construction zones?”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUhzURVMqJ
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhoBBCebVWq
Imran didn’t answer. Ayub stayed silent.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaVk5SleEP9
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UNh5EqxU1
“Listen,” Adil continued, “I need a favor. Nedim saw that Lamija’s been eyeing the new Solène bag—you know, the crazy limited drop, three per country. He wants to get it for her.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyeSNyZinO
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAy3Uq1IbAz
Imran’s expression didn’t shift. “Already got it.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH00h5to4Ir
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiRrTgUrG0A
Adil laughed. “Of course you did. Always a step ahead. Then maybe give it to Amina instead? Let Nedim take care of Lamija. It might open a door.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsph2fGHvGM
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIejJUWjM0s
Imran’s voice dropped into ice. “As long as I breathe, Lamija and Amina will be taken care of. Tell Nedim to back off. She’s off limits.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3egMQpDj3
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwptgiFRkj
There was a pause on the line.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzeMubtA2e
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuajv5C5pn7
“I’m serious, Adil,” Imran continued. “It will never happen. My father would burn your company to the ground before he marries her off like cattle. And I’ll burn everything your family has ever built down just for the fucking fun of it.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeqGa1gAQ64
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZftfBkYQW
Adil gave a short, uneasy laugh. “Alright, alright. No offense meant.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK13fFatUq
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JDTdCCR4b
“Then stop acting like this is business,” Imran snapped. “She’s not part of your portfolio.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d7MQBAO3o
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwNPCzpNrW
The call ended.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsS9mPnsHHf
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡceYkSpjsll
Imran tapped the screen off and stared ahead, jaw tight.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaqqnPWWmk
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkefY0f8ZbL
Neither of them spoke for a while.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSXe19kgRp
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXAyYdNDfm
Then Ayub muttered, “I hate that guy.”105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuweChkgKc
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrxfpQ69SXI
Imran’s fists flexed on the wheel. “Same.”
Ayub watched him in silence. There was nothing to say—because he knew if it ever came down to it, Imran would burn it all.
That was the difference.
Men like Imran protected from the front.
Men like Ayub watched from the edge, unsure if they were even allowed to step into the fight.
And for the first time all day, Ayub wasn’t just angry.
He was reminded.
That no matter how steady he stood, no matter how much he gave, a woman like Lamija might never see him as more than a shadow behind her father’s throne.
105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaYBGVZQ37
