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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ25AzEtsgfu
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfBfuuoSLn2
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3fZN5Srk9U
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR0DOHevIsl
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlE4I02YCUJ
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0T4HJ1l5Eb
He was my stabilizer.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZ12t9mNri
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLej8Za1h9
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymmAFctlnS
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8E0NtsorY
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF2jwV5PZyT
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzIAaDbSLU
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO6mvXiKpGi
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9J3OccPzcH
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7y21H7DIMs
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9pr7TAbKk
"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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPL53VDY6Hb
"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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg70UxsWiX
"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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6JK8n5YbS
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc1I0nnENfg
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7Nlb9JaSX
You're one of the best assets in this building.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNuvlya4GvP
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8gwJbLfvG
You do the job, then vanish.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6ohbxf8Sh
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNzrJeRtMf
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iwtpD0mPu
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4Izl7t0Qb
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0E5go3pDQ
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkB4Vg2NUJ
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQZlzBUirl
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbGFHVfBQcp
You don't need to compete with her.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkoHo5qwzC
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUrJN0IzpD
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOZAJIcXXHS
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazluLLs6Sc
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAjbRj16awb
"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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQVw8jju70
"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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWOLLfA7Ty
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.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nW7zwTL3v
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0jf2nt4of
Lamija wants control.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXadr7ZL1b
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVf5trwiTg
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMgMXD2Ews
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUIvXrmgoL
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh71LiWsILp
- Ash&Olive
16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlE6Zaw30F
and then Add to home screen.