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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2i98R5W2t
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9KXBkKEEWJ
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1AKLQxEOC
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULCi2uOtiX
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbNhpxz3zIp
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtmJmLbxQo
He was my stabilizer.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNuXR1EVhe
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALMG38GKba
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOYTkFLfEl
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡflMIsnKsVS
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfRA5sv7Fx
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY0Xg8YfkT
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0DuYRTDls
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi50KZZS5oE
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtj2AmqlIk
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKX6qWn0VA7
"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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0te7zj4MGQ
"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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriq5fOvMyE
"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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE191oqk1pd
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3bDuACQfS
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubYoDMUN1b
You're one of the best assets in this building.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyjvxAmIxn
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB0u1u6HOlL
You do the job, then vanish.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEukxk5IcwY
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PE1GKjFbO
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGgTxv0Cmw
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5LOGprZsZs
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsxOc3OKm0
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0wCRpHXJw
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3JO0RA5MY
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnDKmEj6uE
You don't need to compete with her.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9tMYgGQM6
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpJcL48DZW
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYpN6h6UnkO
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ee2ZlvaMQ
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYUgCKxQMPJ
"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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5lLNZ670Q
"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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPawt4XiwG
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.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoqDhKKZWKC
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWCMZbY36kK
Lamija wants control.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgRKNRlY3Tf
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYgKtOM1q6
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70F6vawgQZ
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtpsIh0xrX
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacliuKWPk5
- Ash&Olive
17Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR85FKrC0ja
