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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2m5Z22yDO7
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdB2x4bNdWS
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWeloeu5L1
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFt0x18BQE
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wlJaj68bJ
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxVkxTiKp9q
He was my stabilizer.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNu2Xq27Uj
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdjuTW3IjLA
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9VYY5CU8i
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xlpWdgWWd
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjt2Bv9XtVR
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMT0ege20j
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAniMxPSod7
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1O6PbPJ94c
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPnagIza5R3
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngtuQEcMb7
"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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpbSXWyiYZ
"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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdryA1U1yD5
"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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYRIcnvwwx
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGmKuCoKIG
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsKHiV1OtG
You're one of the best assets in this building.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiuqHC0wqT
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMqzk8dMLbk
You do the job, then vanish.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡprrVrgKzss
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH456uTcj8G
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLQCVaEDqRN
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH5l1hztLRq
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvskJfz5Jf
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj0uBNiTYD
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgsDV6zov8A
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nN3Xv31JM
You don't need to compete with her.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36EQhUDl65
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDwNeJbmGhi
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCKCCMoGFMO
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡltXeYz08zS
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOaQNkWXGi
"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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhbun2MDJx
"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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0cTNAsXyzN
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.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBpNVMITGVE
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJYNdeQxDu
Lamija wants control.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkEmGQoKfB
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoS0UOnMxM
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0B2291Xn2y
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJy6oeoSnR
21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYcmVmVMS1x
- Ash&Olive
21Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9uDxeGKlv
