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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEW6TbrcZ0
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxTM1uoy5w
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3PbicpiGs
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡno5tHLI1Y2
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTVIhB1gMa
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEMFYUnzeI9
He was my stabilizer.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXN1eQ3EWGT
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwEFlV30AN
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tLQiEL51T
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89sMt5PxIq
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55xNBxZJpq
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXdpd3LTHmB
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6185SPdWTR
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiC9VTuhYmZ
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPrGj8VAyp
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDAXd7JvOW
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMesAwMvtID
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8B324bCh0V
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ376U3bF0n1
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡay6okA691o
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5lgPPVeMRI
You're one of the best assets in this building.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyj3TfVcAcc
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8fzQvGbrRn
You do the job, then vanish.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEXvV3koA3
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8IhCKWNQO
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd0E49yHnB
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZR5wl7QEN
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxg8h31Skkn
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8dVp7VGFg
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzJWx5akREf
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbecxjnJ2Y2
You don't need to compete with her.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnpEsitfj2
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjyn9taMG4
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEjRU24eF2
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpVWFcZidIV
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6QAPdwOIZ1
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28viVzbNXt
"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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgI65uVeVHf
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.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKld07Wbr39
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iJQE1ygJ7
Lamija wants control.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSi13r6gpqJ
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIpGn45CK6
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbvjE7G4w0
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuePE8V1mRx
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2nNVzJznkz
- Ash&Olive
23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFuWsaeNNI
