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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjskMcQxPJV
And I came back to find the entire rhythm of my org chart quietly rearranged.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUb9orvpC2M
Not by me. Not by anyone who reports to me.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3O6yRczehy
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJJKdhBNXz
He didn't even consult me. Not a message. Not a call.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtuRDI68vzt
Just a silent maneuver that stripped me of one of my best men.
Ayub wasn't just good.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCi35wlYDcz
He was my stabilizer.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVBdYhagQB
The one I trusted when everything was on fire.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTyTXwLtOm
Precise, unshakable, loyal to the bone.
I didn't have many of those.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOtsfCjgIG
And Babo just handed him off like a spare part.
It was strategic. Sure.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMFuCNofJf
Babo saw a storm in Lamija and thought Ayub would be the anchor. That made sense.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡorBtIHN1iW
But what grated was how quietly it happened—no discussion, no warning.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33O2gRprOO
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqZyV6oxqZ
Calm on the surface, panic humming underneath.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZa89c54Cx
I knew the look. He wore it when his father died. When Babo first offered him a role.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mdCyUdQfJ
When he thought too much of himself was at risk to speak.
"Morning," I said, motioning to the chair.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBi27WDSpU
"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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvkZEVigSU
"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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv5074QoyEt
"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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjh8ag28N9z
And we both know his decisions don't come with feedback forms."
I leaned back, studying him.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7lKFw0ji1
"You think you're not cut out for her team? That's garbage.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3vQIhIICZ
You're one of the best assets in this building.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwS1MEa5M44
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpRfUwKQ05G
You do the job, then vanish.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡct1vwJdX3b
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kjqb4VsAM
"This isn't about the job. This is about her."
He tensed.
"You've avoided her for years. I watched it happen.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ89Mr8EDzcI
Switching shifts, avoiding meetings, never once volunteering on anything tied to her division.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFnAtlkaAb
I let it go. Figured you had your reasons.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡypmhFQOYnn
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeFAc9kwmX
She's sharp, relentless, and doesn't bend for anyone.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAUxMbybrl
But that doesn't mean you don't belong beside her.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLIOgeEjUk
You don't need to compete with her.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGhByciQ5K
You need to stop disappearing."
He ran a hand over his face.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxjsQdxKJN
He looked tired. Frayed.
"I don't belong in her world."
I shook my head.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQIRAg6oCbd
"Don't give me that. You lived in our house. You ate at our table. My mother calls you her son.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZNMJnPkm5
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVNqh37zAk
"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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXfWhYdn8Dg
"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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuOKWEb3qM
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.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw23ORgR8y
Respectfully, he's tired.
Ayub wants to disappear.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYEIQCtn2W
Lamija wants control.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgmwPrUf5X
And Imran just wants a functioning org chart and one (1) peaceful morning.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tNyJ35Ish
He's not getting it.
Let me know if you're starting to pick a favorite.28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQ2eOTOOor
(And if it's not Imran by now, you're lying.)28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkj8pybi6l7
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSO4KtuHleE
- Ash&Olive
28Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfULk9WTgt
and then Add to home screen.