Page 129 of When We Ignite

“Ash,” Oliver said cautiously.

“I’m going for a smoke,” I said, cutting him off. “And I strongly recommend you stay seated.”

Without waiting for a response, I stood and walked out, the air around me crackling with unspent fury.

I resisted the urge to slam the door shut behind me as I stepped out. Instead, I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths, willing myself to calm down before lighting a cigarette.

The door opened again, and Henry appeared.

I shook my head.

He lifted his hands in mock surrender. “I don’t work for the company, remember? You like me.”

I sighed, nodding reluctantly as I looked away. “It took him a fucking week to undermine me,” I said, taking a drag and letting out a bitter laugh. “I don’t know why I’m surprised. I expected it. He’s fucking fantastic at covering his tracks.”

“It’s messed up, Ash. But you know it’s him, not Oli. Don’t take it out on Oli.”

“He should have warned me,” I snapped.

“You know Dad. Oli probably found out today,” Henry countered.

I knew he was right, but it didn’t make me feel any better. “I’ve been working on this for months. I fucking deserved that buy—I earned it. All that dinosaur wants to do is fuck up the business to justify his own damn ego,” I spat, the anger bubbling over.

“I know, Ash,” Henry said evenly. “Why do you think I ran the first chance I got?”

“It’s not fucking fair. I’m not a kid. This deal wasn’t a whim—it was well thought out, strategic, and fucking fantastic,” I ranted, pacing.

“I’m sure it was,” Henry said.

“Stop pacifying me,” I snapped again.

Henry stared at me for a beat before a small smirk tugged at his lips. “I’m not pacifying you. I’m trying to help you calm down before you do something rash.”

“He treats me like I’m a joke,” I said through gritted teeth, nowhere near calm.

“He treats everyone that way. Look, Ash, I’m not defending him, but what did you expect?” Henry said, his tone unusually serious. “The guy built the company, and the second you took over, you wanted to change everything. Of course, he’s going to be pissed and pull crap like this behind your back. It’s still his ship—always will be, whether you like it or not.”

“So, I just have to take it until he dies?” I asked bitterly.

Henry chuckled. “Or…” he said, letting the word hang in the air.

“Or I don’t,” I finished.

He nodded. “Or you don’t,” Henry echoed, sitting down.

I shook my head. “I’ve been working my whole life for this,” I argued.

“And is it worth it?” Henry asked, pulling out one of Ethan’s vapes and taking a drag.

I sat down next to him.

“I know it’s not an easy choice, Ash. But you’re turning into a madman. Before Ethan came into the picture, we hardly ever saw you. I know you like your job, but not like this. It was never this obsessive. You’re not enjoying this anymore.”

“You don’t have to enjoy every second of it. That’s not how life works,” I told him, but the accusation of abandonment always hit me hard. It had been coming more and more frequently, so much so that I could hardly recognize myself sometimes. They were everything to me. My brothers always came first.

“Maybe not. But you’re not supposed to hate it, either,” Henry said, his tone pointed.

I leaned back in disbelief, exhaling a plume of smoke. “When the fuck did you turn into my moral compass?” The anger still simmered, but it wasn’t boiling over anymore.