Page 67 of When We Ignite

“I need to have a chat with you, Ash. I think whiskey is in order,” he admitted.

My stomach tightened. If this was about Ethan again, whiskey was definitely in order.

“Is it about your bachelor party?” I asked quickly, preempting the conversation. “Because I’ve already rented a villa in St. Barts. Ari’s handling the logistics. Charlie gave me the dates and the guest list.”

Oliver blinked in surprise. “How did you manage that in a week?”

Chuckling, I exhaled a plume of smoke. “I’m nothing if not diligent.”

His expression softened momentarily, but the way his fingers fidgeted against the glass betrayed his unease. “Ash, I’ve been talking with Dad a lot this week,” he began cautiously.

That, I hadn’t seen coming.

I shifted in my seat, my mind sharpening. “About what?”

Oli cracked his knuckles, and I braced myself for what was coming.

“He wants me to come in as your replacement as CFO,” he said, the words rushed as if to lessen their impact.

A hollow feeling settled in my chest, but I masked it. I’d known this was coming. Our father had delayed the hire for months, tying me to the role and stalling my takeover as CEO. I knew he wanted Oliver to work with us; he’d wanted it for years.

“I don’t want this to be a problem between us,” he said, holding my gaze.

“It’s not a problem for me,” I assured him—a half-truth.

Oliver sighed, accepting his drink and nearly draining it in one go. “Are you sure about that?” His forefinger tapped absently on the glass.

“Absolutely. You’re already the person I count on for advice. Having you officially in the fold is ideal,” I said sincerely. That much was true, even if it didn’t account for the larger concerns.

“That’s good to hear. I was worried you’d be mad,” he admitted.

“Why would I be mad? Have you agreed yet?”

“No, I wanted to talk to you first.”

I smiled genuinely. Oliver was the epitome of a gentleman—loyal to a fault. My concern was where his loyalties would lie in the end. Our father had an uncanny ability to turn people’s positive traits into liabilities.

“You don’t have to worry about me, Oli.”

He finished his drink, setting the glass down carefully while watching me. “I’m not after your title, Ash. You’ve earned it, and I respect that. I’m not looking to challenge you. I want this for you.”

“I know you’re not, but we both know that’s not the real issue. The problem is what Dad wants,” I pointed out.

Oliver’s gaze remained steady. “You know you come first. You and Henny have always come first to me. It’s not going to change now,” he assured me.

I relaxed back into my chair, taking another drag before looking away. “I realize you look better on paper, Oli. I’m not an idiot, especially now that you’re getting married.”

He rolled his eyes. “I have less than half your experience. Dad can be many things, but he’s not stupid.”

“Here’s the thing,” I began, swirling the whiskey in my glass. “Dad’s strategy is to bring you in so he can tighten his grip on the company. I’m CEO in name, but he’s still calling the shots. If I slip up, he has a backup to sideline me and promote you as the respectable face of the business. That’s his play.”

Oliver shook his head. “I’m not his puppet, Ash. Don’t paint it like that.”

I met his gaze evenly. “I’m not saying you are, but he’s the ultimate puppet master. He’s been pulling my strings for years.”

He waved a dismissive hand. “There’s no controlling you, Ash.”

“He does, more than you’d think,” I said quietly. “Do you believe you’re exempt? Because if you do, Oli, I’d advise against taking this job. There are a lot of strings attached.”