Control me.

Chapter 5 - Nick.

My largest company sits in the most expensive part of Los Angeles. The building of glass and steel stands like an extension of the power I've built all these years. Every floor, every office, every detail reflects the control I exercise over this world. And I'm not here to simply watch or supervise — I'm here to make decisions that shape lives, to choose who survives and who disappears.

Alan stands beside me like a shadow, my right hand. The only man I truly trust. Every minute that passes, my thoughts move fast. I plan moves, analyze the market, competitors, possible betrayals. My mind never stops.

And today we have a candidate I want to test.

Alan glanced at me calmly.

"Ready?"

I didn't move.

"Always."

My voice is hard, sharp. I know every word I say carries weight.

Paul Anderson doesn't yet know what's waiting for him.

But he's about to find out.

The door opens and Paul steps inside. Young. Confident on the surface. Well put together. But I don't look at appearances. I watch energy. Eyes. Posture. Those things tell me whether a man will survive... or collapse under pressure.

I look at him without smiling.

"Paul Anderson. Sit."

As he takes the chair across from me, I study him carefully. His posture. The small signs of nervousness. The way he holds his hands.

I hate insecurity.

I have no patience for excuses.

Alan remains beside me, observing with the same cold focus. He knows the test begins now.

I lean slightly forward.

"I want you to understand something from the start."

I speak slowly. Each word lands like a hammer.

"I'm not looking for someone who simply handles paperwork and contracts. I want a lawyer who understands business. Someone who can make decisions under pressure. Someone who isn't afraid to play my game. Because if it scares you... you'll fail."

Paul nods as if he understands.

But experience has taught me something simple:

Most people believe they can handle pressure... until they actually face it.

I continue without taking my eyes off him.

"You'll begin with our most critical projects. Contract management. Strategic market moves. Securing partnerships. And if necessary... defending this company from anyone who tries to betray us."

My voice remains firm. Every instruction precise.

Alan watches Paul carefully, noting every reaction, every tiny expression that might reveal his real character.

I lock my gaze onto him.

"Do you understand what I'm asking?"

My voice lowers.

"There's no room here for mistakes. No room for doubt. No hesitation. Everything you do will be judged. Strictly. And without a second chance."

Paul takes a deep breath, trying to hold my gaze.

Paul straightened slightly in his chair.

"I understand. I want to prove that I can do it."

A faint smile touches my lips.

Not friendly.

More like a warning.

"We'll see that very quickly."

I lean back in my chair.

"This job isn't just about paperwork. It's about people, strategy, risk. And when everyone else starts shaking... you're the one who has to stay standing. And if you fall... there's no one here to pick you up."

Alan shoots me a brief glance. He knows exactly what I'm doing.

Fear. Danger. Pressure.

These are always the first tests for anyone entering my world.

I continue describing the responsibilities, and I can feel my authority filling the room. Every word. Every silence. Every movement builds the atmosphere of control.

Paul tries to maintain eye contact, but I can see the tension underneath.

I tap the folder on my desk.

"You'll begin with our expansion project in the luxury real estate market. I want to see how you handle negotiations. How you convince partners. How you react to pressure... and threats."

I pause.

"This isn't theory. Anyone who makes a mistake... loses."

The tension in the room grows heavier.

I watch him carefully. His breathing. His posture. His eyes.

Everything matters.

Paul nods again, more firmly this time.

"I understand. I'll give it my best."

My smile returns, darker.

"This job isn't for everyone. You need to be strong enough. Smart enough. Decisive enough."

I let the silence hang.

"And if you're not... there's no second chance."

Alan says nothing, but I know he's watching everything.

The test has only just begun.

Paul now stands at the edge of my world.

Whether he enters it... or disappears from it... depends on what he does next.

Alan leans slightly closer to me and murmurs quietly.

"Will he handle it?"

I smile slowly.

Paul begins working through the documents in the folder. Every minute becomes a test of his mind and his nerve.

I sit back in my chair with a glass of whiskey in my hand, watching.

Every hesitation.

Every small victory.

Every mistake.

Everything is recorded in my mind.

Eventually the interview reaches its end. Paul has presented his decisions, his strategy, the way he handled uncertainty and pressure. I've seen enough to form a first impression.

Not a final one.

But enough.

I open a small black-and-gold box on my desk.

"Would you like a cigar?"

Paul looks at the box, uncertain.

He shakes his head politely.

"Thank you... but I don't smoke."

A hint of nervousness slips into his voice despite his effort to hide it.

I smile again, slow and dark.

The scent of leather, tobacco, and luxury fills the office like a seal of authority.

Alan stands beside me, silent as always. His eyes never leave Paul. He studies every movement the same way I do.

I light the cigar and take a slow draw.

Smoke curls into the air.

"So... we'll notify you."

I exhale the smoke slowly.

"If we decide to work together, you'll be the first to know."

Each word carries weight.

Paul stands up, looking around the office as if trying to absorb the atmosphere of the room. Excitement and fear mix in his expression.

Every step toward the door looks careful. Measured.

As if he's walking on glass.

He stops at the doorway.

"Thank you for your time."

His voice tries to stay confident, but the mixture of fear and respect is impossible to hide.

Then he leaves.

The door closes behind him, leaving the room filled with cigar smoke and the scent of leather.

Alan and I remain alone.

The silence is heavy.

I look at him and I know he understands.

The kid has potential.

But he's not ready yet to stand beside me.

Every hesitation he showed today will be tested in the future.

We sit back down, whiskey glasses in our hands.

I look around the office. Every desk, every person, every detail belongs to my world.

A world where power and fear exist together.

Paul left with mixed emotions.

Good.

I want someone who respects authority and feels pressure. Only then can someone truly learn.

Alan gives me a look that says more than words.

Paul might have the ability.

But the real test will come when he faces the first real crisis beside me.

And I'll be watching every step he takes.

Every mistake judged.

Every success rewarded.

But always in my own dark way.

The cigar smoke slowly fades into the air, leaving behind only the feeling of power.

The interview is over.

But the real test has just begun.

And I, Nick Martinez, always know who can stand beside me... and who will disappear into the darkness I rule.

Night falls over Los Angeles.

But inside me the city never sleeps.

It breathes.

It moves.

And it belongs to my game.