Controlling Novels & Stories

The building itself was proving his point with every tremor, every crack spreading through ancient stone. Rowan stepped even closer to me, lowering his voice to something meant only for my ears. "If you go with him, you're stepping into a system specifically designed to control you. Everything, your environment, your information, your options, all controlled variables." My lips curved slightly despite everything, something almost like amusement touching my expression. "Rowan..." I reached up and touched his hand briefly, my fingers warm against his skin. "You really think I'm still controllable? After everything?"

And I let her believe it. Because control isn’t about crushing someone the moment they resist. It’s about waiting until they step too far, until their own weight pulls them down. When she falls, it will be spectacular. And Jayden will be right where I want him. --- I closed my office blinds, sat back in my chair, and smiled. The net was already tightening.

But they are not going to obey him unless there should be a way to control them. “This isn’t going to work. Stop talking to them. This android is a leader to everyone. The president controls him. So why don’t be disable him?” Chris started. “And program him to our command. Got it. I will hold him, you should restart the android, then the others will shut down by themself." Malcolm finished.

he demanded, his voice barely a rasp. “I’m suggesting you do what you always do, Boss,” I challenged, using the title intentionally. “You prioritize control and victory. I’m giving you a way to kill two birds with one stone. You get to monitor your asset, and I get to drain the distracting sexual energy that you created in that elevator. We call it performance conditioning.” He stood back, finally breaking the proximity, running a weary hand through his slicked-back hair, slightly messing it up. It was a sign of distress.

It made me feel worse, actually, like proof that whatever control I usually kept a grip on was slipping faster than I wanted to admit. Across the ice, Cole watched the whole exchange without a word, same as always, stick resting against his shoulder, expression unreadable. He didn't skate over to needle me the way Philip had. He just watched, filing it away, and something about that quiet attention unsettled me more than any of Philip's jokes could have.

Lily replied "You sure?" "Yap!" "No headache?" "Oh, so I'm supposed to have a headache?" Jessa gaped at her, "You are something else, Lily girl!" "Then, by all means, impress me. Teach me more." She smirked back. "OK! Compelling someone is about controlling them, inside and out, body and mind, every sliver of self-control, every thought. There." Jessa pointed at two groups of men facing each other down. They looked a hair’s breadth away from breaking out in a fight. "What do you see?"

" Finally, I can get to see some emotion on his face. He looks sorry but I can tell he is still angry. Is the anger directed at me? That, I can't tell but if it is, he is doing one hell of a great job in restraining himself from busting. We talked for a while, even though we are still both very angry, we still talked out our problems and try to move on. That is how it has always been for us. Yesterday's problem has never affected our today. We have a way of sorting our problems but that is only possible because we communicate well.

The ice cream bowl slid across the table toward Leo. “Eat,” he encouraged gently. Leo stared at it. Didn’t touch it. The room seemed to freeze as if waiting for someone to make the wrong move. “You see,” the Chairman continued, finally looking at me, “this is what control looks like. There's no need for the shouts or violence to make one act. All you need is just ….inevitability.” My fingers curled into fists. “You’re a coward,” I spat. “Hiding behind children. When will you ever stop?”

But when it buzzed again she did. Unknown number. Again. She opened the message. You changed the narrative. A pause. Then another line. But not the outcome. Amelia stared at the words for a moment. Then typed back: That depends on who controls it. The reply came quickly. Control is temporary. She exhaled quietly. Then responded: So is pressure. There was a longer pause this time. Long enough to feel intentional. Then let’s remove it. Amelia’s grip tightened slightly on the phone. Not visibly.

"Yes. Use that on me." I shut my eyes tightly, cursing under my breath. One would think having a younger mate meant having more restraint and authority, but I was completely under Adeline's control. Everything about her seemed to make me doubt myself. My control, my principles. Everything was bullshit when she was close to me. I then showed her the other item—a small remote control. "With this, I can control the intensity to whatever level I feel like." Her expression changed now. There was a hint of fear, but still not enough to change her mind.