Summertime Smiles.

2.

Nathan was sitting peacefully in his office when he suddenly got a call from his father.

"Yes?" He replied.

"You've to come home today." Robert said.

"And why?" Nathan said rudely.

"One of my old friend is coming with his family for dinner." Robert spoke.

"And what does it have to do with me? I have to work on a new case." Nathan said. He was about to end the call but the next words of Robert stopped him from doing so.

"I'll cancel your case if you don't come." Robert ended the call.

Nathan banged his hand on the table and rubbed his forehead in rage.

"Controlling freak." He whispered.

He kept his head on the table for a while and then looked up at his phone again.

Nathan's eyes narrowed as he stared at his phone, his mind racing with frustration. Why did his father always have to control every aspect of his life? He was a grown man, a successful lawyer, but Robert Richards still treated him like a puppet on strings.

He thought back to all the times his father had dictated his choices, from what school he attended to what cases he took on. Nathan had always felt suffocated, like he was living his father's dream instead of his own.

He stood up, pacing around his office, trying to calm down. But the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He hated being manipulated, hated being treated like a child.

"Why can't he just leave me alone?" Nathan muttered to himself.

He stopped pacing and looked out the window, his eyes gazing out at the city skyline. He felt trapped, like he was stuck in a life he didn't want.

The dinner with his father's old friend and his family was probably just another attempt to marry him off to some suitable woman, Nathan thought bitterly. His father had always wanted him to settle down, to take over the family business, but Nathan had other plans.

He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the frustration. He knew he had to play along, for now. But he vowed to himself that he would find a way to break free from his father's control, to forge his own path in life.
.
.
.

Nathan, still seething from his father's phone call, walked through the office hallways, his presence commanding attention. He was the boss, and everyone knew it.

As he turned a corner, he spotted a group of employees chatting and laughing. His eyes narrowed, and he quickened his pace.

"What's going on here?" Nathan demanded, his voice cold and authoritative.

The employees scattered, except for one trainee, who stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

"This isn't a social hour," Nathan snapped, his eyes boring into the trainee. "You're here to work, not make friends. Get back to your desk."

The trainee nodded hastily and scurried away.

Just then, Banjamin, Nathan's friend, appeared at his side. "Hey, man, what's going on?" Benjamin asked, noticing Nathan's tense expression.

Nathan shook his head, still fuming. "Just dealing with incompetence. People around here don't take their jobs seriously."

Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "Maybe you should try leading by example, instead of intimidation."

Nathan's gaze turned icy. "I don't need advice from you, Benjamin. I know what I'm doing."

Benjamin held up his hands. "Okay, okay. But you might want to take a deep breath, calm down. You're starting to scare people."