Chapter 69: Let’s Talk About The Future.
Kyle returned to the hospital room, but by the time he arrived, Cleopatra was nowhere to be seen. She had already left, though, perhaps that was for the best in the long run. There was no need to stay there much longer; Kyle had a task at hand. He needed to make some inquiries about Ella’s potential music career. Thankfully, she had already sent him a demo she had on her phone. That was a smart move on her part, considering she never knew who she would meet or what she should wear, and now he had a chance to listen to it.
Kyle wanted to hear it with Isabella, though, so they could both make an accurate assessment. He needed a neutral party to give her honest feedback on whether the music appealed to her or not. It was important that they both understood her sound from a broader perspective.
While Kyle knew he could have called Isabella, he wanted to see how they were when he came in unannounced. He wanted to catch her off guard, to gauge the environment firsthand. He arrived at the agency soon enough but was surprised by what he saw. There was a line of people waiting to enter, and it was clear to Kyle that the news of Calista’s affiliation with the agency had sparked interest from other upcoming talents hoping for their big break.
Kyle chuckled to himself. He knew that he was about to make a lot of money, but that money wouldn’t be going into his bank account directly. Instead, it would be reinvested into the expansion of the talent agency, helping it grow and solidify its place in the industry.
As he made his way to Isabella’s office, Kyle received a few confused glances from the ladies around. He noticed that there were no men in sight, which struck him as odd. He was aware that this wasn’t a women-only agency, so why was there only a female clientele today? Was Isabella perhaps only entertaining female clients at the moment? This seemed like a limitation, one that would restrict the agency’s pool of talent. If Kyle’s vision was going to come to life, he needed to broaden the talent search as much as possible.
But then again, Kyle realized he needed to be patient. It had been less than a week since he had put his new system into action, and already, he had accomplished so much. He could have been content with the progress, but Kyle knew it was essential to stay under the radar for now. Mike was a perfect example of how things could spiral out of control if unwanted attention was attracted too quickly.
Just thinking about Mike made him wary. If instead of Mike, he had government officials or even worse, assassins, tailing him, things could quickly turn dangerous. He couldn’t afford to make enemies in the wrong places. Money didn’t guarantee safety, but the right connections could.
To make those connections, Kyle needed to navigate carefully. He was already one foot into the world of Distort, and now, he needed to sink his teeth into the industry and understand its inner workings. Thankfully, his skills allowed him to quickly comprehend the structure of almost any system with just a glance. This wouldn’t be too much of a hassle for him.
Kyle knew he needed to set up a meeting for a future partnership. He had the means to sponsor productions, and this would help bring the agency into the limelight, ensuring that the transition from small-time talent scout to powerhouse agency would be seamless. However, despite feeling the pull, Kyle resisted the urge to jump into anything prematurely. Now wasn’t the time to take that big risk.
"Oh my! Mr. Kyle, I wasn’t expecting you," Isabella exclaimed as he walked into her office. She looked visibly tired from the workload, and the AC in the room wasn’t enough to cool the stuffiness in the air. Kyle could tell she had been pushing herself hard.
She was sweating slightly, and in an attempt to cool down, she unbuttoned her shirt a few steps. Kyle noticed this detail, but instead of commenting, he smiled in understanding. He could tell she was doing her best to stay afloat.
Isabella hadn’t yet hired enough staff to fill the necessary positions. She was trying to save costs and record a profit as quickly as possible, but that was beginning to seem impossible with her current resources.
"Isabella, I would have said you looked well, but I would be lying," Kyle teased lightly, his voice filled with playful sarcasm. Isabella chuckled in response, clearly surprised by his directness.
"I was right to trust you," Kyle continued, his voice filled with confidence. "You’ve done exceptionally well. But I want you to hire everyone you need. Don’t hold back. We’re going to be number one soon enough." His words were filled with certainty.
Isabella felt a rush of gratitude toward Kyle. She felt as though the gods had sent him to her, dropping him into her lap with all the resources needed to push her vision forward.
While Isabella was planning to eventually buy back the agency from Kyle, she feared that might be impossible at this rate. The agency’s stock had already risen by 5% in just a few days, and that was impressive. This was just the beginning, and the future looked promising.
"Everyone? Are you sure about that?" Isabella asked, her voice filled with a mix of concern and ambition. "I don’t mind taking on more responsibility if it would help out." She meant every word, but deep down, she knew it wouldn’t be sustainable in the long run without hiring the right staff to share the load.
"That’s fine," Kyle replied, assuring her with a calm nod. "Anything you want, but that’s not why I’m here today." He paused for a moment, his eyes following a bead of sweat that trickled down her cleavage. He refocused quickly, clearing his throat.
"I want to know, do we have a department for musical talents?" Kyle asked, his voice becoming more serious. Isabella was momentarily confused. It seemed like a random question, but she quickly understood its importance.
"We had one," Isabella said after a pause, "but we had to shut it down. It wasn’t doing well, and we were barely staying afloat."
"I see," Kyle responded thoughtfully. "I want you to reopen it. We won’t just focus on movies, but also on the music industry."
Isabella hesitated. She feared they might be moving too quickly, but at the same time, she could see the logic in Kyle’s plan. She decided to give it a trial run for a month and assess the results before making any final decisions.
"Is that all, sir?" Isabella asked politely. She was careful not to challenge Kyle’s authority, knowing that he was the one in charge. She had learned quickly that it was best to go along with his vision.
Kyle took out his phone after a few minutes, placing it on the transparent table between them. The moment he pressed play, a song began to play. This was his first time hearing it, and he hoped for Ella’s sake that it was good.
"Listen to it," Kyle said, his voice steady. "I need your honest opinion."
Isabella nodded, giving him her full attention. "Alright, sir," she replied, her gaze locked on the screen.
As the song played, Kyle had only one thought on his mind: Ella, do not disappoint me.
