Chapter 75: Inside the Headquarters

The gates opened, and Damon walked inside with Thomas.

The entrance led toward a spacious lobby, where sunlight poured through tall windows and reflected off the polished stone floor.

The reception desk stood near the center, with elevators and a broad staircase farther inside. Several workers were still arranging furniture, while other sections of the building remained empty.

Damon glanced around with satisfaction.

Three billion dollars had bought him plenty of space. He intended to use it.

The reception area would welcome visitors.

The interview rooms would let Isabella meet prospective recruits privately. The larger rooms upstairs could be equipped for photography, training, and other activities the agency would offer.

More importantly, the building would give him somewhere to meet the women who caught his attention without depending on random encounters outside.

He had spent enough of his previous life taking whatever pleasure he could find. In this life, he intended to make pleasure far easier to obtain.

And if he could build an entire operation around that desire while making a fortune along the way, why shouldn’t he?

"Is everyone here?" Damon asked.

"Yes, sir. Miss Reed and the three new employees are waiting upstairs."

"Then let’s meet them."

Thomas led him to the elevator. A moment later, they arrived on the second floor, where Isabella was waiting outside a conference room.

"Good morning, Mr. Thorne."

"Morning. How’s everything going?"

"The initial arrangements are underway. The staff have been briefed, and I’ve prepared an outline of what we need to do before recruitment begins."

"Good. Let’s see it."

She opened the conference room door.

Three people stood when Damon entered. The first was a woman in her early forties with neatly styled hair and a composed expression.

The other two were young women, both around twenty, dressed professionally despite their youthful appearances.

"Mr. Thorne, this is Margaret Hayes, our lawyer. Sophie Bennett and Chloe Morgan will handle administrative work."

Margaret offered her hand. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thorne."

Damon shook it before turning to the others.

"Sophie. Chloe. Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, sir," Sophie replied.

Chloe nodded. "We’re looking forward to working here."

"Good. Sit down."

Everyone took their seats, and Isabella placed her folder on the table.

"Margaret has started reviewing the legal requirements. Sophie and Chloe will help organize the records, schedules, and recruitment correspondence. Once we finalize the first group of contracts, we can begin contacting potential recruits."

Damon leaned back.

"How soon can we start bringing women in?"

Isabella met his gaze. "We can begin contacting candidates within a few days. The first interviews could follow shortly afterward, provided we settle the initial arrangements."

"Then don’t drag it out."

Damon had no interest in spending weeks preparing for something that should already be moving. The sooner recruitment began, the sooner attractive women would start coming through those doors.

He wanted the chance to meet them, learn their personalities, and pursue the ones who genuinely caught his interest.

"Before recruitment begins, we need to finalize the agreements," Margaret said, opening her folder.

"We’ll require employment contracts, representation agreements for talent, training terms, and clear arrangements for compensation. The exact documents will depend on the position and services offered."

"How long?"

"I can prepare the initial versions quickly. Some agreements will need more consideration, particularly where the agency invests in training or professional development."

"Fine. Make them practical. I don’t want paperwork becoming an excuse for delays."

Margaret nodded. "I’ll keep them straightforward. We should also distinguish between employees and represented talent. They won’t all have the same obligations or compensation arrangements."

"Do that."

Margaret outlined the remaining documents she would prepare and the information the staff would need to keep on file. Damon listened long enough to confirm that the arrangements wouldn’t slow recruitment unnecessarily.

"One other matter," She said. "We should establish standard procedures for interviews and recruitment."

"That sounds useful," Damon replied. "Just don’t turn every interview into an interrogation. I want to meet people, not watch everyone fill out forms for an hour."

Isabella smiled faintly. "We can keep the process efficient. Initial interviews will establish what candidates can offer and what they want from the agency. We can arrange further discussions when necessary."

"And I want to know when someone particularly interesting comes along."

"I’ll make sure you’re informed about significant candidates."

Damon looked at her.

She already understood what he meant. He had been direct with her during the interview, and neither of them had any reason to pretend otherwise now.

"Good. I’m not handing you the entire operation so I can spend every day buried in reports. Run the business, recruit people, and make it grow. But if a woman catches my attention, I expect to hear about her."

"Understood."

His gaze moved briefly toward Sophie and Chloe. Both were listening attentively, though neither seemed particularly eager to join the conversation.

"Your job is to help the agency run smoothly," he told them.

"Schedules, correspondence, records, whatever Isabella needs. If something is holding up the work, bring it to her attention instead of letting it sit on a desk."

"Yes, sir," Sophie said.

"Understood," Chloe added.

Damon turned back to Isabella. "As for the recruitment itself, I don’t want you limiting the search to women who already have successful careers. Find people with potential. Women who are attractive, capable, and ambitious, even if they haven’t had the chance to prove themselves yet."

"That will be part of the initial search," Isabella replied.

"We’ll consider aspiring models, fashion students, graduates, and women interested in presentation or hospitality. Their experience will differ, so we’ll need to match them with suitable opportunities."

"Exactly. Give them a reason to choose us."

"Let’s look around," he said, standing. "I want to know what we can start using immediately."

Isabella gathered her folder and led the group out of the conference room.

They inspected the reception area first, then moved through several offices and interview rooms. Some already contained desks and chairs; others were still waiting for furniture and equipment.

The photography room was spacious enough for several different setups, while the training rooms could accommodate group sessions once they were furnished.

"This room can serve as our initial interview space," Isabella explained.

"The larger one upstairs would be better for photography. We can arrange the equipment according to the types of shoots we intend to offer."

"Start with what we need to begin recruiting. We can improve the rest as we go."

"That was my plan."

Damon stopped at a doorway overlooking the main floor.

Soon, the empty reception area would be filled with applicants arriving for interviews, training, and professional opportunities. He looked forward to seeing the agency come alive—and to meeting the women who would walk through its doors.

"Is there anything else you need from me?" he asked Isabella.

"For now, approval to proceed with the first recruitment phase and the initial budget for equipment and furnishings."

"Approved. Discuss the numbers with Thomas and get what you need. Don’t waste money, but don’t cheap out either."

"I’ll take care of it."

"Margaret, get the contracts ready. Sophie, Chloe, help Isabella organize the recruitment schedule and candidate records. I want this place moving."

The three employees acknowledged him, and Isabella was already discussing the next steps with them.

Damon left the details in their hands. He had hired competent people because he wanted results, not because he enjoyed supervising every small task.

At the elevator, Thomas waited beside him.

The elevator doors opened.

Damon stepped inside, a faint smile touching his lips as he thought about what lay ahead.

The building was ready. The people were in place. Soon, the agency would begin bringing in the women he had created it to attract.