Free Web NovelChapter 373: Pemberton Productions.
Kyle drove through the neighborhood, windows down, letting the breeze cut through the car. The sun was setting, painting everything in orange and gold, and for the first time in days he felt like he could actually breathe. Things were settling. The chaos was becoming manageable. And now a trip to England was on the horizon, a chance to verify the information that had saved his life and potentially change everything for Marcello.
He was having fun, honestly. Navigating this insane world of mafia politics and harem management and billion-dollar rebates. It shouldn’t work, but somehow it did.
His phone rang, the sound cutting through the speakers connected via bluetooth. Kyle glanced at the screen on his dashboard. Isabella. The woman he’d left in charge of JPD Agency after buying it and saving it from bankruptcy.
Kyle realized it had been a while since he’d spoken to her. Weeks, maybe. But she’d been doing an extraordinary job running the place in his absence. No complaints, no emergencies, just steady professional management of something he honestly didn’t have time to micromanage.
He hit the answer button on his steering wheel.
"Isabella, how are you?"
[[Mr. Kyle! I’m well, thank you. How are you? I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.]] Her voice was warm, and professional.
"I’m in the best shape of my life, actually," Kyle said, and he meant it. Despite everything, despite the bullet wound still healing in his shoulder, despite the chaos swirling around him, he felt more alive than ever. "What’s going on? Everything okay with the agency?"
[[Oh yes, everything is running smoothly. No problems at all. Actually, quite the opposite. That’s why I’m calling.]]
Kyle’s interest perked up. "Yeah? What’s up?"
[[We’ve been receiving collaboration offers from overseas. Quite a few of them, actually. I wanted to run them by you before responding to any.]]
"Overseas?" Kyle’s eyebrows raised. Wasn’t this too soon? JPD Agency had only recently clawed its way back from bankruptcy. They’d gotten some good press from Calista’s movie performance, sure, but international attention seemed premature. "Give me details. What kind of offers are we talking about?"
[[Well...]]
Isabella said, and Kyle could hear papers rustling in the background like she was consulting notes. ƒrēewebnovel.com
[[We have a fashion house in Milan interested in using our talent for their spring campaign. A modeling agency in Paris wants to discuss cross-representation for runway shows. There’s a music label in Tokyo looking to collaborate on an East-meets-West fusion project. And there’s even a wine brewery in France that wants to partner on some kind of promotional event with celebrity endorsements.]]
Kyle whistled low. "That’s a lot of interest. Where else?"
[[Let me see... Oh, and there’s a production company in London. They’re looking to cast for a period drama series and specifically requested to see our roster.]]
Kyle’s hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. England. Of course. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect.
He chuckled, the sound genuine and a little disbelieving at how things just seemed to line up for him lately. "What’s the London company called?"
[[Pemberton Productions. They’re fairly reputable, actually. They’ve done several BBC series and a few films that got decent international distribution.]]
"Pemberton Productions," Kyle repeated, committing it to memory. "Alright, here’s what I want you to do. You handle all the other offers. Use your judgment on which ones make sense for our talent and our brand. I trust you to negotiate fair terms."
[[Thank you, Mr. Kyle. I appreciate the confidence.]]
"But the England one," Kyle continued, "the Pemberton Productions offer? I’ll handle that one personally."
There was a brief pause on the other end.
[[You’ll handle it personally? May I ask why?]]
"I’ve got business in London anyway," Kyle said smoothly. "Figure I might as well kill two birds with one stone. Set up the meeting for next week sometime. I’ll let you know my exact schedule once I confirm my flight."
[[Of course. I’ll coordinate with them and send you all the relevant materials.]] Isabella sounded pleased, professional.
[[Is there anything specific you’d like me to prioritize with the other offers?]]
Kyle thought for a moment, navigating a turn while keeping one hand on the wheel. "Yeah. The Tokyo music label thing sounds interesting. Might be good exposure for some of our younger talent. And the Milan fashion house could be solid for building the brand internationally. Just make sure the terms are favorable and we’re not giving away too much for the opportunity."
[[Understood. I’ll draft proposals and send them your way for final approval before signing anything.]]
"Perfect. You’re doing great work, Isabella. Seriously."
[[Thank you, Mr. Kyle. That means a lot.]]
There was genuine warmth in her voice now.
[[Oh, one more thing before I let you go. Calista’s been getting quite a bit of attention after the movie release. Several offers have come in specifically requesting her. Should I be coordinating those through you as well, given your... personal relationship?]]
Kyle couldn’t help but smirk. Isabella was diplomatic as hell. "Personal relationship" was certainly one way to describe it.
"Nah, handle those like you would any other client. Calista’s career is hers to manage. I’m just providing the platform. Though obviously run anything major by me if it seems weird or potentially problematic."
[[Will do. And Mr. Kyle? About the London trip. If you need any support while you’re there, recommendations for accommodations or transportation or anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask. I have some contacts in the city.]]
"I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks, Isabella."
[[Have a wonderful evening, Mr. Kyle.]]
"You too."
Kyle ended the call, his mind already spinning with possibilities.
England. Pemberton Productions. A legitimate business reason to be in London, which would provide perfect cover for his actual mission of tracking down Angelica Vescari. No one would question why he was there. No one would think twice about a rising entertainment mogul taking meetings with production companies overseas.
The universe really did keep bending in his favor.
He pulled up to a red light, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. Jane’s place was still a few blocks away. He’d tell her about the trip, about bringing her and Cassandra and hopefully Ella along. Make it a vacation, a chance to decompress from all the insanity.
But first he needed to figure out where the hell Ella was and why she still wasn’t responding to messages.
The light turned green. Kyle accelerated, pushing the unease about Ella to the back of his mind for now.
One problem at a time.
England was coming together. The business side was falling into place. Now he just needed to handle the personal side.
And find Marcello’s daughter before everything he’d built came crashing down.
