As the meeting came to an end, I followed Chris and Thalia out to the exit of the building. I sensed Thalia's displeasure about the meeting. Her stern expression hadn't softened, and she remained quiet, her eyes flicking over everything with sharp scrutiny. Chris, on the other hand, exuded the confidence and charm of an ultimate CEO. He believed in my every word strangely, and his faith was evident in his demeanor.
"Thank you both for coming," I said, shaking their hands once more. "We're excited about this partnership."
Chris smiled, that million-dollar smile still firmly in place. "We're looking forward to seeing what you can do. You've got quite a bold vision, and I admire that."
Thalia finally spoke, her tone still cool. "We'll be in touch. Remember, we're expecting results. Also, send over the contract as soon as possible so we can wire the money after everything is in order."
"Of course," I replied politely. "We'll have the contract over to you by the end of the day. Thank you again for your time. Goodbye."
Chris nodded appreciatively. "Goodbye, Dio. We're looking forward to working with you."
Thalia gave a curt nod. "Goodbye."
As they left, I watched them go, feeling the weight of the negotiation lift off my shoulders.
As the door closed behind Chris and Thalia, Mr. Johan turned to me with a wide grin. "Well done, Dio. That was impressive. You handled the pressure like a pro."
I finally allowed myself to exhale, feeling the tension of the meeting dissipate. "Thanks, Mr. Johan. It feels good to have that behind us."
Onio, always one to find the lighter side of things, chuckled. "I thought that was fun. Let's do it again sometime."
I sighed, a smile tugging at my lips. The sense of accomplishment was soothing.
"Oh, by the way," Onio continued, "you'll receive a call from my good friend Tobi soon about the recruitment process. He's the one I mentioned earlier. Expect to hear from him any time now."
I sighed again, the weight of the day pressing down on me. I glanced around for Mr. Johan, but he had vanished, leaving me to deal with everything on my own.
Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself that this was just another challenge to overcome. The journey ahead was not gonna be easy, but I felt a renewed sense of determination. I could handle this. I had to.
As I returned to the office to look over the contract, a few minutes went by before Lars knocked and walked in, wearing the suit we bought a few days ago. I couldn't help but compliment him.
"Damn, bro, you look like a million bucks," I said, grinning.
Lars smirked, adjusting his tie. "Only the best for our new venture. How did the meeting go?"
I replied with a grin, "Like planned. Now, I've written these pitches for you to practice. Tomorrow, it'll be just the two of us. I have to do interviews, so I'll be running around all day, but I expect you to practice this so you can know all about the product we're going to sell."
Lars took the papers and nodded, his expression serious. "Got it, Dio. I'll make sure I'm ready."
I handed him my company card, "Stay here as long as you need, and order yourself some food. Get yourself a hotel too. I know it's rough at home, and I need you at peak performance."
Lars's eyes shone as he received the black company card. "Thank you, Dio. I won't let you down, bro."
Then my phone started to buzz, an unknown number flashing on the screen. Lars noticed and, closing the door on his way out, left me alone to my task at hand. In my inner dialogue, I thought, I can't do this anymore. I need an assistant. I then picked up the phone, steeling myself for another negotiation.
"Hello?"
"Hey, is this Dio?" came a rough, unpolished voice on the other end.
"Yeah, who's this?"
"Tobi here. Onio's buddy. He told me you need some help with recruitment."
"Right," I said, feeling a mix of relief and exhaustion. "We need four sales consultants ASAP. I'll pay you a premium per person hired, and if you can get me enough people for the interview tomorrow, that'd be even better."
"Premium, huh?" Tobi's tone perked up with a hint of greed. "What are we talking here?"
"Just get me them hungry, young, and stupid," I replied bluntly. "I don't care about their background, as long as they're fluent in Norwegian. For every person hired who stays over a month, you get 20,000 krone. Plus, a 10,000 krone bonus if they meet their budget. Do we have a deal?"
Tobi chuckled. "Now we're talking. Deal. I'll have a lineup ready for you. Anything else?"
"Yeah, one more thing," I added, thinking of the growing pile of tasks. "I also need an assistant."
"An assistant too? You're keeping me busy, Dio. But no worries, I got you covered. I'll find someone who fits the bill."
"Thanks, Tobi. I appreciate it."
"No worries, Dio. We'll get your team together. I'll be by your office at 9 AM tomorrow with the candidates."
"Sounds good. See you then."
I hung up the phone, feeling a bit lighter. Help was on the way, and I just had to keep pushing forward.
I kept working, placing orders for monitors, headphones with mics, and an IT system CRM for cold calling. The hours slipped by, and before I knew it, the clock showed midnight. With a weary sigh, I grabbed my jacket and bag, then called for a taxi.
Standing outside, the cool night air helped clear my head as I waited for the taxi. The silence of the night was a stark contrast to the chaos and noise of the day. Finally, the taxi pulled up, its engine rumbling softly. I climbed in, giving the driver my destination as I settled into the back seat. The taxi drove off into the night, the city lights blurring as fatigue began to catch up with me.
Dio Stat's Info:
Lvl: 11
Skill Count: 2 (Key selling point analyze)(Analyze)
Strength:32
Agility:22
Intelligence:13
Endurance:21
Charm:23
Dio influence, power & riches:
Money - 6.4millions krone.
Associate - 1: Mr. Johan 2: Mr. Big Dalen 3:Oni 4:Jaken 5:Chris
Asset - 0
Digital Asset - 250 BTC
Goons - 10
Car - 0
Guard - 0
Employers - 1
Company - 1