Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 426

"Keep it strictly business," Mira replied without hesitation.

If he was useful, keep him. If not, reject him like any other stranger.

Mira had originally assumed Damon would open his own independent studio after leaving Mercer Vision.

But his application to Solflare Entertainment made sense—Adrian was likely using his connections to blacklist him, forcing Damon to seek shelter under a heavier roof.

As long as he brought in revenue for Solflare, letting him stay was fine.

He had major star power. If Solflare rejected him, another powerhouse agency would snap him up in a heartbeat.

Solflare Entertainment was currently the undisputed titan of the domestic entertainment industry. Among the sea of agencies, Solflare boasted the most projects and the highest profit margins.

Getting signed by Solflare was the ultimate dream for every working artist. Because of their dominance, their hiring standards were notoriously brutal, and average talents never stood a chance.

But Damon easily met the criteria.

...

Mira hadn't expected to return to Aethelgard this quickly. She thought she wouldn't be back until university started in September.

But this trip was strictly business—she had no time for social calls until her exams were finished.

On the first day, the moment the exams wrapped up, Mira headed straight to her tech company.

After two months of relentless development, both their mobile operating system and their online games had made massive leaps forward.

Their flagship farming game had achieved a breakthrough. The core framework was complete, and they might even launch the closed beta test before her college entrance exams.

"Keep up the great work. Once the game launches, you're all getting a massive bonus," Mira promised her team.

"We'll hold you to that, Boss! We can't wait!"

Mira absolutely loved the vibrant, crackling energy of these young developers.

That evening, Mira carved out some time to visit Owen. When she arrived, she noticed he had company.

"Owen, I didn't realize you had a guest."

"You don't recognize him?"

Mira finally turned her attention to the man. He looked to be around Owen's age, with a tall, imposing posture. Dressed in sharp black casual wear, he emanated an effortless authority.

The slight lift of his brows suggested a man used to giving orders, and his deep, profound eyes were like frozen stars—sharp, predatory, and seemingly capable of seeing straight through a person's soul.

There was another man standing beside him. She hadn't paid him much attention earlier, assuming he was one of Owen's subordinates. But upon closer inspection, it was obvious the man was a bodyguard.

Judging by his stance and disciplined movements, he was highly lethal.

If Mira's intuition was right, this man was the elusive head of that massive syndicate.

"Owen told me there was no way you'd work for us," Mira added quickly.

"So, you decided lying to me was the best approach?"

Dominic West stared her down, refusing to miss a single micro-expression on her face.

"No, I seriously forgot."

It was the perfect, bulletproof excuse, even if they clearly didn't believe a word of it.

"I'm curious. How much were you planning to pay to hire me?"

Dominic asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"A million-dollar base salary plus performance bonuses. Does that work for you?"

He pretended to think it over for a second and nodded. "That's quite generous. If I exceed expectations, is there room for a raise?"

Mira nodded seriously. "Absolutely."

Dominic turned to Owen. "Man, I'm seriously tempted to quit my job and work for you guys."

"Give it a rest, Dominic West. Even if you wanted the job, we wouldn't dare hire you."