Page 42 of Interview with the Billionaire

Transcript: Stark-3

Day 2, Session 2, 1:00 pm

Audio Transcription by All Access Enterprises

Annotations added by client: Spicer, Magdalena

Location: Stark Home, Malibu, CA, 1st floor living area

Subject(s): Damien Stark, Nichole Fairchild Stark (Nikki)

Interview conducted by Maggie Bridge

Begin Interview

[They sit together on the sofa on the first floor, their fingers twined, their eyes on me. They have spoken with Bree. I am certain of it. And it is her they believe.]

Bridge: As I said, today will be mostly about your business ventures.

Damien: We’ll see how it goes. This may be a much faster interview than any of us anticipated.

[I glance at Nikki. She says nothing.]

Bridge: Alright. Let’s get started. As I was saying, I wanted to focus more on business relations. We’ve done family, friends, now professional.

[They do not return my smile.]

Bridge: I’d like to start with a basic question. What are you working for, Damien? What goal? What’s your endgame?

Damien: Endgame?

[He looks at me as if I was nuts.]

Damien: The endgame is creation and exploration. Scientific. Geographic. Mental. Philosophical. Any way that a human mind can examine and explore a place or an idea or a theory. Stark International isn’t about the money, though one of the main goals is certainly profit. On the contrary, that goal of creating—new tech, new art, new buildings—that’s the force. The money is a byproduct, and, thankfully a useful one.

Bridge: How so?

Damien: Reinvestment, for one. Comfort, for another. I’m not ashamed of the property I own, the toys I have. Also, a significant portion of the income I earn from Stark International goes directly into the Stark Education Foundation and the Stark Children’s Foundation. Not to mention a number of other charities. There is no end game, Maggie. No trophy at the end. There’s just the game.

Bridge: A game. exactly.

[He pinches the bridge of his nose as if I’m merely the lead-in to a headache.]

Damien: Tell you what. Let’s move on to more tangible concepts.

Bridge: Actually, let’s start with the foundations. What was the impetus for creating them?

Damien: I think you know. I assume you’re aware that the mission of the SCF is to help abused, neglected, and other kids in need?

Bridge: And that was a personal cause for you.

Damien: You’re not back-dooring me into this conversation.

Bridge: You’re the one who—

Damien: Lena.

[I take a step back. He’s clearly in a pissy mood.]