Chapter 1506
In the afternoon, after Kevin and Laura left for school, Daisy drove over to the county dance troupe's compound. The troupe had been struggling financially for years, with employees receiving only a basic salary of a few hundred dollars. Extra pay came only with gigs, which were few and far between. Consequently, many staff members had picked up second jobs and rarely showed up at the troupe, and management didn't enforce attendance. The place was usually deserted, with just a guard at the gate.
Daisy walked into the main office building and found the hallways eerily quiet, all the office doors locked. She couldn't help but reminisce about the good old days when she was part of the troupe. Back then, the young performers lived in the staff dorms, and the place was always buzzing with activity. Performances were back-to-back, and they often had to bring in extra people from outside. Working at the troupe was prestigious and well-paying. But in just a few years, the place had become desolate. Times had changed too quickly, leaving many behind.
She went up to the second floor and noticed one office door slightly ajar, with some noise coming from inside. She pushed the door open and found a young man engrossed in watching something on his computer. To her shock, it was a pornographic video featuring a white woman and a tall black man. The young man was so absorbed that he didn't notice Daisy at first, his hand fumbling in his pants.
Daisy let out an involuntary gasp. She couldn't believe someone would be so brazen as to watch adult films in the office in broad daylight.
The young man turned around, saw Daisy, and hurriedly shut off the computer and zipped up his pants, his face turning beet red. "Daisy, what brings you here?" he stammered.
Daisy frowned, initially wanting to scold him harshly. But seeing how terrified he looked, she softened her tone. "Don't do stuff like that in the office. What if the boss catches you? By the way, is Mr. Watson in?"
The leader of the county dance troupe was Darren Watson. The old director had been on medical leave for a while, so Darren was handling the day-to-day operations.
"He was here this morning, but I haven't seen him this afternoon," the young man replied, sneaking glances at Daisy. She was dressed in a fitted khaki trench coat over a beige wool sweater, her figure curvaceous and her demeanor elegant. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled with intelligence, making her a rare beauty even among the many attractive women in the troupe. The young man couldn't help but admire her, especially since she was the kind of mature, sophisticated woman that men like him found irresistible.
Unfortunately, Daisy didn't come to the troupe often, and many of the newer members didn't even know who she was.
"Alright, I'll give him a call," Daisy said, nodding. She stepped out of the office and called Darren, telling him she wanted to tidy up her office. Darren said he'd be there shortly and asked her to wait.
Daisy returned to the office and waited for a bit. Soon, a portly middle-aged man walked in, smiling. "Daisy, sorry for the wait. I was out for a bit. What brings you here to clean up the office? Having a spat with Mr. Jones? You two have been together for so long; what could you possibly argue about?"
This middle-aged man was Darren. Though not a professional performer, he was witty and skilled in management. He had kept the troupe running smoothly and had been actively seeking business opportunities. Without Darren, the troupe might have shut down long ago.
"Mr. Watson, I'm the deputy director of the troupe. I can't just skip work every day," Daisy said with a smile. "I want to contribute to the troupe too."
"Great to have you back," Darren said, his eyes briefly lingering on Daisy's chest. "I remember when you performed here. Whenever you were on stage, tickets sold out in an instant. The whole county would come to see you. Those were some unforgettable times. It's a shame I haven't been able to keep the troupe in better shape."
"It's not your fault, Mr. Watson," Daisy said with a sigh. "Other troupes are struggling too; many have closed or gone on hiatus. It's impressive that we've held on this long. But we need to find a solution. We can't go on like this."
"Exactly, I've been thinking the same," Darren said. "The little funding we get from the government isn't enough. I've been to the county office several times to ask for more, but I can't even get a meeting with the County Executive. A manager in his office just brushed me off. We're like beggars now, and no one cares."
"We can't blame them entirely," Daisy said. "The County Executive has a lot on his plate, with many departments needing funds. We need to come up with our own solutions. If worse comes to worst, we might have to consider restructuring."
The troupe had plenty of resources, including people and facilities. If they restructured and became a business, things might improve.
"Don't even mention restructuring," Darren's face darkened. "Last time I brought it up at a meeting, some retired officials reported me to the county, accusing me of corruption and selling off state assets. I can't afford to take that blame."
"Maybe we should talk to the County Treasury Office," Daisy suggested. "Willow is still our union chairwoman, and her husband is the County Treasurer. They can't just ignore us."
"I've asked Willow, but she doesn't care about the troupe," Darren said helplessly. "I heard she's running a big beauty salon in the city with someone else, making hundreds of thousands a year. The troupe's salary is nothing to her."
"Good to have you back," Darren said, his eyes briefly lingering on Daisy's chest. "I remember when you performed here. Whenever you hit the stage, tickets sold out immediately. The whole county came to see you. Those were golden days. It's a pity I haven't been able to keep the troupe in better shape."
"It's not your fault, Mr. Watson," Daisy sighed. "Other troupes are struggling too; many have shut down or paused operations. It's impressive we've held out this long. But we need to find a solution. We can't keep going like this."
"Exactly, I've been thinking the same," Darren said. "The pittance we get from the government isn't enough. I've been to the county office multiple times to ask for more, but I can't even get a meeting with the County Executive. I was brushed off by some office manager. We're practically begging, and no one cares."
"We can't put all the blame on them," Daisy said. "The County Executive has a lot on his plate, lots of departments are vying for funds. We need to come up with our own solutions. If worst comes to worst, we might have to consider restructuring."
The troupe had ample resources, including people and facilities. Restructuring and becoming a business might be the way to go.
"Don't even mention restructuring," Darren's face darkened. "Last time I brought that up in a meeting, some retired officials reported me to the county, accusing me of corruption and selling off state assets. I can't deal with that."
"Maybe we should approach the County Treasury Office," Daisy suggested. "Willow is still our union chairwoman, and her husband is the County Treasurer. They can't just write us off."
"I've already asked Willow, but she doesn't care about the troupe," Darren said helplessly. "I heard she's running a big beauty salon in the city with someone else, making a mint. The troupe's salary means nothing to her."
"Mr. Watson, you can continue with your work. I'll handle the rest myself," Daisy said, subtly hinting for him to leave. She had been a recluse for years and wasn't comfortable being alone with other men.
"Alright, Daisy. If you need anything, just let me know," Darren said, leaving the office with a smile. He cursed himself for being so eager to please her, knowing it was futile. Men often longed for what they couldn't have.
After Darren left, Daisy meticulously cleaned the office, then went to the store to buy various items: new sofa cushions, a humidifier, cups, pillows, towels, tissues, and even a box of condoms, which she placed in her desk drawer. She put more effort into this than she did her own bedroom, as this office was her and Kevin's private space.
There was a knock on the door. Daisy opened it to find a young man from earlier, carrying two bags and panting. "Daisy, Mr. Watson asked me to bring these," he said.
Daisy looked inside and found some nicely packaged coffee beans and snacks. Darren certainly knew how to win people over. Seeing the young man sweating, she smiled and said, "Thank you. By the way, I didn't catch your name."
"Daisy, I'm Fred Bennett," the young man said nervously, unable to stop himself from glancing at Daisy. Her fitted trench coat accentuated her curvy figure, her breasts standing firm and proud, her waist slender, and her legs long and straight. Her features were delicate, exuding a mature woman's charm mixed with a touch of authority, making it hard for anyone to have improper thoughts.
"Nice to meet you, Fred," Daisy said warmly. "I appreciate your help. If you need anything, feel free to ask."
Fred nodded, still a bit flustered. "Sure thing, Daisy. If you need anything else, just let me know."
"Will do," Daisy replied, giving him a reassuring smile. As Fred left, she couldn't help but chuckle at his nervousness. She turned back to her office, feeling a sense of satisfaction as she continued setting up her space.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
