The expense statement from the Madame M Boutique startled Tom. He knew that Daisy wasn't the kind of woman to splurge on her. A part of him wondered if it was because she didn't have money to spend. Would she treat him as an opportunity to indulge in expenses she couldn't otherwise afford? Was Tom foolish in telling his associate businesses to not charge her for anything. It was an acceptable norm among him and his friends to not charge each other's closest relations for any service. Tom never had any close relation to ask for exemptions till he found Daisy. The doubt that lingered forced him to ask for the list of items that Daisy had bought at the boutique.
Just three.
The third item shocked him. A wedding gown.
One of the things that had formed a basis for their friendship was their mutual loneliness. Tom had felt it in how her eyes looked at him, like she couldn't believe that there was someone to eat with her, stand with her, drive with her, talk with her, sleep with her, wake up with her. But if there was someone then that basis floundered. Tom couldn't let the tear trickle pass his eyes. He took out his phone and typed in a short message.
Congratulations.
That concluded things for him. But Tom knew that this calm wouldn't last. He would think about all the moments they spent together, the whole 48 hours of it and he would blame her for leading him on when all she did was sought comfort from a man who promised to be her friend. Tom wasn't looking for a friend. He was looking for someone to sympathise with in the loneliness. Daisy wasn't that woman after all. He had to block her before he accused her of something she didn't do. And that is exactly what he did.
....
Morning did not treat Daisy fairly. She woke up with a headache. Crying till the wee morning hours does that to you. Daisy tried to remember where she was before she remembered staying in with Stella. She looked around and the blond petite girl was no where to be found. She got up to go search for her but was distracted by the call of nature. When she was finally dressed she heard Stella's voice coming from the other room.
"I have no idea Mr. Osborne. I can assure you that I had nothing to do with this.
"Yes I know it doesn't look right.
"You can't blame her for it. You were the one who took her off the project"
That got Daisy's attention. Was Mr. Osborne discussing her with Stella?
"I am sorry sir but I am not authorized to do that and I refuse to do that. It is highly uncalled for."
Then Stella turned around and seemed to be shocked to see Daisy standing there with apprehension and fear written all over her face.
"If you wish she is right here with me. I can get her on the line for you. Yes sir." So saying Stella handed over her phone to Daisy.
"Hello" she said tentatively.
"This is Osborne here. Do you know that Melinda International cancelled on us? I am sorry but I shall have to fire you to maintain credibility." He concluded.
Daisy gaped at the phone. Was she being made a scapegoat? "But my notice period is of two weeks. You cannot fire me without notice." she remembered.
"I can do whatever I like. But I know you had been removed from the account when it cancelled. The company shall provide you one months salary as compensation but you cease to work from today onward." Mr. Osborne's voice commanded. Daisy slumped down on the nearest chair in defeat. She returned the phone to Stella and confessed to her, "There is no point in going on the date today. I already lost the job that I was trying to save."
"Do you think Ramon might help you regain it?" Stella asked.
"He is not a benevolent person." Daisy reflected. "The most he would do is pay for the food."
"So what now?" Stella asked.
"I have no idea." Daisy concluded.
After a few minutes it was Stella that spoke. "I have to got to work though"
"Of course you do. I am dressed. So I will be out of your hair any moment you wish to leave." Daisy said.
Stella smiled at her sympathetically. "Do you want to try calling Tom from my phone?" she offered.
Daisy shook her head. "What's the point?"
"But you could ask him what he was congratulating you on." Stella pointed.
"And give him my sob story and beg me to take me back...Heck we weren't even a real couple" Daisy cursed.
"Okay... as you deem fit. I can't take your decisions for you but you have to think what to do next."
Daisy knew very well that she had to take action now. She had been complacent in her job for too long. She had been complacent for too long, period.
It turned out that she too had to go to office to return the phone and the laptop that were given to her when she joined the company. When she took them to the tech department they simply didn't know what to do since they were so outdated. With hung head Daisy came out of the office building not knowing what to do. As she walked towards the parking lot the path was cut by a shining black M4. She was trying to turn around when a voice stopped her. It wasn't a voice she expected though.
'Daisy' she heard being called out in a gentle Italian accent. She turned around to see the large persona of Frederick Bartolli walking towards her.
'I have been fired Mr. Bartolli. I do not work for the Osborne's anymore.' Daisy admitted. At this news Bartolli frowned.
'Seriously? When did that happen? Is that why he cancelled the contract? How could they fire you?'
Daisy shook her head unable to process the barrage of questions he was sending forth her way. 'I got fired this morning because you cancelled the contract and they had to blame it someone. Better me than them. And as far as I know it was the Chairman who cancelled the contract. I have no insight into his mind to fathom the reasons he would do so. My guess is as good as anyone else's.'
'Daisy... may I call you Daisy since you seem to be much younger than me?' Bartolli asked
'Of course Mr. Bartolli. I am no one of any importance anyways.' she admitted.
'I wouldn't go that far now and please do call me Fred. Do you mind riding my car with me? We could have a discrete conversation in the back seat of my car. I trust my valet with our confidence.' he signified.
Daisy was perplexed. 'What kind of conversation do you intend to have with me? I have no role to play in anything you do. I am just a pawn in the a larger picture of it all.' As she said this she felt Fred's gentle touch on her shoulder lead her to his car. As she got inside her mind was still befuddled. Fred turned to the front and told the valet to start the car. As she sat there with mouth agape Fred finally turned to her. 'Now Daisy, before I deviate I would first like to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding. Hope you have a happily married life.'
'WHAT' Daisy mouthed but no sound came out of her. Her frown wrinkled her face till a laughter bubbled forth and she couldn't stop herself. She rolled over in laughter on the luxurious leather interior of the car. 'Wedding? Me? Are you completely insane? Look at me. Who in their right mind would marry me?' she asked.
It was Fred's turn to frown. 'If I am not mistaken, yesterday you made a very expensive purchase at Madame M's boutique. The chairman is a shareholder in the business along with his school friends and he expressed interest in how you could afford the dress.'
There was a range of emotions on Daisy's face. There was distress followed by surprise and then sorrow as she remembered Tom. 'Your PR, Ramon Mendoza had been blackmailing me for the past few weeks saying that he would get me fired if I do not go to a date with him. I went to buy a dress for the so called date today. I went with Stella who wanted me to buy an expensive dress but I wished to buy a simple one. When we went to the cashier they told us that our tab was prepaid and had an unlimited access. I knew who did it. It was a friend of mine who likes to spend unnecessary money on me. I asked the shop if the dresses could be returned. They said that if the dresses with the tags are intact I could return them within a week and get the money back. So I thought of teaching him a lesson and bought the most expensive dress they had. I haven't even opened it and I do not intend to. I am also going to pay him back for the dress that I did take the tags out of. But with what the situation that is now it seems just a waste.'
Fred nodded his head, his tone was grave. Then suddenly he started guffawing and Daisy got a bit scared as if it was an attack of hysterics. 'Hey Stan, hand me the box will ya?' he called out to his chauffeur.
'Daisy, I need you to take this. It is a phone. It has Tom's number loaded. I want you to call him and clear things out before he goes down a destructive spiral. Tom is a happy go lucky person but when he goes dark, the Devil seems like a saint.' he said. Daisy was surprised to hear the name on Fred's lips. 'Oh, yeah. Tom is a mutual friend. He mentioned you to me before the meeting. He had also specified that you would be wearing pink and so I could recognize you.' Fred clarified.
Daisy blushed scarlet thinking of exactly what Tom may have told him about her. Tom wasn't pulling punches when he said that he knew people who could get her a job. She nodded her head in agreement without knowing what to say.
'Ok, Daisy. I will drop you exactly where I picked you up from because I need to meet with the PR company. I have a contract to dissolve with them as well.' Fred informed.
'But he blocked me.' Daisy said with a pang of sorrow in her voice.
'He doesn't have this number.' Fred assured her and as promised dropped her on the steps of Osborne Corporations.
As soon as her feet touched the ground she went to the garden right outside the parking lot, took out the phone and dialled the only number saved in the contacts. The call got through on the third ring.
'Hello' she heard the voice she needed to hear.
'It's me Daisy' she said and immediately she heard the call being disconnected. Her heart broke into a thousand pieces. If it were possible she was more distraught then before. So when she bumped into a hard chest she was quite startled. That chest happened to be that of Ramon.
'Daisy, I heard what happened and I hope you understand that I had no hand in this.' he sounded genuine.
Daisy was still fighting off her tears. She nodded her head with a bit more emphasis than she intended.
'Daisy, I know you were going out with me just to save your job. I don't want to come between you and your boyfriend. I was just trying to be a bit mean to you.' he confessed cockily.
Daisy didn't know what to say to that. 'Tom and I aren't anything anymore.' she said knowing that it was the hardest and truest lie she ever spoke.
'Oh, then is the date still on?' Tom asked smirking at her.
Daisy looked up at him and wondered what the answer would be. 'If you want.' she finally said.
'Splendid. You do have the address right? I will see you in the evening. Dress sexy.' he said and left. Daisy let go of the breath she didn't realize that she was holding. It was going to be a date after all but she didn't even like him. She just hope the company would take her minds off the one she did like.