The Urban Abyss

Assistant Miss Daisy

Vivienne wished she could kick Director Christopher, that old man, right in the shin. What was he thinking, giving her such a youthful and delicate undercover alias as "Daisy"? Why didn't he just go ahead and name her "Flower"?

The East City Police Department had done an exquisite job; they prepared a flawless resume for Vivienne: a bachelor's degree from a prestigious university, two years of corporate experience, exceptional French language skills, and proficiency in computer applications. This forced Vivienne to burn the midnight oil, brushing up on her long-neglected French vocabulary, much to the chagrin of her adopted daughter Cathy, who complained about her mother's inability to watch cartoons with her.

Yes, Vivienne was now a single mother. After her cousin Sophia's incident, she took over the care of the orphaned Cathy, fulfilling Sophia's dying wish entrusted to her before her execution (for details, see the series case "The Night Wanderer"). Fulfilling Sophia's last request was all Vivienne could do for her.

Not yet twenty-four, Vivienne was a wonderful mother. She devoted all her spare time to Cathy, raising her to be a healthy and strong child.

The exceptional Daisy was naturally hired on the spot. She was assigned by the HR department to work as an assistant in the administrative management department. Situated on the seventeenth floor, right next to Rebecca's office, the administrative management department, as the administrative hub of the company, was a location Vivienne was quite pleased with. It seemed as if the stars had aligned perfectly for her.

Before entering the company, Vivienne had been thoroughly briefed on the case by Nathan and had received support from the police department's archives, gaining a comprehensive understanding of Max Property Company's background and development.

Max Property was established in 1993—a time when many of the country's renowned real estate firms were founded, largely due to the liberalization of national land and property development policies. A host of real estate tycoons emerged during this period.

Maximilian, originally a leading official in the housing bureau of North Shore, was lively and nimble. During his tenure, he managed to cultivate a practical social network, especially close ties with the head of the Land Planning Bureau at the time. It was with his support that Maximilian acquired a prime piece of land. He immediately resigned from his public position and, with the help of an old classmate who was a bank president, secured his first development loan, laying the foundation for his entrepreneurial success.

Nathan had already clarified this background, having investigated the organizational structure of the National Land Resources Bureau at the time. The bureau chief then was none other than the current Deputy Mayor Nicholas. It was no wonder Max Property enjoyed strong support from city leaders; the roots ran deep. Nathan specifically instructed Vivienne to understand the relationship between the company's senior management and city leaders thoroughly. Perhaps, this case was just the beginning of a tangled web of connections.

Compared to other departments, the administrative department of Max Property was small, with only ten employees. The department head was Jennifer, an elegant woman in her early thirties. Unlike the other cold and critical middle managers, she was gentle, gracious, and approachable. 

In addition to the company's regular administrative tasks, she also served as the secretary of the board of directors, attended all senior meetings, and was responsible for taking minutes. In other words, her position was likely the closest to the core of the company's leadership. Vivienne, new to the company, paid special attention to observing Jennifer.

The department consisted of various positions such as administrative managers, officers, and secretaries, amounting to seven or eight people. Apart from the administrative manager Chase, the department was filled with young women, and with Daisy joining, Chase jokingly called them "seven flowers."

Ela, one of the administrative officers, was the most active. She asked Chase, "Hey, why not eight flowers? We have our manager too!"

Chase stuck out his tongue, "Have I eaten the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard to joke about the manager?" The office burst into laughter. Vivienne liked the work atmosphere; it seemed the impact of the bloody incident less than ten days ago had already faded, confirming Rebecca's competent management.

Jennifer emerged from her private office with a smile, "What's making everyone so happy? Ah, let's have some relaxation; I'll treat everyone to milk tea. Daisy, you're new here, so could you do us a favor and fetch the milk tea for everyone from the pantry?"

The office cheered. Daisy—Vivienne—hurried off with light steps.

In the pantry, as she was preparing the milk tea cup by cup, an impatient woman in her forties with a long face from the line behind her asked, "Which department are you from, making so many cups?"

"Oh, sorry, I'm the newcomer in the administrative department. The manager is treating, so I'm making the milk tea."

The woman sneered, "I should have guessed. Which department would be so extravagant to have a collective milk tea session during work hours? It's Jennifer's department, of course. Well, that figures; she's who she is, the future boss's wife."

Vivienne's eyes flashed; she noted the woman's name badge: Financial Department Head—Aurelia.