CHAPTER 115: THE KELLY CLARKSON

After spending the day with his family, Dayo went to the label the following day refreshed and renewed.

The week leading to an album release was always crucial — it was the week that decided how well the album would perform. Dayo started his morning streaming online, interacting with fans, and teasing a few behind-the-scenes clips. He liked moments like that — real-time energy, people’s reactions, excitement.

When he arrived at the office, he was greeted by the sight of a buzzing workspace. No one was sitting around. Everyone was busy as a bee, focused on their part of the plan.

Dayo nodded as he walked through the hallway. It seemed everyone was taking the upcoming release seriously. As both the boss and the artist, he couldn’t be prouder.

He went straight to see Alice, who had texted earlier that she had something to tell him.

"Good morning, Alice," Dayo greeted as he walked in and sat down across from her. She was still on a call, typing something fast on her laptop.

After about five minutes, she finally hung up.

"Ah, good morning, boss," Alice said teasingly, flashing him a grin.

Dayo felt goosebumps run down his arms and shook his head. "Ugh, please refrain from calling me boss. You know my name."

"Haha, alright," she replied with a playful smirk.

"So," he said, leaning back, "you said you wanted to see me?"

"Yeah," Alice said, leaning forward slightly. "It’s about an interview on Harmony Lane Live."

(A/N:The interview is like The Kelly Clarkson Show since its an alternate world I named it Harmony Lane Live.)

Dayo blinked. "Wait, Harmony Lane Live? You got me an interview there?"

Alice tilted her head. "Yes. Why do you look so surprised?"

"Well," he said, still processing, "not just anyone gets invited there. That’s huge."

Alice chuckled softly. "It seems you still underestimate yourself and your status — maybe because your circle is small. You don’t realize how much you’ve grown."

She leaned back in her chair and continued. "From the start, you’ve had a strong foundation. First, you featured Luna, and that song ended up being used as the FIFA World Cup anthem. Most artists never get close to that level."

She raised a brow and smirked. "Let’s not even start on your popularity during the Global Competition — or the drama with Vivian and how you handled it. People are still talking about that."

Dayo listened quietly, almost embarrassed.

"So yes," Alice said, folding her arms. "Even if your current status doesn’t fully reflect it, you’ve got the world’s attention. You rarely do interviews, so people are curious. That’s why Harmony Lane Live reached out. You’re a hot topic, Dayo."

Dayo nodded slowly, a small smile forming. "Hmm... I guess I didn’t look at it like that."

"That’s what I’m here for," Alice said lightly.

He chuckled. "Alright, so when’s the interview?"

"Today," she said, almost casually.

"Today?" Dayo repeated, surprised.

"Yup, today. You’ll meet your new assistant, Sharon. She’ll take care of your needs so Valery can focus on her own work."

That made sense — Valery had been acting as his assistant for months now, which limited what she could handle. It was long overdue.

Alice added a playful jab. "I don’t know why it took so long to find you an assistant. And you call yourself smart."

Dayo laughed softly and raised his hands in surrender. "You’re right. I can’t defend myself there. But since I have you now, I guess you can fill in all the missing key positions."

"Hmph. You’ve become lazy all of a sudden," she teased.

"Of course," he said with a grin, "with you handling almost everything, I can finally rest at ease."

She shook her head. "You wish. Now, hurry up. Your interview starts soon. Meet your new assistant and get acquainted on the way to Harmony Lane Live."

Dayo smiled, standing up. "You can’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll be back."

Alice smiled and waved him off before turning back to her screen. The office energy felt good, and she couldn’t help but think how rare it was to see a team so motivated and happy to work together.

---

Dayo walked back to his office, greeting staff along the way. Everyone smiled when he called them by name, and that simple gesture made the atmosphere warmer.

When he reached his office, he noticed a woman standing by his desk — likely in her mid-thirties, with her hair pinned neatly back and a blue professional gown.

She turned immediately when she saw him. "Good morning, sir. I’m Sharon, your new assistant."

Dayo nodded with a small smile. "Morning, Sharon. You can skip the ’sir.’ We’ll be working closely together — Dayo is fine."

She paused mid-sentence, catching herself. "Alright... Dayo."

"Good," he said with a light chuckle. "So, what’s on the to-do list today?"

Sharon straightened. "We start with the Harmony Lane Live interview. We should probably leave now so we can make it on time. I’ll fill you in on other activities later."

"Perfect," he said, picking up his jacket.

They both headed downstairs. The company car was already waiting outside. Once they entered, the driver started the engine, and the city slowly came into view through the tinted glass.

Dayo turned toward Sharon. "So, Sharon, tell me about yourself."

She smiled. "Well, I’m from Houston originally. I’ve been in the city for about ten years now. I used to work as a personal assistant for a marketing firm before joining JD."

Dayo nodded. "That explains the organization I saw on your desk."

She laughed softly. "Yeah, I like things neat. Makes the day easier."

"Smart," he said. "You said you’ve been here ten years — married?"

"Yes," she replied warmly. "Married, and I have one daughter. She’s six. Her name’s Kiara."

"Six?" Dayo said. "That’s a fun age. I bet she keeps you busy."

"Oh, she does," Sharon said, laughing. "Always full of questions. Sometimes I feel like she’s the boss, and I just work for her."

Dayo grinned. "Sounds familiar."

She looked at him curiously. "You?"

"Yeah, my little devil of a younger sister," he replied, smirking.

Their laughter filled the car. The drive didn’t feel awkward; it felt natural — relaxed.

Sharon gave a sigh of relief. She had worked in other places and knew how difficult bosses could be, so she felt grateful and thankful that Dayo was different. It made her open up more without even realizing it.

Sharon told him a bit more about her life — how her husband served in the Navy, how she loved cooking on weekends, and how Kiara had just started ballet lessons. Dayo listened, smiling. It reminded him of his own family — strong, busy, loving.

"Honestly," he said after a moment, "it’s good having someone like you around. You sound like you can handle chaos."

"I’ve had practice," she replied with a grin. "Parenthood and deadlines — perfect training."

They both laughed again as the car slowed near the next turn. The driver took a left, and the Harmony Lane Live building came into view — clean glass walls, a small crowd of staff and cameras outside.

Sharon glanced out the window. "We’re here."

Dayo straightened his jacket, took a deep breath, and smiled. "Alright then. Let’s go make a good impression."

The driver parked, and Sharon stepped out first, holding the door open for him.

The large Harmony Lane Live logo reflected against the morning light as Dayo stepped out. He looked calm, confident, and ready.

"Let’s do this," he said quietly.