Echoes of Ana
Two Years Later
A sleek private jet descended from the clouds and touched down at the bustling tarmac of Zurich, Switzerland, a global tech haven known for its high security data centers and architectural marvels.
This was no ordinary arrival.
The aircraft door opened with a hiss. Out stepped Damien Lopez, sharp as ever in a tailored three piece charcoal suit, flanked by his ever efficient right hand man, Eric.
His polished shoes struck the ground with purpose as they walked toward the armored black sedan waiting on the runway.
Their destination? Lopez QuantumTech Headquarters, a soaring architectural masterpiece of steel and glass that pierced the Zurich skyline.
The skyscraper shimmered like a monument to innovation, a physical embodiment of the empire that Damien had elevated far beyond what anyone thought possible.
Employees stood in neat rows at the grand entrance, dressed in pristine suits and lab coats, their posture straight and eyes filled with awe. A silent reverence fell over the space as Damien approached, like the arrival of a monarch who didn't need a crown.
Large LED panels lined the street, broadcasting global news in multiple languages. One, in particular, captured the city's attention:
"Breaking News: Damien Lopez, the enigmatic son of the legendary tech lord Joseph Lopez, has just arrived in Zurich. Sources confirm he's here to oversee the next evolution of the Lopez empire, a project cloaked in secrecy and ambition, rumored to shake the foundations of the tech world yet again."
"Since the tragic passing of Joseph Lopez, his heir Damien has revolutionized the field with an avalanche of code so advanced, so flawlessly written, that many in the industry have quietly begun to wonder if he was even human."
"Experts have dubbed Damien's programming style 'Quantum Elegant' a seamless blend of algorithmic complexity and performance minimalism.
His zero day patches are legendary. His encryption layers? Practically uncrackable. Tech insiders say his syntax reads like poetry, his neural network simulations mimic near human decision making, and his predictive modeling has outpaced every AI competitor on the market."
"Two years ago, Dexter released what many believed to be the pinnacle of next gen architecture, but speculation ran wild that the source code was stolen from the Lopez servers by a man named Dexter. Despite never confirming it, Damien responded not with words but with a new framework, one so secure, so mathematically elegant, it left even military grade systems in the dust."
"Well, Dexter hasn't released a single new line of code ever since."
"Making the netizens beginning to wonder if the rumors were true. Now, whispers grow louder. Is Damien building a decentralized, quantum fueled OS? A system that could literally power space missions? Some say he's working on a neural linked platform that blurs the line between mind and machine. Others believe he's building something more, a new world order powered by silicon and vision."
"Whatever the truth, one thing is clear; Damien Lopez doesn't chase trends, he defines them."
As the news played, Damien didn't flinch, and with a laser focus gaze, he headed to the building ahead.
The automatic doors to Lopez QuantumTech parted like a ceremonial curtain. And Damien stepped through back into his domain, where innovation wasn't a job.
It was destiny.
The head of the Zurich branch, Mr. Logan, stood proudly in front of a line of impeccably dressed employees. His expression was respectful, his handshake firm as he greeted the man of the hour.
"Welcome to Zurich, Mr. Lopez," he said warmly.
Damien gave a courteous nod in return. "Thank you, Mr. Logan."
With practiced efficiency, the entourage began making their way inside the towering tech complex. As they walked, Damien's sharp gaze took in the surroundings the clean glass walls, the hum of high level productivity, and the employees standing in two perfectly straight lines on either side of the corridor, heads bowed in reverent welcome.
Except, his eyes caught it. An empty space. A missing piece in an otherwise flawless display.
From the corner of his eye, Damien saw the tension ripple through Mr. Ben, the floor manager, who was trailing just a few steps behind. Mr. Ben's face flushed, clearly mortified.
He snapped toward the team, voice low but full of reprimand.
"Whose spot is this?"
A nervous whisper came from the junior employees, then Cathy answered "It's Eva, sir.., Her mother's ill. She said she had to rush to the hospital." Cathy replied reluctantly as it was obvious that she was already scared for Eva.
Mr. Ben's jaw clenched. "Then perhaps she should go take care of her sick mother full time," he muttered bitterly. "And forget about working here."
He turned on his heel, ready to catch up with Damien when the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the marble floor.
A young woman burst into view, clearly out of breath, strands of hair falling out of her bun in a windswept mess. She barely managed to slip into the empty spot in line before Mr. Ben's eyes locked on her with blazing irritation.
"Hi, Mr. Ben," she said with a nervous smile, trying to compose herself.
Damien froze.
The voice.
That voice.
He paused mid-stride and slowly turned, his eyes scanning the corridor, until they landed on her.
The bounce of her hair, the subtle curve of her shoulders, the effortless grace even in chaos. It couldn't be. But it felt exactly like her. Ana.
Mr. Ben's voice cut through the moment, his frustration building. "Eva, what is the meaning of this? Didn't I make myself crystal clear about today's welcome ceremony? This is not just any visitor. This is Mr. Lopez, the big boss himself. Why are you late? What's your excuse this time?"
"I'm so sorry, sir," Eva said, her chest still heaving. "My mother's condition worsened overnight. I was at the hospital and..,"
"The same excuse, over and over," Mr. Ben interrupted coldly. "You know what? Go straight to HR and hand in your resignation. This isn't a charity house."
Eva gasped. Her voice cracked as she stepped forward, grabbing his arm in desperation.
"Please, Mr. Ben,don't do this," she pleaded. "I can't lose this job right now. My mother's life depends on her treatment, and I'm barely holding things together. I swear this won't happen again. Just this one time.., please."
Mr. Ben hesitated, conflict flashing in his eyes. "You're one of our best analysts, Eva. And even though you are one of the best hands we've got here, still, there is nothing I can do. This is beyond me Eva, I am tired of helping you. And I am not about losing my own position because of you"
Before he could say more, Mr. Logan's polite voice cut through the tension.
"Mr. Lopez? This way, please."
The words snapped Damien back to the present. He blinked, his expression carefully guarded once again, and gave a slight nod.
But as he turned to follow Mr. Logan, his mind wasn't on the upcoming boardroom meeting, nor on the secret tech project that had brought him to Zurich.
It was on the girl behind him.
Eva.
Or was it Ana?
Damien was seated in the executive office prepared for him while Mr. Logan and Mr. Ben stood before him.
"We received news of your visit on short notice, but we managed to set up this space for you," Mr. Logan said with a courteous smile. "If you need any adjustments, please don't hesitate to let us know."
"It's fine," Damien replied, his tone clipped but not unkind.
"In that case," Mr. Ben interjected, "perhaps we can proceed with the discussion about our new development."
"We should." Damien leaned back slightly, then suddenly asked, ""So, who is she?"
Mr. Logan looked confused. "Who, sir?"
"The one who was getting fired earlier," Damien said, turning his gaze to Mr. Ben.
"Oh, Eva. Eva Myles," Mr. Ben answered. "She's one of our top developers. Specializes in backend infrastructure and cybersecurity consulting."
Damien's pen slipped from his fingers.
The voice. The field. It was too familiar. His mind flashed back to a conversation from a family gathering, Ana had talked animatedly about her work in cybersecurity. His aunt had joked about her working in a "man's field."
No one noticed his sudden jolt of tension, except Eric, who had been quietly observing.
"She's exceptional," Mr. Ben continued, oblivious. "But lately, she's been coming late, always with the same excuse. Her mother's health. We can't keep making exceptions, not even for our best."
"Then why fire her?" Damien said, voice sharp. "You said it yourself, she's one of the best. And right now, we need the best."
Mr. Ben hesitated. "It's just.., company policy, sir. We don't tolerate repeated lateness..,"
"Reinforce the rules, have her sign a formal warning. So we keep her"
Damien interrupted. "Also, I want her full employment file on my desk. Today."
Eric frowned subtly, arms crossed, but said nothing.