---

 

"... With that being said, I hope you all have a fulfilling 3-day weekend with your friends and family for new year's. You are forbidden from entering this office space until the next decade!" After my last passing words, I politely waved to the crowd before I got off the impromptu stage in the middle of the office space. 

SFX: small polite chuckles and small claps  

I walk straight towards my office, near to where I gave my formal finishing words to my workers and colleagues.  

SFX: opening and closing of office doors 

*Sigh* As soon as the door behind me closed, I tilted my head up and closed my eyes; suddenly, a bar of chocolate seemingly appeared out of nowhere in my hand. The wrapper on the bar was quickly taken off, which was quickly followed up with the chocolate bar being guided to my mouth.

'I hope I just choke on this chocolate bar now.' As my unheard prayer was being made, a figure walked into my office and woke me up from my paradise of snacks.

"Josh, you're still at the office; you can have all the snacks you want at home but please just finish your work so we can all go home for the holidays."

I slowly turned around and looked him in the eyes, 'I hope you choke on your next meal too.' As my wish was yet again unheard, I informally replied.

"Yeah-yeah, let's just get this over with." I sauntered over to my desk, impacted my chair carelessly, and slowly leaned back to the point of hearing creaks from the chair.

As I looked up at my office ceiling and hoped for reasons to just neglect my responsibilities, I felt another bout of fatigue. "*sigh* You're, my secretary. Right? Can't you do all my work for me, please?" As I inclined my head again to face my secretary's eyes which happened to my friend, I made a fake pouting face and put on my world-class puppy eyes.

He looked at me dead-eyed for a moment before slowly shaking his head while chuckling, "Nope, sorry, I have my position, and you have yours. I can't do your job for you."

As I heard his retort, I stopped my charade and calmly looked at him for a moment before remarking, "Can you remind me again why you don't have my job?"

He grinned at me and jokingly replied, "Because I don't have parents that can drop a worldwide famous multi-billion dollar electronic company on my head. So they can go and drink every day."

*SIGH* I gave my most exaggerated sigh yet and looked back up while leaning back in my chair. I was going to conclude the conversation when suddenly a grin crawled up my face. I said sarcastically, "Oh right, sorry, I forgot you're a broke bitch."

After saying that, I inclined forwards fast enough to see my friend's smug smile crumple to a clear, exacerbated, offended face. While putting his hand on his chest and seemingly looked speechless at my words. 

"*scoff* How dare you to say that to me?" He said in an exaggerated offended voice. His speechless face quickly changed to a pouting look after his response.

I looked deep into his eyes, and he looked back at mine for five seconds without words. Then suddenly-

"HAHAHAHAhahahahaha..." We broke out in cheerful laughs. 

After a little bit of laughter to cheer me up again, I was ready to get back to work. I looked back at my computer, which was on its locked screen. Above the name and password prompt was the operating system's name, which was the name of my company.

LuxX

 

---

 

 12/31/2049, Gregorian Calendar

Today is Friday, new year's eve, which means that tomorrow is the start of a new decade and half-point of the century.

With new year's comes a holiday, which means a day off work. Unfortunately, the new year happens on the weekend this year. So, I decided that the company could have Monday off for the holidays.

I can do that because I'm the CEO of my company.

The CEO of an international family-owned company worth over 900 billion dollars named LuxX. My family maintained total control over the company's decisions, with no stockholders fighting against our choices.

My Parents started the company in 20XX, and with the money from my wealthy grandparents, they could up-start the company without having to go to get a loan or get investors. 

My parents were willing to part with 15% of the company's future total stock to my grandparents for financial support in the starting years of the company.  

The company was a significant success, becoming a financially independent company within the first two years of its inception. And within five years, it became a forerunner of its craft worldwide. 

In the company's first years, my parent's company works closely with first-aid, with its advancements in prosthetic arms, legs, and even artificial organs.

But my parents wanted more than just replacing limbs; they wanted to improve the everyday man's life activities. So they went from prosthetic limbs to work in Nero technology, physiological advancements, and continuing down the path of health care.

After the company's success and solidifying foundation on the global stage, I was born shortly after. Born in 2024, I was named Joshua Nicholas Henderson and quickly became the most spoiled kid ever.

I was practically smothered in love by my mom; she wanted only the best for her son. But with the love and care came great expectations. They had great hopes of me succeeding them in the company taking the mantel and bringing it to a greater height than what they had brought it to.

Fortunately, I was what you could call a genius, and I quickly picked up things related to business and finances. So by the time I turned 16, I got my first internship in the company. Just like my studies, I picked up how the job worked fast enough to be able to become the assistant of my father, the CEO, and Owner of the company, at the age of 18.

Finally, at the age of 21, my father, at the age of 54, left the family business to me and went to do great things such as partying and drinking, and- you know what I mean.

He dumped his CEO role to me, his only son, but he kept 51% stock and gave the rest to me, making me a 34% shareholder. This means I had more stock than my still alive and happy grandparents but had less than my father. That means if my father wanted me to fail or didn't like how I ran the company, he could stop me whenever he wanted to or, at the very least, make it very hard for me. Thankfully, my dad clarified that he would only intervene in the company unless needed.

He said he would pass down the rest of the stock to me after he sees my success in the company by the time I turn 30. Honestly, I didn't care about the stocks and all that stuff. I cared about the things I was making inside the company.

When I joined my dad in his company as an intern, I was fascinated and compelled to fantasize and visualize all the imagined inventions that could benefit people and the world itself.

Such as our newest Prosthetic eyes, which can use AR capabilities. Or our NerolinkX device can make your brain process more information per second than without it. With our incredible advancements in Nero technology, we can make a brain work faster, hold more memories, and connect our other products to the brain.

We originally made the NerolinkX to be used by the world, but it is currently too underdeveloped for the ordinary consumer to acquire. It works, but it's too expensive, takes time and effort to be installed, and overall not a great experience; of course, it's still a work in progress to get it out to the public.

The second dream project I'm working on is LigamentsX; its primary goal is to protect and enhance the movement of the ligaments in the body. The situation is the same as the NerolinkX, but this one is out to the public; unfortunately will cost you a lot more than an average household family could afford.

Then my last and favorite dream invention is the NanobotsX. Robust but tiny, artificially made microorganisms can micromanage and deliver any item anywhere within the body, which can alone crash the surgery market. But it gets more profound; they can fuse and create whatever your mind desires into any material wanted. 

When we made the prototype of the NanobotX, we quickly realized it is a potent but helpful weapon that can be used in the future, but currently is still not tested or safe enough to be used by anybody. We are still trying its abilities and how they can be controlled. 

Those aren't all the items I have in mind, but they are the ones I'm close to finishing. I have many ideas and almost fictional inventions I think I, with the power of a multi-billion dollar company behind my back, will be able to produce.

 

---

 

SFX: Slamming of a car door

"Honey, before we go, give a kiss to mommy!" I heard my mom exclaim at me from the front porch, with my dad right behind her.

They both had some nice clothing, and my mom had put on a generous amount of makeup, so I assumed they would go to a new year's party tonight. 

"Where are you guys going?" I ask them while I lean in to hug my mom and then kiss mom on the cheek after asking.

After we finished our hug, my mom put on an excited smile and told me they would be going to a fancy party hosted by some big shot an hour's drive away.

I smiled and nodded at them; I was used to this by now. Ever since I took the mantle at the company, they would jump at the opportunity to go to any party they thought to be enjoyable. 

I was happy for them; of course, I hoped they could live as comfortably as they wanted after how much love and affection they gave me at such a young age. They were having the time of their lives after all the stress they endured starting and lifting such a large-scale corporation to what it is today.

I proceeded to hug my dad as well and then started to walk to the front door, but before I entered the door, I looked back at them and exclaimed, "Call me through our NeroLink if you guys need anything from me; love you! have a good time."

My mom put one foot in the car and, before sitting down, looked back at me and responded, "Sure will, honey; love you too!"

After my mom went in the car, my dad looked back too and smiled at me. "Love you, see you later." then the both of them closed the car door, and seconds later, the driver began to drive away.

After seeing the car start to drive, my smile dropped, and I walked into the house. As soon as the door closed, I speed-walked to my room and didn't even care enough to close the door behind me before I stripped myself down to my underwear. 

After getting comfortable in the house, I ate some food and just landed on my bed with all the last bit of energy I could muster.

After getting comfortable, I used my NerolinkX and ProtoeyeX to put on a show I was watching. But before I could even get through one episode, I was drowned in exhaustion and quickly stopped the show.

As I closed my eyes and let my brain get comfortable for another night of relaxing sleep, I had no way of knowing that this stressful day would be the last day of normalcy. 

Before I went to sleep, I looked at the clock nearby.

It was 23:58, 2 minutes before a new year would come. As I saw this, I decided I would stay awake till the new year started. 

After a while, the electric clock was at 23:59:50; I smiled and told myself, "To more great years to come."

As I saw the clock hit 24:00, I wish I could have known the amount of irony that came from my statement. I would've never said it If I had known. When the clock hit midnight, the world would never be the same as it had once been.

 

---

 

Chapter Name: LuxX