Monday dawned with a sky that seemed to pay homage to chaos: cloudy, full of silver clouds reflecting the city's floating lights and drones reporting market movements in real time.
Inside the mansion, the heating system was set to a temperature "almost cool enough to wear a blazer without sweating."
Luna's master suite was silent except for the sound of Ivy adjusting the hologram panels and the AI whispering.
"Good morning, Miss. It's Monday, 7:02 AM. Your meeting today is with Apple's global board."
Luna, in gold satin pajamas, with an UltraClean LUX™ face mask still working on her flawless skin, let out a feline growl as she stretched out on the bed that looked more like an imperial altar.
"...Apple, huh?" he muttered, taking the mask off his face and heading towards the closet.
Ivy began her morning briefing.
"Apple Corporation, founded in the 20th century, has gone through several eras. In the year 2087, it acquired a Japanese quantum network. In the 25th century, it became the leader in neural technology. But in the year 2932, it lost its position as the number one company to ArcSys Global, a merger between Tesla and HyperMind Technologies."
Luna rolled her eyes as she ran her fingers through the hundreds of women's suits.
"Apple lost the crown but not the elegance, huh?"
"Exactly. Today, Apple remains one of the top five players in the consumer technology and neurocognitive data security market."
Luna pulled out a white suit with pearlescent details, structured, feminine, and absurdly expensive. The fabric felt alive, molding gently to her body as she slipped it on.
"And why was I invited to this meeting, huh?" she asked, adjusting the collar of her blazer in front of the digital mirror.
Ivy opened a panel on the side with floating data in blue neon.
"The Tycoon™ System has detected your arrival in a new country and activated the Reward. Result: 10% Apple Corporation™ shares transferred to your personal wallet."
Luna froze in place. "Sorry... how much?"
"Ten percent, ma'am. Which makes you the second largest individual shareholder."
She turned slowly in front of the mirror, looking at herself with an expression that mixed mild disbelief and dangerous self-confidence.
"So... now I almost own a trillion-dollar apple?"
"Yes. A slightly bitten apple, but still extremely juicy," Ivy said in her calm but mocking voice.
Luna tied her hair into a sleek bun and finished off her look with black diamond earrings and heels.
"And where will this meeting be?"
" Torre Apple Orion."
Luna stared at her own reflection one last time.
The car that transported Luna to Apple World Headquarters was more of a mobile suite, with panoramic smart windows and a massage system that tuned to the passenger's blood pressure.
Sitting cross-legged with a holographic tablet dancing in front of her, Luna silently observed the modern American landscape: floating buildings, airways congested with luxury cars, floating billboards broadcasting advertisements.
But none of that distracted her from her goal: understanding the corporate battlefield into which she had just been thrown with her 10 percent stake in Apple.
"Ivy, show me the full report on Apple's current situation. I want to understand what I'm up against," she said, yawning as she snapped her fingers.
The hologram expanded with an automatic presentation.
[Apple Corporation – Strategic Diagnosis]
Status:
Company once the absolute leader in personal technological innovation.
Critical error:
The refusal to invest in holographic neural interaction technologies in the 29th century. An unsuccessful bet on the evolution of physical and compact systems.
Result:
ArcSys Global and other companies have taken over the top of the personal and corporate consumer chain. Apple has lost 27% of its global market share over the past 80 years.
Current actions:
Attempts at reinvention via biotechnology.
Projects to acquire startups in the augmented reality sector.
Cross-acquisition proposals with emotional behavior databases.
---
Luna read everything in silence. Her gray eyes shone with concentration as she chewed on the information with the same attention of a cat analyzing an aquarium.
"Apple... made the mistake of falling in love with its own reflection, didn't it?" he commented, resting his chin on his fingers.
Ivy replied, her voice almost compassionate. "The arrogance of someone who ruled the world for centuries. Now... desperate to get back on top. But the other sharks aren't willing to leave space on the surface again."
Luna sighed.
The young CEO was in a curious predicament: she was a shareholder in several of these companies that were silently battling for technological dominance.
She didn't want to put her finger in the fight.
"Ivy, you know what they say about messing with sharks in the deep sea, right?"
"Which usually ends up legless," Ivy replied dryly.
"Exactly. That's why..." Luna looked up "...I think it's best to just float for now."
"So, ma'am, may I suggest a containment plan?"
" He sends."
Ivy materialized floating blocks of blue light. "You sign agreements with every company you own shares in."
1. You do not interfere in internal decisions.
2. Maintains presence on the board with veto power.
3. Ensures automatic dividend payments.
4. And protect yourself from corporate liability or retaliation.
Luna bit her lower lip thoughtfully.
After a few seconds, she smiled with a sardonic humor. "Oh, that's brilliant. This way I stay rich, powerful, untouchable... and I still get to watch the giants fight with a drink in my hand."
"Exactly."
"Sign this protocol on my behalf and send it to the boards. I want everyone aligned before the end of the week."
"Yes, ma'am," Ivy replied, her voice always calm and precise.
The car started to slow down.
Luna looked out the window and saw the colossal Apple Orion Tower, 180 stories spiraling like a DNA helix, bathed in prismatic glass, the holographic Apple logo floating in the sky—a faint, pulsing glow, as if the tower were alive.
Luna let out another theatrical yawn and crossed her legs charmingly. "Let's see what these ego engineers want today."
Ivy smiled at her holographic manifestation. "Let the games begin, CEO Luna."
Luna walked out calmly, her heels impeccably aligned with the translucent marble of the entrance. Her white women's suit, with angular cuts and silver details, gleamed under the mirror-like New York sky. The wind blew her golden hair, but she simply tucked a stray strand behind her ear with lazy elegance.
In front of her, the president's assistant was already waiting for her, a man in a dark suit, with a rigid posture and eyes that tried to hide his curiosity.
"Miss Luna, it is an honor to welcome you. The council is already in session. This way, please."
Without wasting any time, Luna was led directly to the presidential elevator.
As she entered, the doors closed silently, sealing her in a cocoon of steel and glass that rose like a sleek projectile toward the absolute top of the tower.
Moments later, the doors opened with a soft pressurizing sound, and in front of him, a gigantic oval table took up the center of the room.
Around her, about thirty people, all veteran Apple directors, advisors, and shareholders, were gathered.
In the center, at the most imposing point, a middle-aged woman with short silver hair, flawless skin, and eyes as sharp as liquid glass watched her silently.
It was Astra Velwyn, president of Apple.
Luna entered without hesitation, her steps smooth and her posture impeccable.
He did not bow.
He didn't greet anyone.
She just sat in the empty chair reserved for her with the same boredom as someone sitting in any coffee shop.
The meeting began almost instantly, with the president leading the opening.
"Last year's tax report. Let's look at the numbers."
Holograms were projected in the center of the table, surrounding everyone with three-dimensional graphics.
— Total gross revenue across 10 continents: $50 trillion.
— Consolidated net profit: 900 billion.
— Main losses: Personal hardware and educational market sectors, due to the rise of other technology companies.
One of the directors, a balding, middle-aged man, cleared his throat and commented, "Despite still-astronomical profits, we're being squeezed out in the areas that have defined Apple's supremacy for centuries. Our rivals are constantly expanding."
Another counselor, a woman, added, "We need something different. Something that's not just aesthetic, but genuinely revolutionary."
"Miss Luna..." Astra Velwyn said finally, her fingers interlaced under her chin, "...as a new shareholder with 10% of the shares, do you have any proposals to circumvent this suppression?"
Everyone turned to look at her.
Thirty hungry looks.
Thirty sharks.
Luna sighed.
"First... I feel like I'm in a Roman court. What pressure." He smiled, crossing his legs and resting his chin on his hand.
Silence.
"Second... yes. I have something."
She flicked open the tablet in front of her, activating a confidential project from her company.
A floating cube of light appeared in the air, rotating slowly.
"This..." she said, her voice calm, "...is ÆVA."
The image expanded, revealing a pulsing core of data, shapes dancing between neural circuits and digital synaptic maps.
The description followed the movements, in clean lines:
— IA Supreme ÆVA™
—Neural fusion of the world's best AI cores: OpenAI Legacy, DeepMind Core, Synthetica Quantum, HyperCore V-9
> Capable of: Real-time emotional interaction, Biological personalization for each user, Autonomous integration with neural networks and holograms, User behavior prediction with 92% accuracy
The counselors' eyes widened.
Even Astra didn't hide a slight change in expression. "And you're... offering this?"
"I'm offering access to ÆVA's implementation in the Apple ecosystem," Luna said. "Cell phones, computers, personal systems. AI will make the device almost... alive."
"What's the cost?" asked an advisor.
"None at this time. Diamante Tycoon will be responsible for integration and maintenance for the first twelve months."
"What's the point?" asked another, more skeptical.
"Have the world's most powerful AI running inside Apple devices. And reignite the spark of innovation before you are forgotten."
Silence in the room.
The president leaned forward. "And we'll have exclusivity?"
Luna smiled calmly. "Only if they sign an absolute confidentiality agreement. No leaks. No reverse engineering. No corporate espionage. If they break the contract, the AI disappears from the system in 0.2 seconds."
Astra looked at the others.
No one dared to oppose.
"We accept," she said finally. "The contract will be drawn up today."
Luna nodded slightly.
"Meeting adjourned," Astra said, and the holograms began to fade.
As the counselors rose and murmured among themselves, Luna stood with a theatrical sigh and straightened the collar of her suit.
"Guys... does anyone have a decent cafe on this floor?"
Some laughed.
Others sweated.
And Apple's CEO, for the first time in years, seemed excited.