Memory Eclipse

This story has been sitting in my mind since 2019, whispering, growing, waiting. I always told myself, “Not yet. Maybe one day.” I doubted whether people would like it, whether it was worth writing at all. So, I kept pushing it aside… until now.

I’ve finally decided to take the leap and give this story the chance it deserves. Maybe it will be loved, maybe it won’t—but at least it will exist. And if you’re here reading this, then I guess it was worth it after all.

I hope you enjoy Memory Eclipse as much as I’ve loved creating it. Let’s see where this adventure takes us!

Mika !

Chapter one

"They say that the sky doesn't rains, but cries ..."

New Year. New York

Time 23 : 30

It was a gloomy New Year's Eve in New York. The sky was crying, tears streaming down from the clouds in the form of heavy rain. But that didn't stop the hustle and bustle of the city.

People were still out and about, running errands and getting ready for the holiday. Some were dressed in their finest, headed to fancy restaurants for a special dinner date, while others were returning home to spend the evening in front of the fireplace. while others were making their way home from work, carrying cakes and pastries for their loved ones .

The streets were packed with people, all rushing to their destinations.

She too was on her way to achieving her goal, one that she had been working towards for the past five years. Unlike the others, however, her motivation was not to celebrate the New Year or to bring gifts and joy to someone else, but for a different purpose entirely.

On the contrary, she was on a mission to finish what she had started years ago, to put an end to one thing and to bring everything to a close.

The black car pulled up to a red light, and she sat confidently and arrogantly in the back seat, rolling down the window halfway.

"For whom are you crying this time?" She murmured, gazing up at the rain-streaked sky

She looked out the window at the street below, observing the people as they hurriedly prepared and impatiently waited for the clock to strike midnight, signaling the start of a new year. A hint of sarcasm played at the corner of her lips.

But it seemed as though the New Year would mark the end for someone. She whispered her thoughts as she closed the car windows, contemplating what the new year would bring for her. After the clock strikes twelve, everything would be over, not everything, but she would have accomplished a significant portion of her plan. The rest would be easy for her.

The black car pulled up to a towering building made of glass, emblazoned with the logo "Diaz" at the top. The Diaz family owned the company, which was one of the largest in the construction and development industry in New York.

The driver quickly got out, holding an umbrella in hand, and opened the back door for a 28-year-old woman to step out, Sarah Williams.

She had a commanding presence and drew attention for her striking beauty, with clear white skin, dark black hair, big black eyes, and an air of elegance. She was dressed in black jeans, a silky black shirt with a straight collar, and black high heels. Her hair was styled in a French bob, and she had made blackness a part of her life. It had been a long time since she had last worn bright colors or let her hair flow freely in the wind

As she walked up the steps to the company's large glass entrance, the driver accompanied her with an umbrella. The door was closed, and inside, the security guard. As soon as he turned around and saw her, he quickly ran to open the door for her.

A seventy-year-old man with dark skin, curly hair, and a mix of black and white, with a light white beard stood before her. His smile never left his face. She turned to the driver and asked him to wait in the car, while she went inside the company with the guard.

"Good evening, Mrs. Diaz," the old man said with a smile.

"Good evening Alfred. What are you doing here on New Year's Eve? Shouldn't you be in the hospital with Athena?" She asked, looking around. She hadn't expected to see Alfred there.

"Yes, but John has a dinner party at home and asked me to take his place tonight," he explained. "And you couldn't say no as usual, right?" Sarah said, with a hint of sarcasm. Alfred smiled at her, his face full of kindness, wisdom, and a touch of sorrow.

"I couldn't refuse, because he has someone waiting for him at home, unlike me. And also, I will be retiring in a week," Alfred said, a hint of sadness in his voice. He lived alone, with no family or friends. "

What about Athena, shouldn't you be celebrating New Year's Eve with her?" Sarah asked.

"She's probably sleeping at this time. You know the chemical medications make her tired, and I doubt they will let me see her at this time. Besides, it's her sixth birthday in two days. I would have asked John to take my place so I could spend the day with her," Alfred sighed, the weight of his responsibilities evident on his face.

It was clear that the years had taken a toll on him, not just physically but emotionally as well.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine. She's a strong and lucky girl, and she has a good and loving grandfather like you," Sarah reassured him, with a smile. He laughed, his eyes disappearing in the shadow of his smile, and shyly waved his hand.

"Thank you, Mrs. Diaz. I know I always say this, but it's not up to me. You did me a favor that I'll never forget. If you hadn't paid for her treatment, she wouldn't be here today...," Alfred's voice broke as tears gathered in his eyes.

To many, Sarah may have seemed like a cold and unfeeling woman, but to Alfred, she had always treated him kindly. Sarah patted the old man's shoulder and smiled kindly at him.

"You don't have to thank me, Alfred. I'm sure that if someone else were in my place, they would have done the same," Sarah replied. "Well, there are a lot of employees and managers in this company, and I'm sure none of them even remember my name. Who would remember the name of an old black man like me," Alfred said with a laugh, but his words held a hint of sadness. He had been working at the company for nearly twenty years, dedicating all his time and effort to it. Unlike the other workers, when he entered the company, he became blind and deaf, and when he left, he became mute.

Despite knowing all the secrets behind every door in the company, he was like a deep well. This was one of the things that Sarah liked most about him.

"Don't say that," she said, trying to comfort him. This old man affected her in some way, possibly because he reminded her of her father.

"Mr. Lucas is indeed a lucky man because he has a wife with a good heart like you," he said, and Sarah laughed involuntarily. She smiled at the naivety of this old man, not because he said Lucas was lucky to have her, but because he thought she had a good heart.

She knew very well that the worst thing that ever happened to Lucas was his marriage to her. But what made her laugh was when he said that she had a good heart. Maybe five years ago, she would have blushed and smiled shyly if she heard such words, but now, they seemed strange to her.

"I don't think he shares the same opinion with you," she said, with a hint of irony.

The old man laughed at her words, while Sarah smiled gently at him. There was a moment of silence, and Alfred began to wonder what she was doing in the company at this time, when she should have been at the charity party that the Diaz family held every year in one of their luxury hotels.

"What about you, Mrs. Diaz? What brings you here on New Year's Eve? Aren't you supposed to be at the charity party?" Alfred asked. Sarah sighed as she looked at her watch.

"Yes, but I need some important papers for the ceremony that's taking place in two hours, so I came to retrieve them," she said, her eyes still fixed on her watch.

"Oh, right. Well, go ahead. I won't keep you any longer," Alfred said as he stepped aside. But Sarah stopped him with her words, "In fact, the file I came for is in Mr. Martin's office. I would have taken the key from Janice, but I forgot. But I suspect that there's a spare key for emergencies, just like this case." Alfred seemed surprised, "But no one is allowed to enter Mr. Martin's office in his absence or Miss Janice, you know this, madam," Alfred reminded her of the company's rules.

"I know, but yesterday when we discussed the donation campaign, I forgot the file in his office, and now he must be busy with his guests. I don't want to call and bother him for a simple file, you know he gets angry easily," Sarah explained. Alfred's features suggested that he was hesitant, as it was well known in the company that it was forbidden for anyone to enter Mr. Martin's office in his absence or that of Janice, his secretary.

"Okay, I will call Miss Janice," Alfred said, but Sarah stopped him, "Alfred, you can accompany me to the office until I take the files if you want, if you're afraid that I'll steal something," she said with a gentle smile as she patted his shoulder.

Alfred was shocked by her words, as it was not his intention to imply that she would steal something. "No, it wasn't my intention, madam, but you know the rules," he said, sighing. The old man turned to the reception desk, opened the office drawer, and took out a box filled with keys. He searched for the office key, while Sarah looked at her watch impatiently.

"Okay, come with me, Mrs. Diaz," Alfred said, with a smile on his face as usual. "Thank you, Alfred," Sarah said as they walked together towards a corridor containing elevators. Once inside, Alfred pressed the button for the last floor, where Mr. Martin Diaz's office was located, the owner of the company. As soon as they arrived, he opened the door with the spare key and stepped aside to allow Sarah to enter.

"Come on, Mrs. Diaz," he said, and Sarah sent him a warm smile. "I really appreciate this, Alfred," she said, as she walked in.

The office was large and luxurious, decorated in earthy and gray colors, with paintings by famous painters adorning every part of it. Sarah went to a glass table located in the middle of the office where there were several files and began searching through them, while Alfred stood at the door. "I found it," she said, as she headed towards Alfred, but her features suddenly changed, and she dropped the files, holding her head.

"Are you okay, Mrs. Diaz?" Alfred hurried to her side and helped her to a couch to sit. "I've had a migraine for days," she said, holding her head between her hands. "How can I help you, madam?" he asked, with a look of concern on his face.

"There's medication the doctor prescribed for me in my bag, but I left it in the car," she replied."I will bring it right away," Alfred said, as he quickly left the room.

As soon as he was gone, Sarah quickly stood up and headed to one of the hanging paintings behind the desk chair. She removed it with caution, revealing a safe behind it. "Come on, baby, open," she whispered as she typed in the code, constantly checking the door to make sure Alfred wouldn't come back. As soon as the safe opened, she let out a soft scream. Inside, there was cash, some boxes that seemed like valuable gifts, and some files. She started looking at the files, glancing at the door from time to time.

She stood still for a moment while holding one of the files in her hand, "Finally...I found you." Tears gathered in her eyes as she put the file aside, rearranged the contents of the safe, and put the painting back in place. She then went straight to the door.

The old man was heading to the elevator while carrying Sarah's bag under his arm and a glass of water in his other hand, trying to speed up and slow down at the same time. When the elevator doors opened, he was surprised to see Sarah standing in front of him, looking well.

"Mr. Diaz, are you all right?" he asked, with a look of anxiety and fear on his face. "I'm fine, Alfred. It's just a slight headache that comes and goes every so often. Don't worry," Sarah reassured him.

The old man handed her the bag and the glass of water, but she only took the bag while leaving, "Thank you, Alfred, and Happy New Year," she said, turning to him with a nice smile. "Also, please send my regards to Athena," she added before leaving.

The old man still didn't understand what had just happened, "Happy New Year to you, madam," he replied, still confused as Sarah left the building.

As Sarah sat in the backseat of the car, she meticulously scanned through the papers in her hand, her eyes focused intently on the documents in front of her.

Once she had finished reviewing them, she carefully organized and filed them away. Suddenly, she barked out a command to the driver, "Stop the car aside." The driver, startled by her sudden demand, glanced at her through the rear-view mirror with a look of surprise.

"But ma'am," he began, "we haven't yet arrived at our destination." But Sarah, her sharp gaze fixed on the driver, interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. "I said stop the car aside," she repeated firmly. The driver, sensing her determination, quickly pulled the car to the side of the road. Sarah reached into her bag, retrieved some money, and handed it to the driver. "Take a taxi and go home," she instructed him curtly.

The driver hesitated for a moment, clearly wanting to protest, but Sarah's steely gaze silenced him, "Just do what I say," she commanded before getting out of the car.

After the driver had stepped out of the car, Sarah took control of the vehicle and drove to a park where she found another car parked with a man standing beside it. The man's face was obscured by the umbrella he held over his head. She approached him and handed him the file.

"I finally found it. And now, the time has come to finish all of this. I've waited too long for this day," she said.

The man examined the file, then looked up at her. "What about the surveillance cameras?" he asked, clearly concerned. Sarah smiled at his worry. He had always been protective of her and had tried to persuade her to abandon her plan multiple times. "Don't worry about it, John will take care of them," she reassured him.

A moment of silence passed as the only sound was that of the rain falling around them. There was a sense of calm mixed with anxiety and hesitation. Had everything truly come to an end? Had they achieved their goal at last?

"What now?" the mysterious man finally asked. "Keep the file safe with you and wait for a call from me," Sarah replied before the two parted, each returning to their own car.

As Sarah was about to turn on the car, her phone rang. The caller was Maris, who worked at the Diaz family mansion. Although Maris was employed by that family, Sarah had a great deal of respect for her, much like she did for Alfred.

"What is it Maris?" Sarah answered the call, her voice expectant. Maris's voice on the other end was shaking, suggesting that something bad had happened. "It's your father..." Maris said, her voice trembling.

As soon as Sarah heard about her father, her facial features changed to fear and terror. Maris's voice sounded shivering, that phone call would completely change the course of the story, destroying everything...

Without hesitation, Sarah quickly dropped the phone and panicked, heading to the hospital where Maris had told her that her father was taken after he had a heart attack.

In front of the hospital, a white sports car pulled up quickly, leaving behind skid marks from the sudden stop.

Out stepped a thirty-year-old man, Lucas Diaz, the eldest son of Martin Diaz and his successor. He was tall, standing at 6'1, with a chiseled jawline and a strong athletic build. He had bronze skin, dark brown eyes, and jet black hair that was styled in a messy yet sophisticated manner. He had a light beard, perfectly trimmed, and a small scar above his left eyebrow that added a hint of ruggedness to his otherwise polished appearance. He was dressed in a tailored suit, with a dark navy blue jacket and matching pants, a white shirt, and a black tie

He had a strong presence and commanded attention as he walked through the hospital, He was a man who was hard not to notice, as he had all the specifications every girl could dream of.

Everyone in the hospital knew him, not only because his friend James, a brain surgeon, worked there, but also because the Diaz family was one of the main contributors to the hospital .He was clearly anxious and angry as he headed towards the reception

"Hello, Mr. Diaz," said one of the nurses at the front desk, quickly standing up as he approached.

"Mr. Kevin Williams has been brought here. How is his condition?" Lucas asked, his face etched with worry and impatience.

"Yes, he had a heart attack and he is still undergoing the operation," the nurse replied. Lucas closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. He then turned back to the nurse, "My mom also came, where is she?" he asked in a hurry.

"Mrs. Diaz and your sister are waiting in front of the operating room, third floor, section ten," the nurse informed him.

Lucas set out on a search for one of the empty elevators, with all the nurses' eyes on him.

In front of the operating room, Maris was waiting, accompanied by Lucas's mother, Rosalina Diaz, and his youngest sister, Elena. Rosalina, in her fifties, was of Spanish and American descent, with bronze skin, green eyes, and blonde hair. Despite her age, she appeared graceful and elegant. Elena, at the age of twenty-four, was the most innocent person in the entire Diaz family, kept out of the spotlight, with a lean body, white skin, black hair, and blue eyes. Anxiety and fear were evident on their faces

As soon as Lucas reached his mother, she grabbed him by the arm and whispered in his ear, "Yo no hice nada" (1).

He immediately noticed the smell of alcohol on her breath and understood that she was drunk. He, in turn, grabbed her by the arm, anger etched on his face, "Are you drunk again?" he whispered in her ear, his eyes tightly closed.

"No, I only drank a glass, or maybe two," she slurred in response

Lucas dragged her by the arm to an empty office, away from his sister and Maris.

His mother sat on the sofa, her fingers tightly rubbing together, while Lucas paced the office, his anger evident as he ran his hands through his hair and breathed heavily. He finally stopped and sat down on the glass table in front of his mother.

"What happened, mother?" he asked, fear evident in his voice.

"I didn't do anything, I swear. He came to the house and started uttering cheap words about our family and I just couldn't bear it, so I responded to him in kind," she replied, her voice shaking.

Lucas couldn't believe what his mother had done. He might understand if she did it to Sarah, but with Mr. Williams, he was always been a kind-hearted man, "I really can't believe you, you know very well that he has heart disease, and anything small affects him," he said, his voice raised in anger.

"And what did you want me to do? Sit there and let that miserable old man insult our family?"

Lucas stood up, punched the wall in anger and leaned his head against it. He was furious that his mother had caused this, but he knew all too well that she was never one to know her limits. He was sure that she was the one who had started insulting Sarah's father, as she always looked down on anyone who was not of the same social class as them. But if had any affiliation with the Williams family, then she would certainly not be comfortable until she had insulted him.

Rosalina approached him, her shaky hand gently on his back. "What will we do now, Lucas? If anything happens to that old man, then your wife will have no mercy on us. She already has the gallows around our family's neck and is just waiting for the right moment to execute us," she said, her voice filled with fear.

Lucas turned to his mother, exhaustion and fatigue beginning to show on his face. He was tired of all this and the ongoing war between his family and the Williams family that he couldn't understand the reason for.

"I can't say for certain, Mom," Lucas said, "but if anything were to happen to Mr. Williams, I wouldn't blame Sarah for seeking revenge. If someone were responsible for my father's death, I wouldn't show them mercy either." He paused as his mother turned away from him, her expression hardened.

"You're right, she's a monster," she said, "all because of her evil sister's lies. I hope she's burning in her grave." Lucas closed his eyes, feeling a wave of impatience wash over him.

"Mom, please," he said calmly, " it is not the time for this now."

"Maybe you can talk to her and convince her that we haven't done anything to harm Mr. Williams?" Rozalina suggested, his mother's anxiety and despair were evident on her face. Usually she was not a person who feared anyone, but Sarah was not just anyone.

"Are you kidding me? You know she holds a grudge against anyone with the last name Diaz and anyone who lives under that roof. Maybe Maris has a better chance of persuading her." Since Lucas had met Sarah, the first thing he noticed was that she was a cruel woman without mercy, and that she was willing to do anything to destroy his family. For the past eight months, she had always found a way to exert control over them.

"What are we going to do now?" His mother's question pulled Lucas out of his deep thoughts. "We'll have to wait, and hope that nothing happens to Mr. Williams. Come on, you and Elena should go home. Sarah will be here soon and it wouldn't be good for she see you here."

On the way to the hospital, Sarah was rushing to get there quickly, but she was met with a traffic jam. "Why does this have to happen now?" she thought to herself, as she pressed the horn of her car repeatedly, but to no avail.

Every time she thought about her father being in the hospital alone while she was stuck here, she felt like she was losing her mind. The hospital was just two streets away, so she decided to get out of the car. It was raining heavily, but she didn't care.

She started running between cars, trying to move quickly but it was difficult due to the high-heeled shoes she was wearing. So, she quickly kicked them off and threw them aside, as if to say " fashion goes to hell." Everyone was looking at her as she ran down the street, wet and crying, her tears mixing with the raindrops.

While running, she stumbled over a piece of glass and fell to her knees. Her wet hair covered half of her face. It has been a long time since she felt so weak and broken. She remembered her childhood, whenever she fell, her father would always be there to hold her hand, help her stand up, and wipe the scrapes on her knees. But now he wasn't there. She raised her head and looked up at the sky helplessly.

"God, please don't take him from me. I beg you. He's the only person left for me in this world, the only thing that still connects me to goodness. Please don't take him away from me..." she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.

In the hospital, Lucas and his mother walked out of the office towards Maris and Elena. The tension was visible on Rosalina's face, and as soon as Elena saw her, she stood up from the seat she was sitting on and headed towards her mother. She limped on her left leg, as she had an accident when she was nine years old which caused permanent disability. Even though everyone provided her with everything she needed and never rejected her requests, she always felt inadequate.

"Are you okay, Mom?" Elena asked, her voice filled with concern. Rosalina smiled and held her daughter's face in her hands to reassure her, "Yes, I'm fine, dear. Don't worry."

"Come on, Elena, you will go home with mom. The driver is waiting downstairs," Lucas said as he bent down to pick up his mother's coat from the seat and held it out for her to put on. Elena was hesitant, she did not want to leave Mr. Williams alone. Although they had only met a few times, she felt a strong connection to him, and he loved her very much, as she reminded him of his younger daughter.

"But what about Mr. Williams? Are we going to leave him alone?", Elena asked, her voice filled with concern. Maris approached her and gently caressed her hair.

"Don't worry, my dear. Lucas and I will stay here, so go home with your mother to rest. And also, your brother is alone at home, he needs someone to take care of him," Maris comforted her. Elena smiled at her.

As she and her mother were about to leave, the elevator doors opened and Sarah stepped out, looking wet and disheveled. Her blouse was stuck to her body and strands of hair, which reached her waist, were plastered to her face. Her legs were covered in mud and one of them was bleeding. She looked around anxiously and fearfully, but as soon as she saw Rosalina, her facial expression changed completely, filled with hate and anger.

Lucas and the others looked at each other, knowing that this moment was not going to pass peacefully.

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(1) Yo no hice nada means "I didn't do anything" in Spanish

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Thank You for Reading!

And that’s how it all begins...

If you’ve made it this far, I just want to say thank you for giving this story a chance. This is only the beginning, and there’s so much more to come! I’d love to hear your thoughts—drop a comment, share your theories, or just let me know if you’re enjoying it so far.

Your support means the world, and it’s what keeps this story going. See you in the next chapter!

Mika