Chapter 84: The Four Big Families' History II
On the other hand, as the Chief Operating Officer of Ashcroft Nexus, Emina Ashcroft is not just continuing the company's legacy — she's taking it to new heights.
Her plans for the future focus on blending technology and entertainment, starting with the AshcroftVerse — a virtual world where fans can attend concerts, join movie premieres, and interact with AI versions of their favorite stars.
She introduced a detailed plan for AURA, short for Ashcroft Unified Reality AI, a smart system that helps train actors, musicians, and idols by tailoring lessons to their strengths and weaknesses. Alongside this, she plans to launch Ashcroft AI Icons — a new branch dedicated to creating virtual idols and AI actors to work alongside real-life talent, helping Ashcroft reach global audiences.
With the world advancing at a rapid pace, Emina's forward-thinking strategies received immense approval from the board of directors and other company leaders.
Emina also focuses on Sustainability and Ethical Entertainment by moving productions to eco-friendly studios and supporting projects that raise social and environmental awareness.
To strengthen the bond with fans, she created Nexus Link — a platform where audiences can vote on movie ideas, music concepts, and AI idol designs, making them part of the creative process.
At the same time, she plans to open the Ashcroft Museum of Entertainment — a tribute to the company's journey from its humble beginnings to its digital success.
"Sister Emina is truly amazing with her insights. Ashcroft Nexus is now contending with companies abroad more than it did in the past," Shawn couldn't help but add.
"We may have different fields, but isn't the company you're about to receive the same?" Dylan chuckled.
Lockhart Medica is a global leader in healthcare, known not just for its advanced hospitals and research centers but for its unwavering dedication to saving lives. With a presence in over 30 countries, the company bridges cutting-edge medical technology with a deep-rooted commitment to compassionate care.
At its core, Lockhart Medica operates a vast network of hospitals, clinics, and mobile medical units.
Their medical institutes focus on finding new treatments, curing infectious diseases, and advancing personalized medicine through genetic research. The company's Genomics Institute tailors treatments to individual patients, pushing the boundaries of modern science.
Beyond hospitals and laboratories, Lockhart Medica invests in the future of healthcare by training the next generation of medical professionals. Through their medical schools and international partnerships, they equip doctors, nurses, and scientists with both skill and empathy, carrying forward the belief that medicine is not just about science — it's about people.
The company's reach extends even further through global health initiatives.
Programs dedicated to free vaccinations, maternal care, and emergency response work tirelessly to bring life-saving treatment to underserved communities.
With the tagline, "A Century of Care, A Future of Healing".
The company proudly stands on over a hundred years of history.
It all started not in a famous city, but in a small, quiet country — a place many people didn't even know existed. It was a land of rolling hills and thick forests, where modern medicine was rare, and old beliefs still guided the sick.
In a tiny village, a doctor opened a simple clinic. The walls were made of stone, and the roof was patched with whatever the villagers could find.
He wasn't from the village; he came from far away, escaping the weight of war and loss. People didn't know much about him — only that he worked hard, treating wounds by candlelight, using local herbs when he ran out of medicine, and teaching the villagers about cleanliness and disease.
He didn't seek fame or fortune. He just wanted to heal.
As word spread, more people came — from nearby towns, then from even farther away. After a few years, the small clinic grew into a hospital. It wasn't big or fancy, but it gave hope.
When war returned, the hospital became a safe place for wounded soldiers and sick families. But the war took the doctor too — not by a bullet, but by a disease he couldn't cure in time.
His son stepped in to continue his work.
He had grown up in the hospital, watching his father fight to save lives. Though he carried the same compassion, he was bolder — more determined.
He expanded the hospital, adding more rooms and better tools. But he didn't stop there. Years later, he opened two more hospitals in the country, then reached out to other nations in Southeast Asia and Africa.
To him, healing shouldn't be limited by borders. He worked hard to bring medical care to places like the one his father had chosen — small, forgotten towns that needed help.
A decade later, the name spread further — not because of power or money, but because people trusted it.
Then came the next leader — the founder's grandson, Jonathan Lockhart.
He had studied medicine abroad, but his heart belonged to the hospital halls where he spent his childhood.
He opened research centers in Asia, the Middle East, and South America — places where people often didn't have access to proper healthcare. He introduced telemedicine, allowing doctors in big cities to help patients in remote villages through video calls — a bold move at the time.
One of his greatest achievements was starting the Lockhart Global Health Initiative. This program focused on providing vaccines, helping mothers give birth safely, and offering surgeries to those who couldn't afford them.
His message was clear, "Lockhart Medica would go where others wouldn't."
At the start of the 21st century, his son took over.
Shawn's father, Dominick Lockhart.
A neurosurgeon and biomedical engineer, he believed that technology could change how people received care.
He brought artificial intelligence into hospitals, helping doctors find diseases faster. He introduced robotic surgeries for safer operations and created the Lockhart Genomics Institute to focus on personalized medicine — treating people based on their unique DNA.
That once-unknown country slowly gained recognition in the medical field — all because of a legacy built on compassion and innovation.
Today, Lockhart Medica works in over 30 countries. Some of their hospitals are large and high-tech, while others are mobile clinics traveling to the most remote places.
But no matter how much the company grows, its heart remains the same.
In every hospital, there is still a doctor working late into the night, their coat worn from long shifts, fighting silent battles — just like the founder once did.
Both Ashcroft and Lockhart were the same. They don't hold onto power for long. They always pass it down to their successors when they know the time is right.