George stood before a large whiteboard in the main conference room, his hands moving quickly as he mapped out ideas. His team watched in awe. They had seen him lead before, but this was different—there was a fire in his spirit, a certainty in his voice that inspired everyone.
"We're not just expanding," George explained, eyes shining. "We're creating a legacy. A network of hope across Bengue. Schools, hospitals, shelters... everything my mother once dreamed of, and even more."
He paused, gripping the marker tightly. For a moment, the image of Mariana flashed in his mind. Her encouragement, her unwavering support—even from another world—fueled him more than anything else.
Lucia and John Green, George's grandparents, sat at the back of the room, pride written all over their faces. They had worried, once, that the tragedies George endured might harden him, that he might lose his gentle heart. But here he was, more determined, more compassionate than ever.
"I want us to name it," George continued. "The 'Marina Foundation'. In honor of the woman who first taught me what true strength is."
His voice cracked slightly, but he didn't shy away from the emotion. It made his words all the more powerful.
The room fell into a heavy silence—one filled with admiration, respect, and a shared sense of mission. Then, one by one, the team members began to applaud. It started slowly, but it grew louder, until it filled the entire building with echoes of hope.
Outside, the city of Silvercity carried on with its usual chaos, unaware that something extraordinary had just been set into motion—something that would ripple through countless lives.
Later that evening, George sat alone in his office, gazing at the stars through the glass ceiling. He tapped lightly on his device, sending a silent message through the system: "Thank you, Mariana. I'll make you proud. I promise."
Thousands of miles away, across the barriers of space and reality, Mariana smiled in her small world, feeling his words settle deep within her soul.
"Soon," she whispered to the winds, clutching the pendant George had once gifted her before she left. "Soon, I'll be back."
And in that unseen bond between them, a new promise was born—one that no distance, no darkness, could ever break.