Chapter 155:

"Congratulations on your beautiful son.", Samantha smiled at the beautiful, glowing woman, that had just delivered her child, a son that even minutes after being born, already had an aura of greatness around him, Samantha could feel it, she had always been able to do so, and it had led to her making appropriate decisions, growing the family business into an Empire only a few around the world could compete with.

And now, as she saw her grandson coming to the world, all the pressure to succeed, and exhaustion from the sleepless nights simply withered away, and she gained a spark of life. There and then, she promised to herself she would do her utmost to ensure this family of hers had the best lives she could give them. And she would enjoy it with them.

They had been ready nonetheless, and if they split the work in three, they would have a lot more time to do everything else. Samantha held the baby, and a radiant smile was drawn on her face, 'You will be a lady killer.', she thought, as his father voiced those same thoughts aloud, "Oh man, he is going to drive them all crazy.", he laughed as he said this, and did so even harder once he saw the mock glare his wife was throwing at him.

"It's fine, I am sure he will love his mother above all of them.", he said with a cheeky grin, and his wife smiled sweetly at him, a threat if he ever saw one.

'Ahhh, we are going to be a very, very happy family', he thought, as he sighed with contentment.

***

Or so they all thought, until the car crash. They were all driving in the same car, to an 'adventure', as young Ace kept on saying to everyone he met on the street. All they could do was smile and laugh at the beautiful and energetic child.

They were only three in the car, his father and mother insisted on driving themselves - they loved driving. It was shaping up to be a wonderful holiday, they had eaten a picnic at one of the lakes, and Ace had even dipped his little toes in, but came back laughing once he felt how cold the water really was.

Now, they were making their way to a little village, where they would enjoy the walks for a few days, before going back home. They were in the middle of playing, his mother having told him a riddle, and when Ace was about to reply with the newly figured out answer, his world did a tumble.

For the rest of the day, Ace felt nothing. It was as if it was all covered in a haze, but not figuratively, he could see just fine. More like he was watching his owl life with a screen. Unable to really feel what he was feeling, and at most, empathise with the character who's ghastly life he was watching.

He understood what had happened - he was young, but most certainly not stupid, he knew his parents were not coming back. He felt nothing for a day and a night. Then, the pain came.

It was not like a wave, drowning him, like it was described in books and comics. Because even when drowning, you can see the light, and the light, gives you hope.

Ace had been absorbed by nothing and yet everything. Now, all he felt, saw and touched was pain. The morning they had begun, his grandmother had found him trembling in his bed, his body racked with sweat, his muscles and tendons so tense they felt like they were going to snap.

She had tried to calm him down and called an ambulance, believing it to be a panic attack or something. She hugged him, attempting to comfort the distressed child. And yet, nothing had hurt as much as what she felt that morning, every time she touched him, he cried and wailed. It made no difference how soft her caress was, or how comforting her hug was, the response was the same.

And that was how they found her, on her knees, at the foot of the bed, tears welling in her eyes, as Ace, that beautiful, happy child, was wracked with temblors the likes she had never seen before.

For a day, until the results from countless tests came, she thought he did not love her anymore, and wondered if it would be better to let him live on his own, simply sending money every week, and giving him personal space.

And yet, once the results came, she felt even worse - something she did not think was even possible. She had not been able to understand the child, to alleviate his discomfort, to help when needed. To that grandson of hers, she had not been able to help.

They tried to convince her it was not her fault, that she did her best. But she felt hollow inside, and it was all because of her uselessness, it was as if all the time she had spent with him did not mean anything to her, he had depended on her, and she had simply kicked him down to the curb, like a stray dog.

***

That night, the revolution began. Samantha began by finding the perpetrators, a truck company that had skimped on checks and repairs, and due to their carelessness, their driver and her family were now dead. She gave the driver's family a whole lot of money, enough for three generations to live comfortably. They accepted, they knew she came in peace, and was just as broken as they were - if not more. They had each other, and yet, she had no one.

Then, she went after the company, she crushed them to the ground. Choking them with fines, debts and bad press. Once she was done, she figured out her plan.

She was planning on how to take over, and her projects began. During the following weeks, she began to move her pieces, conquering the necessary institutions and businesses. She now had the space and means, now, she just had to put her project in place.

The plans took months to create, during which Ace had returned to normal - minus the pain. He did not smile as often, or show any of his emotions, really, but to a stranger, he was the same person he was before, if a bit affected by the deaths of his parents, which was normal.

She dedicated her life to the project, and once she was done, she named, 'The Tower', after her grandson, who's aura and potential still towered over everyone else's, even after the accident. Her grandson, the person she had dedicated her life to, and the person she truly wished to care for, even if it was in her own way.