It was midday as Ace walked through the dormitory hall, he was back from an all-night delivery and an extra morning shift. He was just returning, and his body ached.“I have $250 saved and mom gave me $100; now I can buy Lisa that birthday gift. I'll work harder to pay my school fees; a few night shifts wouldn’t hurt.” Ace said, taking a step into his room.He had to admit that although his current life was hard, he found it rather enjoyable, spending it with a girl that he loved and who loved him.Ace met his roommates gathered over his computer.A frown appeared on Ace’s face, and he lashed out, “Hey! You guys shouldn't touch my things!” Ace said in annoyance.“Yo Ace, come over here.” Reed, a tall blonde, beckoned to Ace.“What's that?” Ace quirked his brows. He wasn't interested in what they were watching.He was furious when he heard the sounds of moaning. “Give it to me.” He dropped his bag and went to the group.However, as he came closer, his eyes widened.Ace felt a dull ach
Ace rushed to the hospital as fast as he could, desperate to find out what state his mother was in.“Hi, I was told that my mom was rushed here in an emergency. Can you please help me find her?” Ace hurriedly said to a nurse who was standing behind a desk, busy typing on her computer.The woman didn’t pay any attention to him at first, causing a deep frown to appear on Ace’s face.“Hello, I’m talking to you,” Ace said again, through gritted teeth. The woman looked up at him, wondering if she knew him from somewhere.“Who are you looking for?” she asked calmly.“Mrs. Winchester,” Ace uttered, his patience wearing thin.“Yes, that poor woman. She was brought here after suffering a heart attack. I heard it was because her house was taken away from her and—hey! You can’t go in there!” The nurse was mid-sentence when Ace abruptly walked away.He couldn’t understand why the nurse was rambling on, but Ace was burning with anger and hatred. He knew Richard had something to do with it, and he
The ride to the hospital was tense and silent. Ace kept thinking about the investment Luther had mentioned, and something struck him.He had always assumed there was another person with the name ‘Winchester,’ but it had been him all along. Luther had used his name to partner with the school.Ace wondered how big his name had become without his knowledge. It had to be pretty significant if there were twenty trillion dollars in his account.“We're here,” Luther said in a sing-song voice, but his expression changed when he saw the annoyance on Ace’s face.“Wait for me, and call the top doctors here,” Ace ordered as he stepped out of the car.“But these are top doctors; they’re usually very busy,” Luther hesitated, trying to suggest Ace call someone else.“I want the best for my mom, Luther. Nothing should interfere with that,” Ace declared, not looking back.It had only been yesterday when he last visited his mother, and he wanted to know what had happened since then.Ace walked to his m
Doctor James was dumbfounded."Sell my hospital? Impossible! Not even to this man," he thought furiously.Ace looked at him, knowing full well that James would never agree to sell his hospital, and that was exactly what Ace was counting on—so he could utterly crush him.“I can’t sell my hospital to the likes of you. I don’t know how you managed to get such legendary doctors to work for you, but I don’t believe you could afford anything in this building. I refuse to sell anything to you,” Doctor James snorted in disgust as he picked himself up from the floor.Ace merely glanced at him, then turned to Luther.“Call the General Commanding Police Commissioner and tell him that Winchester is on the phone,” Ace ordered Luther, who immediately picked up his phone.Doctor James sneered at Ace’s statement. “You think a simple bluff will scare me? There’s no way you can do that.”Luther handed the phone to Ace.“Hello, GCPC Gideon…” Ace directed his smile at James, whose face had turned white.
“What do you want, Quinn? Spill it,” Ace demanded.The lady sitting beside Quinn looked up at Ace with a frown. “How dare you speak to my grandfather like that? You should know your place,” she spat in disgust.Ace glanced at her but didn’t say a word, turning his attention back to Quinn and completely ignoring the girl.“You’re wasting my time here, Quinn. I have other matters to attend to,” Ace spoke again, causing Quinn’s granddaughter to flush with anger.Quinn placed a calming hand on the girl’s shoulder as she started to rise. “But Grandpapi?” she protested, unable to understand why her grandfather tolerated such behavior.“Sit down, Andrea. It is because of this man that we have our wealth now,” Quinn replied in a different language, and the girl fell silent.Ace understood what Quinn had said, and he grinned at Andrea.“I want you to accompany my granddaughter to her convocation and inauguration as the new owner of all my industries. I know there will be a lot of my enemies ar
Ace had chosen a well-tailored outfit for the job he had received from Quinn.“I think you look rather handsome in that suit,” Luther had remarked as Ace was about to leave, but Ace waved it off.“I don't need your snarky comments, Luther. I'm already aware of how good I look,” Ace replied with a subtle smile.He had slept in a hotel the previous night and mentally noted that he would need to find his own place soon.“I want to drive the car,” Ace declared as he snatched the Lamborghini keys from Luther.“Please don’t scratch it,” Luther pleaded, his eyes wide with concern as he watched Ace open the car door with more force than necessary.“Get another one, Luther, and let me be. If you don't see me by midnight, get reinforcements,” Ace ordered, slamming the car door shut, making Luther wince.Ace drove to the General Chancellor's house at a leisurely pace, his expression stoic. His midnight blue suit added an air of royalty and majesty to his presence.Ace arrived at the house a minu
“What is he saying?” the gang leader asked the person beside him.“He said that he alone is more than all of us here,” the person answered.The leader burst out laughing and pointed a finger at Ace. “You should be in the circus for your funny behavior. How can you say that one of you is more than the thirteen of us here?” The leader snarled in disgust.Ace ignored the remark and looked at his watch. He needed to be at the event before Andrea's speech.“Hurry up with whatever you're planning. I'm running behind schedule,” Ace said coolly.The gang leader’s anger flared. He had taken time to come out here, and this guy was acting like it was nothing.“Who do you think you are? Get him, boys!” he ordered, and they rushed at Ace with their knives and weapons, ready to cut him down.Andrea, who was sitting in the car, couldn’t clearly see what was happening behind the tinted glass, but she saw them rush at Ace.Suddenly, her car door was yanked open, and someone forcefully dragged her out.
Even the media was drawn to the sweet sound of Andrea’s laughter.“Ace? Poor? You must be mistaken. You’ve lost a good man,” Andrea said to Lisa, recalling the scene of Ace saving her during the ambush.“I don't care. He never gave me anything, and he has nothing. I don't want someone who is nothing,” Lisa’s ego took a hit from Andrea's comment, and she retaliated.“Ace? He's a million times better than your current man,” Andrea replied with a smirk.Andrea knew that Ace would disappear after completing his job, but her curiosity got the better of her; she didn't want him to leave just yet.“How do you know that?” Lisa asked, glancing at Ace and then back at Andrea. “Have you two been seeing each other?” Lisa questioned.This time, Ace stepped forward.“Not everyone would stoop as low as you have, and furthermore, what I do with my life is no longer your concern,” Ace retorted sharply.“How dare you speak to her like that?” Richard rushed forward, ready to punch Ace, but Andrea's voic
The sun beat down on the rugged terrain, its golden light reflecting off jagged rocks and uneven ground. Ace stood silently at the edge of a ridge, his sharp eyes scanning the landscape below. His posture was calm but commanding, a stark contrast to the environment’s chaotic topography. Beside him, Andrea Thorn reviewed a map on her tablet, her movements precise and purposeful.“This section here,” Andrea said, pointing to a particularly steep incline. “It’s unstable. Reinforcements won’t be enough if we’re aiming for sustainability.”Ace crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. “Rerouting the flow through the lower ridge might work,” he replied. His voice was measured, each word deliberate. “But it’ll cost us time. Is it worth it?”Andrea glanced at him, her expression neutral. “If you’re willing to sacrifice time for structural integrity, yes.”Ace didn’t respond immediately, his attention pulled toward a faint sound in the distance—a car engine, growing louder by the second. Hi
Richard Conner sat in the stifling confines of the interim principal’s office, the crumpled expulsion letter trembling in his hand. His leg bounced furiously, barely containing the rage bubbling beneath the surface. The conversation replayed endlessly in his head, each word striking against his fragile ego."Effective immediately, you are no longer a student at this institution…"The reason? Vague. The phrasing? Cloaked in administrative ambiguity. The underlying message? Crystal clear. He was done. Finished. And no one could—or would—offer him an explanation. The interim principal’s curt, dismissive tone echoed in his ears, leaving no room for negotiation, no avenue for appeal.“Damn it!” Richard growled under his breath, shoving the letter into his pocket as he stormed out of the office. Students loitering in the hallway instinctively parted, their whispers following him like an annoying swarm of gnats.His mind spun with chaos—a storm of anger, humiliation, and panic. Expulsion was
Ace moved through the hospital’s quiet hallways until he reached the door of Mr. Quinn’s room. Inside, the ambient hum of medical machinery filled the air, an almost rhythmic accompaniment to the steady rise and fall of the elder's chest as he rested. Ace’s expression softened slightly as he entered, but his posture remained guarded.“Mr. Quinn,” Ace greeted in a low, respectful tone. The man on the bed stirred, turning to look at him, his eyes warming with recognition and a hint of relief.“Ace…” Mr. Quinn murmured, his voice rasping with the effort to speak. “I didn’t think... you’d come.”“I came to ensure everything is under control,” Ace replied, his voice measured and calm, masking the underlying worry that only he could detect. The world saw Quinn as a powerful, almost untouchable figure, but to Ace, he was a leader worthy of respect—a figure who had shaped and guided the world around him.As they exchanged a few more words, the door opened, and Andrea walked in, her face light
Ace stood beside his car, his gaze fixed solemnly on the road ahead. Night had settled over the city, and the glow from the My Lady Hotel cast a faint light on his face, accentuating his already steely expression. Just as he reached for the car door, a voice broke through the silence.“Ace! Wait!”Lisa’s voice was desperate as she hurried up behind him, her breaths coming in short, rapid bursts. Ace turned slowly, his cold eyes meeting hers without a trace of warmth. “What else is there to say, Lisa?” His tone was icy, his demeanor guarded.She hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer, her face softened with regret. “I… I know I was wrong, Ace. Please, just… forgive me.” Her voice trembled, her eyes glossy with unshed tears as she looked up at him pleadingly.Ace didn’t flinch. His gaze remained steady, and yet, deep within, an old wound seemed to stir, recalling the bitterness of her betrayal. “Forgive you?” he scoffed, a slight sneer forming at the corner of his mouth. “Do you re
Ace stepped into the grand lobby of the My Lady hotel, the luxurious atmosphere surrounding him in stark contrast to the simple life he had lived for many years. He had grown accustomed to staying in the shadows, living a humble existence, far removed from the wealth and power of this world. But now, returning to My Lady, Ace knew he had to confront both his past and present.As he exited the elevator and walked toward the entrance, Ace quickly noticed the stares from people around him. A group gathered near the reception desk, chatting animatedly, but they all went silent the moment they spotted him.A voice suddenly called out from behind, pulling Ace back from his thoughts.“Hey, isn’t that Ace? The broke kid from school?”Ace turned around, locking eyes with a familiar face—though not someone he had ever been particularly close to. It was Jack, someone who had attended the same school as Ace, but they had never really been friends. Standing beside Jack was a group of his friends,
Ace stepped closer to Oliver, his eyes fixed on the older man, unblinking. The entire room was thick with tension as everyone’s gaze followed the two of them.“How do we know you’re the real Ace?” Oliver’s sneer curled his lips, his sharp eyes gleaming with suspicion. His tone was laced with the intention to apply pressure. “A man who vanished for years suddenly reappears… It’s more than a little suspicious.”Ace remained unfazed, staring straight into Oliver’s eyes. “You doubt me? After all these years, you still don’t believe that I’m the only one capable of running My Lady?”Oliver scoffed, stepping closer to Ace, their distance shrinking by the second. “Anyone can fake the identity of a dead man. We need more than fairy tales to rely on.”“A dead man?” Ace chuckled coldly, his voice echoing ominously through the room. “Is that what you think? Let me remind you, Oliver, that it was my signature on the contract that saved you from bankruptcy. Is there anyone here who dares to deny t
“How dare you…” Richard roared, but as soon as he realized it was Andrea, he immediately swallowed his words, reverting to a respectful attitude. “Miss!”“Get out of here! And remember, Richard, keep your bitch under control. Don’t make me angry!”Andrea spoke with a veiled threat, but everyone understood its meaning. No matter how angry Lisa was, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and walk away. Compared to Andrea, she was nothing.“Andrea…” Before Ace could finish his sentence, she had already pulled him into a tight embrace. He could hear soft sniffles by his ear. Was she… crying?“Wait, what’s going on?” He still didn’t understand what was happening.A moment later, Andrea regained her composure and let go of Ace. She spoke clearly, “I found out about the recent attack. Thankfully, my grandfather is safe.”“That’s it? Well, that’s good. I thought it was something more serious…”She was slightly taken aback by his indifferent attitude. Does he not care?“My grandfather told
Ace rushed into the thick smoke, the heat from the blazing fire scorching his skin. The explosion moments ago didn't just shake the entire building, but also sent electrical sparks shooting through the dark hallway, making everything unstable.All around were the creaking sounds, like signs of an imminent collapse. Everything was terrifying!In an instant, Ace glanced back and saw Luther had safely led Quinn away. But that didn't stop him from charging towards the burning room. "Julius, where are you?"His voice choked, as if swallowed by the crumbling space, echoing without any reply.Ace's steps didn't slow down. He knew that if he didn't move fast, Julius would be burned alive in the very prison his own mistakes had created. Ace's heart pounded loudly in his chest, time felt like it was shattering.But deep inside, Lisa's voice echoed like a silent plea. "My father .. please, save my father."The smoke thickened, obscuring his vision, but Ace was used to this feeling. His eyes lock
"Sir, please forgive me, just one..." Julius desperately knelt on the ground, his trembling hands clutching at Ace's pants. His face was full of remorse, cold sweat running down his forehead. His voice was choked, as if he had only one last glimmer of hope left in his despair.Ace bent down, his icy gaze locking onto Julius without a hint of expression. “Forgive you? Do you think you deserve to say that? Do you remember how I begged you during the scholarship decision?”Julius trembled, desperately searching for something in Ace's eyes, but found nothing. His hands slowly slipped away, his head bowed in defeat. “I… I was wrong… but please…”“Shut up.” Ace cut him off, his voice like cold steel. “You had your chance, and you betrayed my trust. Don't think I will be merciful this time.” He turned his back and walked away, leaving Julius collapsed on the ground.Julius had nothing left to say, kneeling there quietly in shame and regret, watching as Ace left him behind. In the distance, Q