>>3864>After thanking both of the engineers, Silas walks off back towards where Aiden is standing."As usual, another breakthrough quarter of financial success. I read the earnings report on the flight here."
>Silas says, giving his son a smile as Aiden sighs and crosses his arms."Yeah, thanks dad. I appreciate that."
>Still smiling, Silas slowly cranes his head to the side, curious about Aiden's reservedness. "Phoebe told me what happened, earlier today."
>Aiden sighs as he states:"I don't know how you do it, dad. Handle all of this. The pressure of everything - constantly."
>Silas looks around for a moment before he starts talking."As you can imagine, the pressure of handling a multi-trillion dollar corporation isn't a walk in the park - clearly. However, I would far prefer it to my earlier days, back when Elias and I had to scrounge around for money whenever we could."
>Aiden nods as he states:"I remember, you've told me the story a million times by now."
>Smiling, Silas then places his hands in his own coat pockets, stating:"Well then you remember where we got our names."
>Thinking for a split second, Aiden then says:"I remember grandpa naming you after Silvanus, because apparently he found you in the woods as a baby. Same with uncle Eli."
>Silas nods slowly, stating:"Even I don't know who my birth parents are. Your grandfather, Amadeus, was our surrogate father. But he didn't have enough money to support us outside of the basics. It took everything we had in order to build something for ourselves."
>Aiden then asks the pertinent question."….But what drove you to go through all of that, to build all of this? You didn't found Archeon until the 90s, so why…"
>Silas then takes out his wallet and slowly looks through the folds for a specific picture that he had folded up. Taking it out, he then hands it to Aiden, saying:"This is why."
>Looking at the picture after unfolding it, Aiden sees the image of a small boy with midnight black hair and piercing blue eyes. As his own eyes widen, Aiden immediately recognizes the identity of the boy as he looks up at Silas."Becoming a father changes you - in so many different ways. But it gives you something important."
>Putting a hand on Aiden's shoulder, Silas then states:"Most of all, it gives you purpose. A reason to go on, even when everything else seemingly fades away."