Crash!
Inside Tony Stark's private villa, the dark room suddenly lit up. Under J.A.R.V.I.S.'s control, the automated curtains lifted, allowing warm rays of sunlight to stream through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The once-dim bedroom was now bathed in golden light.
Across the glass, digital panels appeared in quick succession—displaying the time, weather, temperature, and oxygen concentration.
On the soft Simmons bed, Pepper Potts slowly woke up. She stretched lazily and glanced at the man standing by the window. Seeing her lover, she couldn't help but feel that she had everything she could ever want.
"Honey, what are you staring at?" she teased softly.
Dressed in a red nightgown that highlighted her perfect figure, Pepper walked up behind Tony, hugged him gently, and rested her cheek against his broad back.
"Sweetheart, you finally got up. The sun's practically roasting your ass already," Tony joked, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips. He turned around, met Pepper's loving gaze, and gave her a quick kiss before grabbing a pizza box from the nearby table.
"Heart-shaped pizza—for my beloved Pepper Potts."
Pepper chuckled when she saw the cute writing on the pizza. With a bright smile, she picked up a small slice—but then her eyes landed on a messy corner of the table. There, resting quietly, was a circular device glowing faintly with white light.
"Tony, what is this?" she asked curiously, walking over to the object.
"That?" Tony replied, his tone half-serious, half-playful. "That's a miniature Arc Reactor. A little something made by the genius Tony Stark."
Pepper rolled her eyes at his narcissism, though a fond smile tugged at her lips. She carefully picked up the reactor, realizing just how valuable the tiny device in her hands was.
"This is beautiful, Tony. Why would you leave something so important just lying around?"
"That one's obsolete," Tony said casually, glancing over. "I was planning to throw it out. You know me—I'm not exactly the sentimental type."
Pepper shook her head helplessly. "Alright then, I'll keep it safe for you."
After changing into her work clothes, Pepper left the villa for Stark Industries. As the head of the Public Relations Department, she held a high-ranking position—at least on paper. In reality, Obadiah Stane had been quietly undermining her authority, and even Tony's influence as chairman was being slowly eroded.
Before leaving, she called back to remind him, "Oh, by the way, Tony, the new secretary for the chairman's office has been chosen. Are you interested in meeting her? I heard she's quite the beauty."
J.A.R.V.I.S. automatically connected the call, her voice echoing through the hall.
"I see," Tony replied lightly. "I'll go meet her."
After hanging up, his expression darkened. The warmth from earlier faded, replaced by cold calculation. "Everything's in place," he muttered. "Obadiah will definitely go after the Arc Reactor Pepper has. That means… the Iron Monger will soon be born."
A cold smile appeared on his lips as a limited-edition Koenigsegg rolled out of the garage. Tony stepped inside, the engine roared to life, and the car sped away from the villa.
At the Stark Building, a stunning red-haired woman in a professional outfit walked in, holding a folder. Her striking appearance immediately drew the attention of everyone in the lobby.
"Welcome, Miss Wanda. It's a pleasure to have you join Stark Industries," Pepper said politely, though she couldn't help feeling a hint of envy. The new secretary's beauty and poise were undeniable.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Potts," Wanda replied with a warm smile. "My name is Wanda Maximoff. I look forward to working with you."
Following Tony's arrangement, Wanda Maximoff, also known as the Scarlet Witch, had officially joined as his personal secretary—a perfect cover for someone with her unique abilities.
When she arrived on the top floor, she found Tony sitting leisurely in his chair, gazing down at the New York skyline.
"Mr. Stark," she greeted softly, bowing slightly. "I'm your new secretary—Wanda."
Tony looked up, a faint smirk on his face. "Miss Wanda, it's a pleasure to have you on board."
Their eyes met for a brief moment—an unspoken understanding passing between them. The act was perfect, and the illusion complete. Tony had placed Wanda here for a reason: to use her psychic powers to observe everything happening within Stark Industries.
"It's an honor, sir," Wanda replied with a charming smile, her eyes glimmering faintly.
Meanwhile, inside Obadiah Stane's private laboratory, the bald industrialist stared at a holographic display showing Tony and Wanda speaking together. His expression was grim, his jaw tight.
"Tony Stark," he sneered, his tone filled with venom. "Still playing your games."
He had already discovered that Tony secretly handed something to Pepper—a small Arc Reactor. His analysts confirmed it was the key to Stark's incredible new energy source.
Now, his own Iron Monger armor was finally complete—equipped with an arsenal of Stark Industries' finest weapons.
Aware of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s formidable capabilities, Obadiah had designed a hybrid control system for his armor—part manual, part intelligent—to ensure the AI couldn't interfere.
Picking up his phone, he pressed a single button.
"Get ready for action," he ordered coldly.
The war between Stark and Stane was about to begin.
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