…
"So how did you survive the car accident?"
"Luck."
"And these past three months?"
"Floating in the ocean."
"How did you deal with the kidnappers?"
"Superpowers."
"Don't joke. I heard it was a nuclear weapon."
"Rumor."
"You're seriously brushing me off like this?"
"What exactly do you expect me to say?"
Christine Everhart exhaled sharply.
"Oh my God. I'm going insane."
"Are you even human?"
"F—!"
…
Afterward—
Christine tossed a stack of photographs and a key onto the bed.
"This is what you call being responsible?"
Leon flipped through the photos one by one.
Armed militants were forcing displaced villagers to move crates of weapons—advanced Stark Industries hardware clearly visible in the images.
"Judging by your face, you're not surprised," Christine said coolly.
"The town's called Gulmira. It's been occupied by heavily armed terrorists. They're using weapons from Stark Industries' so-called discontinued weapons division."
"If these photos go public, Stark Industries' credibility will collapse. The stock price—already tanking—will plummet even further."
Wrapped in a white sheet, hair disheveled, Christine leaned against the headboard, watching Leon calmly dress.
"Are you threatening me?" Leon asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"No," she replied. "I'm reminding you. Stark Industries is at its most vulnerable. One wrong move and it's finished."
"Maybe you should investigate who authorized those shipments."
Christine wasn't just chasing headlines.
In her own ambitions, she had already begun to suspect Obadiah Stane.
If Leon grew suspicious—
Tony would follow.
Everything would unravel naturally.
That was her plan.
But she hadn't anticipated this—
"I know," Leon said casually.
"It was Obadiah."
"My accident. Tony's kidnapping by the Ten Rings. The weapons leak."
Christine froze.
"What?"
Her carefully constructed persuasion collapsed in an instant.
Was this really Leon Stark—the infamous reckless playboy?
He felt… different.
"When were these taken?" Leon asked.
"Yesterday."
"Got it."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.
"Thanks, Christine."
By the time he left, she was still staring at the door.
Why did his acknowledgment feel… good?
After a moment, she tried to stand—
And immediately winced, legs giving out.
She fell back onto the bed.
"Hiss—"
"What a brute…"
"Even a jackhammer would file a complaint."
…
Leon stepped into the hallway—
And nearly collided with Pepper.
"Leon!"
"Hey, Pepper."
"Obadiah's been looking for you everywhere. I've been searching for half an hour. What exactly have you been doing? Don't tell me you were—"
She didn't finish the sentence.
She didn't need to.
"Nothing like that," Leon said smoothly, waving the stack of photos. "I was handling something important with a journalist friend."
At that exact moment—
The door behind him opened.
"Leon, you broke the zipper on my dress. Have someone send up a replacement. And also—oh. Hello, Miss Potts."
Christine stood there wrapped in a sheet.
Pepper's gaze shifted between the two.
"Leon. This is what you call important business?"
"…Technically?"
Leon shrugged.
…
Moments later—
Pepper marched Leon into a private VIP lounge where Tony was waiting.
"Hey, kid," Tony smirked. "What crime did you commit to earn that look from Pepper?"
"Drop it," Leon muttered.
He scanned the room.
"Where's Rhodey? And Yinsen?"
"Rhodey's on assignment with the Air Force," Tony replied. "And Yinsen's buried in transition planning for the company. I tried giving him time off—he refused."
"Wanted to 'be alone,' apparently."
Leon nodded slowly.
"I think I know why."
He handed the photos to Tony.
"This is Gulmira. Yinsen's hometown, right?"
Tony's expression hardened as he reviewed the images.
"This was yesterday," Leon added.
Tony lowered the stack.
"Pepper. Besides me and Leon… who has authorization to approve weapons shipments?"
"The board of directors… and Mr. Stane."
Silence filled the room.
"Tony… you don't think—"
"I don't want to," Tony said quietly.
Leon leaned toward Pepper and whispered something into her ear.
"Take Happy with you."
Pepper nodded firmly and hurried out.
The room grew quiet again.
Tony stared at the floor.
"Leon… the company's practically run by Obie. He has operational control. He has resources. He has my tech support."
"What more could he possibly want?"
Leon exhaled slowly.
If not for the memories of another life—
He might not have been able to remain this composed.
Betrayal from someone you trusted like family…
That cut deep.
"Maybe that's just human nature," Leon said at last.
"Give someone one sheep, they want two. Give them two, they want three."
"Desire is like a boulder rolling downhill."
"Once it starts… it doesn't stop."