"Thanks! But no time!"
The seventy-something Black Widow glanced at Aetheris and instantly saw through his thoughts, shutting him down on the spot—no hesitation, no mercy.
"Uh, well… alright then. I hope you find the Captain soon."
It was Aetheris's first ever failed attempt at flirting. Embarrassed, he scratched his ear and made a swift retreat.
After leaving S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret base, he suddenly found himself with nothing to do.
The company was in Pepper's capable hands.Betty Ross was busy with her classes.And Nova? She was now working full-time as Pepper's personal secretary.
Who knew what kind of magic Pepper had pulled—those two had become so close they could've shared a closet. They weren't giving him even half a chance.
"Where do I even go now?"
In that moment, Aetheris was plagued by the classic problem of the filthy rich—he had money, time, and absolutely no one to spend them with.
Suddenly, a lightbulb went off.
The nanny—he'd requested one this morning, hadn't he? Time to check on that.
Pulling over into a quiet roadside grove, he opened his phone and checked his email.
There it was: a document and photo from Vincent "Half-the-City."
He tapped open the file.
Name: Wei.
To his surprise, the nanny was already thirty-one. That hit him with immediate disappointment.
Everyone knew the stereotype—after thirty, it's all downhill. Especially for women in rural areas, where years of sun and manual labor often left the skin coarse and leathery.
But that wasn't even the worst part.
Women raised in crowded, multi-generational households back East were often forced to evolve into verbal warriors. Even the sweetest girl, after years of domestic strife, could end up with a tongue sharper than steel.
Some could argue circles around you like Winston Churchill delivering a verbal beatdown.
Feeling resigned, Aetheris tapped open the attached photo.
...Huh?
He hadn't expected much but the moment the image loaded, his eyes widened, and his hand actually trembled.
It was just a basic bridal studio photo. Cookie-cutter setup. Bad lighting.
And yet—
Even with no makeup, wearing a plain top, the woman in the photo was breathtaking.
Her oval-shaped face was perfectly proportioned, her skin flawless—smooth and dewy like porcelain.
Her hair wasn't styled, just naturally flowing over her shoulders, revealing a clean, graceful forehead.
Her ink-dark brows were softly arched, and those almond-shaped eyes shimmered with so much life that he could practically feel their magnetism through the screen.
She was the kind of woman whose beauty could dismantle an empire.
And then—those lips.
Full, soft, and seductive—the kind that reminded him of Scarlett Johansson.
Vincent really outdid himself this time.
But seriously—how could someone this stunning be working as a nanny?
What kind of man would let a woman like her go off and work for someone else?
What if she ran into someone worse than him?
Just as he was about to spiral, his phone rang.
Vincent "Half-the-City."
"Mr. Stark, I've sent over the documents. Please check your email."
"Vincent, where did you find her? You didn't strong-arm her into this, did you? If there's even a whiff of coercion, I'm out."
Say what you will about Aetheris—he was a playboy, sure, but he had a bottom line. He wasn't about to tear apart someone's family or exploit a woman in trouble. Not his style.
Forget Thanos, he'd get destroyed online before the snap even happened.
"Relax. Her husband racked up a mountain of gambling debt. When the collectors showed up, the guy tried to offer her as payment.
My men aren't saints, but they're not scumbags either. They saw how beautiful she was, and they weren't going to let those dirtbags touch her. So they paid off the debt—double—but only on the condition that he divorce her.
The man chose the money. She was left completely alone. No family, no support, no way to pay off the debt on her own. Honestly, she'd probably say yes to working for a beggar if it meant food on the table."
"Vincent, you really are a genius." Aetheris couldn't help but admire him.
This was the elite way—why lift a finger when loyal men would bring the best offerings to your door?
Damn. If only his own hangers-on were this competent.
This was the kind of pedigree that money couldn't buy.
"So," Vincent said, "satisfied with this one? If not, I'll keep looking."
"No need. She's perfect. Any idea when I'll be able to—hehe…"
A grin crept across his face.
She looked so tempting in just a photo. Seeing her in person might short-circuit his brain.
"She's still sorting out her passport. Worst case, she'll be at your place by tomorrow," Vincent said.
"Pfft, that's faster than express delivery." Aetheris laughed.
This wasn't just a package. This was a living, breathing woman crossing borders.
"Alright then. I won't keep you. Let's grab a drink sometime," Vincent added.
"Definitely. I've always wanted to pick your brain about that shared-space real estate model of yours. I'm looking at U.S. property markets and could use some guidance."
"You flatter me!"
They exchanged a few more pleasantries, then ended the call.
Aetheris looked down at the photo again.
Just a basic round-neck T-shirt, and she already looked like this?
No, he had to stop.
One more glance and his inner Hulk might break free. And unlike Bruce Banner, he didn't carry spare stretchy pants.
Time to focus.
There were more important things right now like checking in on Spider-kid.
"Nova, prepare a gift for me. I'm going to visit an old friend," he said, tone thoughtful.
He had no intention of treating Spider-kid like a subordinate.
After all, if you want a horse to run fast, you've got to feed it well.
Knock knock knock.
Night had fallen by the time Aetheris and Nova arrived at the Parker residence.
"Tony Stark, is that you?" Ben Parker opened the door.
"Come in, come in! Honey, look who's here!" he called into the house.
"Oh my, it's Tony Stark. You really didn't have to bring anything!" Aunt May said modestly though her hands rather eagerly accepted the box.
"Wow, is this a watch? A Patek Philippe!" she exclaimed, recognizing the brand instantly.
(End of Chapter)
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