"A supernatural ecosystem?"
Natasha was shocked. SHIELD had zero intel on this.
"Don't stare at me like I'm the threat," Vincent said, leaning back. "I'm harmless. I'm just a rich kid who wants to enjoy life."
"Harmless?" Natasha scoffed. "You froze an entire island. You're a walking nuke."
"Nuclear weapons are deterrents. Biological experiments are hazards. Both created by humans," Vincent countered calmly. "When have I ever attacked civilians? The Triads were a cancer. Kingpin was a tyrant. I only removed the tumors."
"There are laws in this country," Natasha said softly.
"Laws are for the majority. They maintain order for the sheep," Vincent replied, his voice dropping an octave. "But you and I know how dark the world really is beneath the surface. My existence challenges the power structure. That's why SHIELD fears me."
Natasha fell silent. He wasn't wrong.
Vincent softened his tone. "Let's stop talking about unhappy things. Go get some rest, Natasha. You'll need your strength."
"My Knight," Natasha smiled, stretching her arms. The oversized shirt rode up, revealing a glimpse of her thigh. "Protect me while I sleep."
"It would be my honor, Princess," Vincent bowed theatrically.
Natasha laughed and headed upstairs.
Vincent watched her go, his heart pounding. She's dangerous.
But he had other business.
He opened his laptop and logged into his brokerage account.
Tony Stark was back. He had ousted Obadiah Stane (Iron Monger) and was repurchasing shares. Stark Industries stock had skyrocketed to $211.
Vincent's leveraged position was now worth a fortune.
"Time to close."
He sold everything.
[Transaction Complete.]
[Net Profit: $10.1 Billion.]
Vincent sat back, stunned.
[Wealth Points: 10,187,750,000]
[Desire Points: 680,000]
He paid off his bank loans. He was now a legitimate billionaire.
"I have enough wealth for now," Vincent mused. "But to reach the cosmic level... I'll need trillions."
He thought about acquiring Oscorp. But not yet.
Evening.
Natasha woke up in the guest bedroom.
For the first time in years, she had slept peacefully. No nightmares. No assassins.
She looked around. The room was filled with roses. At the foot of the bed hung a stunning evening gown.
A note rested on the pillow:
For the beautiful Princess Natasha. - Your Knight.
Natasha felt a lump in her throat.
She had come here prepared to offer her body as a transaction. A cold exchange for a mission.
But Vincent had turned it into a fairytale.
She dressed slowly, savoring the moment. Even if it was an illusion, she wanted to believe in it for one night.
She walked down the stairs.
Vincent was waiting in a white tuxedo. The dining room was lit by candlelight. A violinist played softly in the corner.
"Thank you," Natasha whispered.
"Don't thank me," Vincent took her hand. "I don't care about your past. I only see the beautiful woman in front of me today."
They dined. They laughed.
When the music stopped and the staff withdrew, the atmosphere shifted.
The air crackled with tension.
Vincent led her upstairs, not as a client claiming a prize, but as a lover claiming his partner.
Outside, a storm raged. Inside, a different kind of storm began.
Meanwhile. Manhattan.
While romance blossomed on Long Island, blood flowed in the city.
A monstrous figure crashed into the penthouse of Norman Osborn.
The Spider-Beast—Peter Parker—extended eight razor-sharp legs from his back.
Norman Osborn, the founder of Oscorp, screamed as the creature tore him apart.
The future Green Goblin died before he was ever born, a victim of his own company's twisted legacy.
Down on the street, an older man in a lab coat watched the rain fall on Oscorp Tower.
Dr. Connors adjusted his glasses. His eyes flashed yellow.
"I'm back, Oscorp," he hissed.
This was where his dream began. And this was where he would ascend.
The Oscorp gene vault was waiting.
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