"Mr. Parker!"
"Mr. Stark!"
In recent days, Peter had grown accustomed to such exclamations.
Ever since Stephen Hawking's identity had been confirmed by media outlets around the world, Umbrella Corporation's stock had skyrocketed once again.
But this time—
"Skyrocketing" was an understatement.
Half a month ago, when Umbrella unveiled the Red Devil powered armor and the regenerative serum, its market value had doubled within a week, catching up to Stark Industries, which was backed by Iron Man himself.
Now, in just three days—
Umbrella had surpassed it.
And this rise was even more dramatic.
The earlier wave of negative publicity had driven Umbrella's valuation down to less than $30 billion, barely sustained by military orders for the Red Devil armor.
From that low point—
It had surged past Stark Industries.
…
Which meant that, at this very moment—
Standing face to face—
Peter Parker was richer than Tony Stark.
With Peter holding 55% of Umbrella Corporation and Tony owning 52% of Stark Industries, the comparison was straightforward—at least on paper.
Of course, market value wasn't liquid wealth. It fluctuated constantly, subject to the whims of the stock market. In terms of actual cash and assets, Tony still held the advantage.
For now.
Because once the regenerative serum completed its final testing phase—effectively transitioning from "beta" to full release—
Everything would change.
Mass production.
Global medical partnerships.
Unlimited demand.
Calling it "printing money" would be an understatement.
Even "earning money by the bucketful" felt almost insulting.
After all—
A "bucket" of gold, by traditional measure, amounted to only a few hundred thousand dollars.
For most people, that was a lifetime's worth of earnings.
For Umbrella?
It wouldn't even account for one-thousandth of a single day's profit.
Tony studied the young man standing before him.
For a fleeting moment, an odd thought crossed his mind.
If I'd been a little more reckless back then…
I might already have a kid this age.
Looking at Peter's youthful face, his well-built physique, the calm confidence in his smile—and the firm grip of his handshake—
Tony felt something unfamiliar stir within him.
Jealousy.
At eighteen, Tony had been drifting through life, indulging in excess. His parents were still alive then, and despite attending MIT, he had lived more like a carefree playboy than a future titan of industry.
But this man—
Standing in front of him—
Was already his equal.
Perhaps even someone he now had to negotiate with carefully.
"I have to admit," Tony said with a grin, gesturing for Peter to take a seat at his table, "I really admire what you did."
He leaned back slightly, his tone casual but pointed.
"That move of yours… Norman probably never saw it coming. In less than two months, everything he built was gone."
Tony Stark had never been particularly magnanimous.
Oscorp had once been Stark Industries' greatest rival, and Norman Osborn—originally mentored by Howard Stark—had often been praised as a business genius who surpassed Tony himself.
It had always irritated him.
Now?
That rivalry had ended.
Peter sat down calmly, his expression unchanged.
"Tony," he replied lightly, "do you know something?"
He met Tony's gaze directly.
"When people like us call someone 'smart'… it's usually an insult."
A faint smile appeared.
"And you, Tony—"
"You're very smart."
For a brief moment, Tony's smile stiffened.
The meaning was clear.
But he didn't react.
Not this time.
Because this wasn't about pride anymore.
It was about survival.
In the past, Tony had no choice.
But now—
He wanted to live.
He hadn't married.
Hadn't had children.
Hadn't experienced everything life had to offer.
And after what Yinsen had told him…
He intended to make every moment count.
"Let's leave Norman out of it," Tony said, shifting the conversation smoothly. He gestured for Pepper to sit beside him before continuing.
"Let's talk about us."
"Us?" Peter echoed.
At the same time, Felicia took her seat opposite Pepper, placing her small bag neatly beside her. Both women understood their roles perfectly—the framework would be decided by their bosses, while the details would fall to them.
"Yes, us."
Tony leaned forward slightly.
"Look, I know Umbrella is on fire right now. You've got your flagship product—the regenerative serum—and that cross-species genetic technology."
He tapped the table lightly.
"I've heard about it. Curt Connors once discussed it at a conference. Back then, he hadn't made much progress."
Biology wasn't Tony's specialty.
His expertise lay in electrical engineering, high-energy physics, and artificial intelligence—fields in which he held multiple advanced degrees.
But that didn't mean he couldn't recognize potential.
And this technology?
It wasn't just promising.
It was revolutionary.
Tony's eyes sharpened.
"I'll be honest," he said. "I'm very interested."
A slight pause.
Then—
"I want to work with you."
--------------
T/N:
Support the Story and Read 40+ Chapters early on P@treon:👉[email protected]/MPHFics