Tony Stark had returned safely, and the news once again exploded across the world.
Although everything had been planned in advance, Maria couldn't help but worry. Tony had originally refused to go to the hospital and instead insisted on holding a press conference.
He could ignore anyone else's words—except for two people. One was Melin, because the consequences of ignoring him were severe. The other was Maria, his beloved mother.
Only after a full-body examination down to his sweat glands did Tony finally get his wish to hold the press conference.
"I've decided to shut down Stark Industries' weapons manufacturing division."
Should we say he truly is a walking headline?
Tony had just returned safely to the U.S., and without talking about how grateful he was to have survived or explaining what exactly happened, he directly announced the closure of the weapons division.
That division was the lifeblood of Stark Industries, the foundation of its existence. Shutting it down would deal a massive blow to the company.
But Tony didn't care. First, the crisis had hit him hard. Second, he had already found a new direction for Stark Industries.
Thanks to that one sentence from Tony, the entire company was thrown into chaos, while the man himself was at home "interrogating" his dear old dad.
…
…
"So… this was all part of your plan?" Tony asked sternly.
"Tony…" Maria wanted to explain, but Howard stopped her.
"Yes and no. When I realized I was spending most of my time on work and neglecting both you and Maria, I handed Stark Industries over to you so I could spend more time with you and your mother.
Your mom always understood and supported me, but you… I'm truly sorry, Tony. By the time I realized it, it was already too late. I don't know if you're still holding a grudge, but I want you to know… you're the greatest thing I've ever created, Tony."
Tony froze slightly. His nose stung for a second, but he still said arrogantly, "That doesn't answer my question."
"That is the answer, Tony," Howard explained. "Our relationship has changed over the years, but the time we missed caused you to become arrogant, ignorant, and extravagant. Aside from your sharp mind, you were worthless—and that's on me. You grew up under a blinding halo, unable to see the world or the people around you clearly."
"So you arranged for me to be kidnapped? Let me suffer all that torture?" Tony asked, his voice rising.
"No, I didn't arrange it. The kidnapping was an accident. But I also realized it was an opportunity, so after consulting with Mr. Melin, I chose to let things play out," Howard said patiently, unbothered by Tony's agitation.
Tony fell silent. He couldn't deny he was angry—but he also couldn't deny that Howard was right.
He used to be a caged canary, only seeing what others wanted him to see. It wasn't until he broke free and saw the real world that he realized what it was truly like—and what kind of guilt his inventions had brought into the world.
"So you support me?" Tony asked Howard.
"Are you referring to shutting down the weapons division? Or what you plan to do next? Or your little… toy?" Howard shot back.
"Hell no! That's not a toy! It's a suit of armor I developed! Sure, the conditions were tough, but it can be improved and upgraded. It'll be the strongest armor in the world!" Of all things, Tony couldn't tolerate Howard belittling his armor.
"Ha, try saying that to Mr. Melin. If he acknowledges it, then fine—otherwise, it's just a toy. But yes, I support you. If I hadn't waited for you to come to this decision yourself, I would've done it ten years ago. Your future path is yours to choose. As your parents, we can only advise you. But know this—it's dangerous," Howard said seriously.
"Can it get more dangerous than this?" Tony tapped the mini arc reactor on his chest.
"That depends on how far you're planning to go."
"Alright." Tony shrugged. "If Mom weren't here, I'd probably punch you right now. I've got stuff to do. I'm out."
Watching Tony's back, Howard knew he had truly grown up. No more laziness or decadence—a firm will now surrounded him.
"Howard, Tony…"
"It's fine, Maria. He's grown up. You should be proud."
"Yeah, I know." Maria understood and supported Tony's decision, but she still couldn't help worrying.
All mothers are like that. They never want their children to get hurt, even when their children are no longer children.
…
After a year of continuous upgrades, Tony looked at the red-and-gold MK3 suit in front of him with great satisfaction.
"So… you called me here just to show me this… toy?" Galon raised a brow.
"I told you—it's not a toy! Watch it, or I'll teach you a lesson!" Tony puffed up like a bristling cat. This was his greatest invention!
"Isn't it though?" Galon gave the MK3 suit a dismissive glance.
"Well? Wanna test it out?" Tony was feeling great about his masterpiece. He suddenly felt like he was back on top, erasing all memory of the beatings Galon had once given him.
"If you want to get beaten up, just say so. I'm happy to oblige," Galon muttered. This kid hadn't been roughed up in a while—time to remind him what fear felt like.
"Bring it—"
Just as Tony was gearing up for a fight, Pepper Potts came downstairs.
"Tony, what are you—huh? Galon? Now that's a rare guest."
Whatever she had planned to say was cut off the moment she saw Galon. Her face instantly turned cold.
"I didn't do anything wrong, did I?" Galon spread his hands, a bit helpless.
"You've been doing your job well. Since becoming CEO, company productivity is up 3%, but… do you know what your nickname is inside the company?"
"Uh… what nickname?" Galon didn't usually show up in person, managing remotely, so she didn't know much about internal gossip.
"The Mysterious Puppeteer. You might not even show up once a year. You just pull strings from behind the scenes. Several board members are really unhappy with that."
"Their problem, not mine. It's not like the board has the power to fire me, right? Tony?" Galon smiled.
"Ahem, you forgot something," Tony coughed.
"What?"
"Thirty percent of the shares are still in my dad's hands, but they belong to Lord Shion—so even though he's never shown up, he's still a board member." Tony reminded her.
"Uh…" Sweat started beading on Galon's forehead. She had completely forgotten about that.
"Alright, let's put that aside for now. Tony, Obadiah is upstairs. He wants to see you," Pepper interrupted.
"Great, perfect timing," Tony rolled his eyes. "Wait here—I'll go deal with him."
"Careful. Obadiah's a sly old fox. Don't let him catch you off guard."
"I know. All I'm missing is evidence." Tony's expression darkened.
He was certain the kidnapping hadn't been simple. His itinerary had been top-secret, known only to a select few. So how did the Ten Rings know?
At first, he'd thought it was all Howard's doing. But after clearing that up, he began investigating his inner circle. Eventually, suspicion landed on Obadiah.
It was hard to accept. The man had watched him grow up, had been Howard's most trusted partner, and had helped build Stark Industries into what it was.
But all the clues pointed to Obadiah. Tony had no choice but to believe it.
His investigation also revealed that Obadiah had been secretly selling Stark weapons to militant groups—that was something Tony couldn't tolerate.
He just didn't have conclusive proof yet, which is why he hadn't acted.
After Tony went upstairs, Pepper kept her eyes on Galon.
"What? Is there something wrong with me?"
"You… and Tony are close?" she asked.
As Tony's assistant, she managed every part of his life, not just work. She knew his social circle inside and out.
Tony's only true friend was Colonel Rhodes from the Air Force. Everyone else was either a one-night stand or someone he ignored.
But the way Tony and Galon had talked just now… they acted like long-time friends, not new acquaintances. And she, the assistant, hadn't even known about it—that felt like a failure.
"You sure you want to know?" Galon asked, smirking.
"What do you mean?" For some reason, his smile made her take a step back.
"Forget it. When you and Tony finally get together, you'll find out everything you need to know."
Pepper's cheeks flushed. "He's just my boss. I'm just doing my job."
"Really?"
Faced with Galon's teasing, Pepper had no chance. She turned bright red and ran off.
"So young," Galon said, watching her retreat. But his mind drifted to another girl's image.
"That girl has probably forgotten me by now. But that's okay. Being with me is too dangerous anyway…"