Just as Maguire was about to turn and leave, George spoke from the doorway.
"In that case… come in."
At his words, Gwen glanced at Maguire, signaling for him to follow.
---
The two of them stepped inside.
As the police chief of NYPD, George Stacy wasn't exactly struggling financially. His home was a spacious loft—modern, well-furnished, tasteful without being ostentatious.
Maguire's eyes swept over the high-end interior.
*I may be a super-powered guy, but I'm still human. I should upgrade my own living standards someday. Uncle Ben and Aunt May might not have the means, but what Peter Parker couldn't achieve… Maguire can.*
At that moment, a graceful, well-kept middle-aged woman emerged from the kitchen—Gwen's mother, Helen Stacy.
Seeing Gwen appear with a boy she'd never met brought genuine surprise to Helen's face.
In her eyes, Gwen had always been the picture of a good daughter—kindhearted, helpful, never the subject of dating rumors.
And now, here she was with an unfamiliar young man in tow.
Puzzlement flickered in Helen's expression, but good manners prevailed, and she offered Maguire a polite smile.
"Gwen, and this is…?"
"This is my classmate, Maguire," Gwen answered casually. "I'm helping him catch up on schoolwork."
She didn't realize her parents had already begun to suspect Maguire was her boyfriend.
Helen greeted him warmly, exchanged a few pleasantries, and let them pass.
Maguire followed Gwen into her room.
Once inside, she turned to him, speaking gently.
"Maguire, I think we need to have a serious talk."
Maguire blinked.
*What? We barely know each other—what's there to talk about?*
Ignoring his expression, Gwen continued in a heartfelt tone.
"Have you been going through something lately? If you've run into problems, you can tell me. I'll do what I can to help. But you can't just give up on your studies. I didn't want to talk about this at school, so I brought you here. Honestly, I think you have a lot of potential."
And suddenly, Maguire understood why she'd invited him over.
Peter Parker had always been a top student. As student council president, Gwen had a sense of responsibility. Hearing that Maguire had turned in a blank exam, she assumed something was wrong and wanted to intervene.
His impression of her shifted.
*I've got to admit—this girl's gorgeous, has a killer figure, and most importantly, she's genuinely kind.*
Maguire wasn't without a sense of gratitude.
"Thanks for your concern," he said. "But I'm fine—really."
"You're sure?" Gwen asked, eyes locking on his.
"Of course," Maguire replied with a faint smile. "Although… there's something I should say."
Her curiosity piqued. "Go on."
"Honestly," he said, "I think you're great. I like you."
Color bloomed instantly on Gwen's cheeks.
*Is… is he confessing to me? Or just giving a compliment?*
For Maguire, it was nothing more than a straightforward compliment.
The air between them turned both awkward and charged—until a knock broke the moment.
"Gwen," George's voice came from outside, "can you open the door?"
Flustered, Gwen quickly did so, her blush still visible.
George's gaze fell on her face, and his mind jumped to the most suspicious conclusion—that she and Maguire had been doing *exactly* what young couples liked to do behind closed doors.
His expression hardened as he looked at Maguire.
"Maguire, step outside with me. Man to man—we need to talk."
Maguire nodded and followed him out.
As the door closed, Gwen exhaled sharply.
*Could Maguire actually like me? No… we've barely interacted.*
*Forget it. Better not to do anything that could be misunderstood again.*
---
Meanwhile, Maguire and George stepped out onto the Stacy family balcony.
---
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