The moment Henry heard, everything clicked in his head.
Assistant? What assistant?!
At this point in time, besides "Natalie," who else could it be?
Wait—so Natasha's already here?
Most likely. But Henry didn't feel much about it. He wasn't a foreman, nor was he interested in drinking someone's bathwater.
He smiled faintly, shrugged, and said casually:
"Oh? Really? So, where is she? I should check the goods first. Hopefully she's not a two-hundred-pound brute who can kill a bull with one punch. You know I'm not into that type."
"Of course not." Pepper laughed, glancing toward the office door.
"She went to fetch some documents for me. She should be on her way up now."
Right at that moment, the door to the office swung open.
Henry and Pepper turned their heads at the same time.
A red-haired beauty, around 1.7 meters tall, walked inside.
She wore a sleek, perfectly tailored black office suit that hugged her elegant curves.
Her long, fiery red hair cascaded like burning flame, making her pale skin look even more radiant.
Her features were refined, especially her green eyes—deep and alluring, as if hiding countless untold stories.
Henry gave her just a casual glance, feeling nothing at all.
As expected—Black Widow. Natasha Romanoff.
At this point in the timeline, she should be infiltrating Stark Industries under an alias, sent by that bald-headed Nick Fury to keep an eye on the rebellious Stark brothers.
Sure, the woman was stunning. That blend of mature seduction and subtle danger was like a poison most men couldn't resist.
But Henry had no interest in her.
What a joke—this was a top-class spy. Who knew what she had done, or what she was doing now?
Getting into romance with a woman like her was no different from dancing on the edge of a blade—one misstep and you'd end up sliced to pieces. Although to Henry she's no different than a harmless rabbit with his strength.
Natasha, of course, had no idea this man was sizing her up like this.
Truthfully, it was her first time meeting the infamous playboy face-to-face.
She couldn't understand why that damned Fury had sent her on such a trivial mission.
Monitoring a second-generation rich kid whose only real talents were looking good, being rich, and chasing women?
It was a complete waste of her time.
Well—she supposed he wasn't entirely useless anymore. He did have that "Superman" title now.
Natasha handed Pepper the folder in her hand, her voice soft and professional.
"Miss Potts, here's the file you wanted."
"Perfect. Thank you, Natalie." Pepper accepted it, then smiled warmly at Henry as she introduced them.
"Henry, this is Natalie Rushman, my new assistant."
Natasha smiled politely, extending her hand, a professional smile on her lips with just a trace of curiosity hidden beneath.
"Hello, Mr. Stark. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Henry lazily shook her hand before quickly letting go.
"I don't need to introduce myself, right? The whole world already knows me. Playboy, billionaire, genius—and now, Superman. Honestly, I'm running out of space on my business card."
Then, shifting his tone, he looked at Pepper with a pointed expression.
"But Pepper, I should remind you—these days aren't exactly safe. When hiring new assistants, you need to keep your eyes sharp. Word is, there's a new type of corporate spy out there—women who disguise themselves as beautiful assistants, sneak into big companies, and keep tabs on the boss."
His gaze slid over to Natasha, lips curving into a playful smile.
"Ever heard of that, Miss Natalie?"
Natasha's pupils contracted ever so slightly.
Her instincts—honed as one of the world's top agents—screamed danger.
This man's words weren't random banter. His eyes, seemingly casual, scanned her as if they were X-rays, trying to see straight through her.
Could he know my real identity?!
No—that was impossible.
Her cover was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top-level secrets. No one knew except Fury and a handful of upper brass.
So how could Henry Stark possibly know?
Was he testing her?
Though a storm raged inside her, Natasha's face remained perfectly composed, her smile unbroken as she replied smoothly:
"Mr. Stark, you do know how to joke. I'm just a simple legal assistant. Never heard of such thrilling stories."
"Is that so?" Pepper chuckled, stepping in to ease the tension.
"Natalie's background is spotless, and she's highly capable. Don't worry, Henry."
"Alright then." Henry shrugged, dropping the subject.
That was enough.
A light scare for the Black Widow—just so she knew this wasn't a playground where she could do as she pleased.
After all, she was technically working for him now. No harm in letting her draw a salary.
The topic shifted to the afternoon's press conference.
"The officials have already prepared a statement," Pepper said.
"Rhodey will be present as well. They want you and Tony to provide the public with a reasonable explanation."
"Explanation?" Henry let out a cold laugh.
"And then what? Announce to everyone that we're working with the government? That way, they can wave the 'world peace' flag while openly stealing our suits? Not a chance. My armor isn't going to anyone. They'd better give up that dream."
He glanced at Pepper.
"But you're right about one thing. Tony and I will give them an explanation. An unexpected one."
Pepper sighed helplessly.
"The officials keep piling on the pressure. If you two respond, it's for the best."
Natasha stood quietly at the side, the perfect assistant. She didn't speak—this wasn't her place.
Still, she noted Henry Stark's deep distrust and hostility toward official authority. That was worth reporting back to Fury.
"By the way, how's Helen's research going?" Henry asked suddenly.
"Still in the early development stages," Pepper replied.
"Maybe you should stop by. You're better at biology than Tony, aren't you?"
"Careful—if that narcissist hears you say that, he'll probably cut ties with you." Henry smirked, then stretched lazily.
"But you're right. Make sure a car's ready later—I'll check on Helen's team. No way I'm letting my investment go down the drain."
He said his goodbyes and strode out of the office.
***
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