{Chapter: 260 Rejection}
Pepper looked at the excited Tony with calm eyes, her voice steady but distant.
"Tony, William isn't here. He let me go… more than eight months ago."
Tony's expression tightened. He immediately stepped closer and asked, "Where is he now? Tell me, where did he go?"
Pepper shook her head gently. "I don't know either. We haven't spoken since then. But if you ever do see him—ask him for me how we're supposed to settle the account between us. I want to hear his answer."
Tony stared at her in disbelief. "He released you eight months ago? Then why didn't you come find me? I was looking everywhere for you—I had SHIELD combing entire regions!"
"I needed space. I needed time to think. I wasn't ready to go back to that life." She gave a bitter smile, one that carried the weight of unspoken pain. "After everything that happened, I realized I can never return to the way things were. I've changed."
"But why not?" Tony said, voice rising in urgency. "I've changed too, Pepper. I've spent every day improving myself—becoming stronger. I've upgraded the suit over a dozen times. It's nearly indestructible now. I won't let anyone take you away from me again."
"Is that so?" Pepper replied quietly, neither confirming nor denying his words. Her eyes flickered with something unreadable.
Before Tony could speak again, Jane, who had been standing silently nearby, stepped forward. "That suit of yours… is it really that strong?" she asked with mild curiosity. "Do you think it's enough to defeat someone like William?"
Tony clenched his jaw and nodded firmly. "I don't just think so—I know I can beat him. I've been waiting for the chance. I'll kill him with my own hands if I have to." His voice was laced with cold fury.
Jane raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "You really think you can kill him? That's some serious overconfidence. You're not being realistic."
Tony's expression turned stormy. "What's that supposed to mean? You're defending a guy who's a public enemy? You think he deserves sympathy?"
"I'm not defending anyone," Jane replied evenly. "I'm just being honest. You're Iron Man, a symbol, a hero. But that doesn't mean you're invincible. There are threats out there even you can't handle, and William… he might be one of them."
Tony's voice cracked with intensity. "I don't care what anyone says—I'll destroy him. Just watch me." He turned to Pepper. "Come with me, Pepper. Let's go home. I'll take you back, and I swear, I'll never let you out of my sight again."
Pepper lowered her gaze. "Tony… I can't go back."
Tony's eyes widened, his voice shaking. "Why not? I searched the entire world for you! After he took you, I realized how much you meant to me. You're everything to me—I can't lose you again."
Pepper looked up at him sadly. "I'm grateful, Tony. Truly, I am. If you'd said this to me before… before William took me, I would've cried tears of joy. But now—things are different. I'm different."
Tony's fists clenched at his sides. "Is it because of him? Did he do something to you? Just say the word, and I'll kill him."
Pepper's voice was firm but tired. "Don't ask, Tony. Just… don't. What happened is between me and him. You can't fix it. I know your heart is in the right place, but I've already made peace with certain things."
Tony took a step closer. His voice was quieter now, more vulnerable. "I don't care what he did. I blame myself. I was too weak to stop him. But that ends now. Please, come with me. Let me protect you."
Pepper shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry, Tony. I really am. But I can't go with you. Not now."
Tony's composure cracked. "Why?" he asked hoarsely. "Tell me why."
"Because," she said softly, "some doors, once closed, can never be opened again."
Jane, unable to remain silent any longer, stepped in. "She already told you. You're a grown man, Stark. Learn to take no for an answer. Don't force her."
Tony laughed dryly, backing away with a bitter smile. "Alright. Fine. I get it. Pepper, I'll wait. I'll wait until I find him—until I kill William. And then, I'll come for you again."
His words lingered in the air like a vow sealed in steel and rage.
Pepper didn't respond. She simply turned her face away, her silence more painful than words.
Tony cast one last glance at Pepper before activating his suit and soaring into the sky, leaving behind a trail of blue light.
Jane watched him disappear, then turned to Pepper with a teasing smile. "It looks like Iron Man has fallen hard for you. He's world-famous—rich, brilliant, charming—and yet you turned him down. I have to say, that's a twist I didn't see coming."
Pepper let out a soft sigh, her eyes distant. "It would've meant everything to me… if he had said those words before."
"Before William took you away?" Jane asked with a curious glint in her eyes. "So back then, did you actually have feelings for Iron Man?"
Pepper hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I had a good impression of him. He was funny, confident... I admired him."
"Did anything ever happen between you two?" Jane asked, leaning in like she was digging for juicy gossip.
Pepper narrowed her eyes and gave Jane a half-hearted glare. "Nothing happened. Don't be ridiculous. What are you imagining?"
Jane laughed. "Okay, okay, my bad. I might've jumped to conclusions. Still, poor Iron Man. The guy's out here wearing his heart on his sleeve, and he gets rejected on the spot. I can't help but feel a little sorry for him."
Pepper didn't reply. Her gaze drifted up to the clouds where Tony had vanished. "It's been a long time since everything changed," she murmured softly.
"Yeah," Jane said, her tone more serious now. "It really has. And yet… William still hasn't come to see you, has he? You're probably losing your mind waiting for him."
Pepper immediately turned to glare at her. "What are you talking about? I'm not waiting for him! I never want to see that man again. I hate him—hate him with everything I've got."
Jane raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You're still pretending, huh? If you're not waiting for him, why turn Tony down so fast?"
"I—" Pepper started but couldn't finish.
"Don't bother making excuses," Jane said lightly. "I get it. I hate William too. The lies, the manipulation… he tricked me, just like you. But even so, I still find myself wanting to see him again. Women… we're walking contradictions."
Pepper looked at Jane seriously. "Have you even thought about what it means? Liking someone who might be the most dangerous man alive? If we stay close to him, we might be destroyed right alongside him. Are you really okay with that?"
Jane suddenly avoided her gaze, looking away. "I never said I liked him. So it doesn't matter."
Pepper stepped closer, unrelenting. "You're avoiding the truth."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No."
"Yes."
"…No!"
"Yes."
"Okay, stop!" Jane exclaimed, finally cracking under the pressure of the repetition. She let out a sigh and rubbed her throat. "My God, how many times are we going to go in circles like this? Can we not be this childish?"
"Then tell me what you plan to do," Pepper challenged.
Jane raised her hands in defeat. "I don't know. But I believe things will work themselves out eventually. I have to believe that. What else can I do? Curl up in a corner and cry?"
"Ostrich mentality," Pepper muttered with disdain.
Jane gasped in mock offense. "Oh, really? You dare call me that? Look in the mirror, Pepper. Your situation is way messier than mine. I'm not the one turning away two men and moping in a house."
"I don't need you worrying about me," Pepper replied coldly, turning and walking toward the house without another word.
Jane watched her go, arms crossed and expression sour. "Ugh, this is so frustrating. Why did I have to get dragged into this soap opera? William, you damned bastard, this is all your fault."
---
"Ah-choo!" William sneezed loudly inside the Hammer Industries research facility.
"Someone must be thinking about you," Aida said, glancing at him with a grin.
"And I'd say more than one person at that," she added, amused.
At a workstation nearby, the White Queen was typing rapidly on a sleek black terminal. "By the way, I forgot to mention something. Those nano-cameras we set up? Their receivers are now linked to SHIELD's mainframes. I've hacked into their surveillance network and found something interesting. They've already recovered the Tesseract and are using it to develop weapons powered by its infinite energy."
William leaned back in his chair, smiling with a familiar mix of mischief and foreboding. "Just like Hydra did all those years ago. Typical. They never learn."
He stood up and walked to a nearby screen. "That can only mean one thing. Loki's arrival is imminent… and the Avengers Initiative is about to begin."
Aida tilted her head. "Avengers? What's that supposed to mean?"
William chuckled. "I didn't tell you? The Avengers are Earth's superhuman response team. SHIELD is trying to recruit heroes—Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor… maybe even Captain America, if he's awake yet. I have to admit, watching them all come together should be entertaining."
Aida raised an eyebrow. "Sounds chaotic."
"Exactly," William said, grinning like a man who knew more than he was letting on. "And chaos, my dear wifey, is the perfect opportunity."
*****
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