{Chapter: 259 A Woman's Sixth Sense and The Depths of His Darkness}
William spent ten full minutes helping Alice get dressed, carefully assisting with each piece of her attire. Another ten minutes went to Ada, who demanded a bit more attention to detail with her outfit, and then, with practiced ease and almost comical efficiency, William got himself fully dressed in just thirty seconds.
"Aren't you going to open the door already?" Ada asked, brushing her hair back as she glanced toward the front entrance.
"Why the rush?" William replied with a mischievous smile. "Let's give him twenty more minutes to sweat it out. Builds character."
Ada rolled her eyes. "It's Justin's misfortune to have met someone like you."
"I know," William said with mock solemnity. "Evil people are always punished by their own wickedness. Karma and all that."
White Queen giggled lightly. "What nonsense. You? A good person? That's the funniest thing I've heard all day."
"Excuse me!" William exclaimed, pretending to be offended. "I am a good person! A misunderstood one, perhaps, but good nonetheless."
"If you're a good person, then there are no bad people left in the entire world." White Queen snorted. "Didn't you used to brag about being a villain? And now you're playing the hero?"
William grinned. "People change. One moment you're a noble soul, and the next you're the devil's favorite. Life is dynamic. I embody that change."
"If you keep talking like that, even pigs will start climbing trees out of sheer disbelief," White Queen muttered, clearly unimpressed.
Ada crossed her arms. "You may have all the time in the world to fool around, but we don't. Let Justin in already. He's probably about to faint from anticipation—or fear."
With a flicker in her glowing eyes, White Queen accessed the security system. The heavy door slid open with a mechanical hiss.
Justin, who had been waiting outside looking increasingly miserable, stepped in hesitantly. His face was pale, and he wore an anxious expression that quickly morphed into an exaggerated look of joy.
"Um… may I speak with Mr. Wi—" He cut himself off quickly.
Then, as if on cue, he threw up his arms and bellowed, "Mr. William! I'm so incredibly excited to see you again!"
William raised an eyebrow and smiled lazily. "Really? That excited?"
"Absolutely!" Justin declared with wild enthusiasm. "Heaven and earth can bear witness to my unwavering loyalty. There's not a soul more devoted to you than me!"
"You're very good at saying things I like to hear," William said, leaning back in his seat. "Even though I know it's all lies, I still enjoy the flattery."
Ada gave William a sideways glance, her voice laced with mild reproach. "You're impossible sometimes."
Justin panicked a little, sweat starting to form on his brow. "Mr. William, please! I meant every word! I swear on my life!"
William waved a hand lazily. "Relax, Justin. If I really wanted to kill you, I wouldn't be smiling right now. Besides, where would I ever find another obedient little lapdog like you?"
"Yes, yes! Mr. William is absolutely right!" Justin said quickly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
William's voice dropped slightly, becoming colder, more serious. "I know I've been gone for half a year. I'm sure you've been desperate to know what I've been up to. Let me make this clear—your every move is monitored. If I wanted you gone, I could end you in a second. You understand that, right?"
"Y-yes, sir. I understand completely." Justin bowed quickly and backed out of the room without another word.
Once the door closed, Ada smirked. "You scared him half to death."
"Sometimes a little fear is necessary," William replied nonchalantly. "Keeps them grounded. Otherwise, they forget the difference between the heavens and the dirt under their feet."
Alice narrowed her eyes and asked, "I almost forgot—before, you mentioned meeting someone named Sif in Asgard. You didn't say much, but something about how you said her name felt… off. Is there something going on between you two?"
William's smile faltered just slightly. He sighed inwardly. Damn, a woman's intuition is terrifying. He had only mentioned Sif once in passing, yet Alice had picked up on the tiniest hint and already suspected something.
"What do you think?" William asked, trying to dodge with a playful tone.
Alice stared straight into his eyes. "Just from how you said her name, I know there's something. Sif… She's part of Asgard, right? You practically tore that place apart. She must hate you with everything she has."
William chuckled. "Hatred is just passion in disguise. You see, the opposite of love isn't hate—it's indifference. Hate is not a problem, similar to love is hate, without hate there is no love. So as long as she still feels something strongly, I've got a chance."
White Queen rolled her eyes. "Your logic is so twisted. You seriously believe making a woman hate you deeply is a solid first step toward making her fall in love with you?"
William shrugged with a grin. "It's worked before."
"Your mind is always so twisted, you have to make a woman hate you to the bone, and then you make her fall in love with you." White Queen shook her head. "And that," White Queen muttered, "is why you'll never be bored—because your entire existence is a soap opera written by a madman."
"This isn't just a heavy taste anymore—this is bordering on a truly dark mind," Ada said with a sigh, casting a sideways glance at William.
White Queen nodded thoughtfully. "But if you break it down psychologically, it's not hard to understand. In William's original world, he was betrayed by the woman he loved. She didn't just leave him—she humiliated him, putting a green hat on his head in front of the world. That kind of betrayal can twist a person's sense of trust. It planted the seed of vengeance in him. Now, to soothe that inner pain, he subconsciously wants women to hate him first. It gives him a distorted sense of control and power."
Alice and Ada exchanged glances and nodded slowly. "That actually makes a lot of sense," Alice admitted, her voice tinged with sympathy and unease.
"But here's the twisted part," White Queen continued, her voice sharper now. "Even though he seeks revenge on women for what was done to him, he can't stop himself from desiring them—especially the beautiful ones. So he ends up trying to possess them while making them hate him. It's not just unhealthy. It's dangerous. For a woman, going from hatred to love isn't romantic—it's emotionally scarring. He doesn't realize how much damage that kind of manipulation causes."
"That's absolutely right," Alice agreed with conviction, crossing her arms. "It's emotional warfare disguised as affection."
William chuckled nervously and wiped imaginary sweat from his brow. "Hey, I'm not the kind of monster you're describing. Come on, that's not fair. It's just... our positions are different. That's why they hate me. I never asked for that kind of attention." He paused and added quietly, "Though I suppose I can't deny the rest completely..."
White Queen raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't matter whether you admit it. What matters is how the rest of the world sees it—and right now, the image you're putting out is painting a pretty clear picture."
Alice shifted the topic with a hint of longing in her tone. "William, how long do you think we'll be in this world? I really miss Becky. I want to go back to see her soon."
William shook his head slowly. "It's hard to say. This world isn't just based on one Marvel movie. It's a fusion of many films—different timelines, different heroes, different arcs. The entire cinematic universe is colliding here. It's chaotic, and the rules aren't clear."
Ada looked serious. "So what's your plan?"
"Wait," William said simply, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes. "Wait for the big war to start. The kind of war that will shake the foundations of this world. It'll be chaos—and chaos is where I thrive." He let out a low chuckle. The Avengers are about to form. As the cosmic course correction is strong with this one. Even the Tesseract slipped out of my hands—something that should've been impossible that stone held a shit ton of my things.
Ada frowned, concern written across her face. "We just want you to be safe, William. We don't want you getting involved in all of this... but we also know it's impossible to avoid. You need those villain points, and the only way to get them is by diving right into the madness."
"Don't worry," William said, full of confidence. "I've faced worse. I'll be just fine."
"You say that every time," Ada muttered, folding her arms. "And yet, here we are again."
"This time was different. It was just... an accident."
Ada snorted. "That's what you always say. Do you even listen to yourself?"
"Humph, you just know how to perfunctory us."
William's expression turned coldly proud. "As my women, if you don't believe my words, then are you truly my women?"
Alice stepped forward, her voice firm and filled with belief. "We believe you. That's why you must be alright, no matter what."
---
Old Bridge City, New Mexico
The air shimmered with energy as Iron Man fell from the sky like a meteor, slamming into the dusty ground with a thunderous crash. A crowd began to gather almost immediately, smartphones raised, recording his arrival. The last six months had rebuilt his image: fighting terrorists, donating billions to humanitarian causes, making headlines. Tony Stark was once again a global icon, admired and adored.
From a modest house nearby, Jane Foster and Pepper Potts stepped outside, drawn by the noise. Jane squinted at the red and gold armor gleaming in the sun. "Is that... Iron Man?"
The suit's mask hissed open, and Tony Stark's familiar face emerged, sweat glistening on his brow, eyes gleaming with emotion. "Pepper," he breathed, striding toward her like a man who had crossed oceans for love.
"Tony," Pepper replied, her voice calm—almost cold.
Tony slowed slightly, his excitement faltering. "It's... so good to see you again. I've been searching for you everywhere. When SHIELD told me yesterday that you were here—I didn't waste a second."
Pepper gave a small nod, not moving from her spot. "Oh."
Tony's brow furrowed in confusion. This wasn't the heartfelt reunion he had pictured. In his mind, she was supposed to run into his arms. But now, she stood rooted in place, unreadable.
"What's wrong with you?" Tony frowned. This was very different from what he imagined. He imagined that Pepper and he were hugging each other excitedly.
Pepper shook her head, "I'm fine, really fine."
"You're lying. Where's that guy William? I'll kill him this time." Tony shouted. " Where is that guy William? I swear, this time, I'm going to kill him with my own hands!"
*****
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