Bella vetoed the idea with a single word.
"Not this time."
If she really wanted to attend the Stark Expo, it wouldn't be difficult.
After all, Bella had made some smart investments a while back.
Before Tony Stark returned and publicly announced the closure of Stark Industries' weapons division, she had already invested over a million dollars in stocks.
When Tony's announcement hit the news, Stark Industries' stock price plummeted sharply.
Bella's other stocks, however, skyrocketed — and when she cashed out, she took those three million dollars and immediately invested it all into Stark Industries, taking advantage of the depressed prices.
Since then, her investment had multiplied more than tenfold.
Now her shares were worth over forty million dollars.
Of course, in the vast ocean that was Stark Industries' total market value, her ownership stake was insignificant.
Still, it technically made her a minority shareholder — and with that came privileges, including admission to high-profile events like the Stark Expo.
If she wanted to go, she could.
But deliberately dragging herself and Angie into what she knew would likely become a chaotic and dangerous scene?
Bella wasn't foolish.
Let Tony Stark and Justin Hammer play out their drama themselves.
She had no interest in getting involved.
"Oh... okay~"
Angie pouted a little, clearly disappointed.
But she wasn't the type to throw a tantrum.
If her best friend said no, there must be a good reason.
She could wait for the next adventure.
Instead, Angie picked up her phone and began swiping idly, searching for something else to do.
The sun was shining brightly today — perfect for going out.
But after living in New York for two years, she had basically visited every tourist spot, museum, park, and shopping district worth seeing.
Now she was stuck, frowning in thought.
"Where should I go...?"
Her face scrunched up in frustration.
(ー`ー)
Since they weren't going to the Expo, they needed another plan.
Fortunately, school had granted Angie a month and a half off to recover.
After all, surviving a gunshot wound that nearly pierced the heart wasn't something you brushed off with a few days' rest.
A full recovery period was absolutely reasonable.
That, and — well — having Bella as a best friend certainly helped smooth over any administrative concerns.
Bella watched Angie struggle for a while, smiling helplessly.
"Why don't you go back to Fox Town for a while?" Bella suggested.
"Harder has been wanting you to visit. You've barely been back in the last two years, and now they're starting to complain to me instead."
Angie hesitated, but the idea was tempting.
It was true — between academic exams and living in New York, she hadn't returned home much.
"Come with me?" she asked hopefully.
Bella shook her head with a soft laugh.
"No, Angie. You go first. I have some things I need to handle at school."
"Fine, I'll go alone," Angie said, a little disappointed but not upset.
"Not exactly alone," Bella corrected.
"I'll call Harder and have him come pick you up. I don't feel comfortable letting you travel by yourself yet."
"Tsk tsk, you really are the best best friend ever," Angie teased, fluttering her eyelashes dramatically.
Suddenly, she lunged forward and planted a big kiss on Bella's cheek.
Bella feigned a fierce expression, growling in mock anger, while Angie clutched her hands together and pretended to cower in fear.
Their laughter filled the cozy apartment.
The next morning, Angie was picked up bright and early.
Her father, Harder, was practically beaming as he loaded her things into the car.
It was clear he was overjoyed to have his daughter — his precious "little cotton-padded jacket" — finally coming home after so long.
Meanwhile, Bella was getting ready for her own journey.
She wasn't going to Fox Town.
She was headed somewhere much more dangerous.
Just yesterday, Bella had felt it — a terrifying surge of energy, so vast and powerful that she genuinely wondered if it could destroy an entire planet.
It had been distant but undeniable.
And Bella had a good guess about what it meant.
After a quick search using Zazai — the backdoor connection to the S.H.I.E.L.D. network she had secretly installed — she confirmed her suspicion.
That's why she wasn't going home.
This time, Bella was going to Mexico.
And she would be going as the Goddess of Judgment.
Bella retrieved her custom-made motorcycle from a hidden storage unit on the outskirts of New York City — a facility with no cameras, no guards, no curious neighbors.
Mounting the matte black machine, she revved the engine and tore down the road, her figure blending into the rush of traffic.
The "Goddess of Judgment" moving openly in the daylight caused quite a stir.
Not just among ordinary citizens — even the authorities noticed.
After all, the four words "Goddess of Judgment" had become something of a legend in New York's underworld.
Meanwhile, at Tony Stark's oceanfront villa...
Tony lay sprawled on his massive bed, half-dazed.
He was in a strange mood — partly good, partly frustrated.
On one hand, he had just experienced a major personal breakthrough:
He had successfully created a new, cleaner element to replace the toxic palladium poisoning his body.
That alone should have had him dancing on the rooftops.
But on the other hand...
Pepper Potts — whom he had just officially appointed as CEO of Stark Industries — was now so busy she barely had time for him.
Just that morning, she had left in a hurry, brushing off Tony's clumsy attempt to suggest a date.
Now Tony was left alone, staring at the endless ocean through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
He sighed heavily.
Was this what success felt like?
A massive, lonely house and nobody to share it with?
As Tony wallowed, the voice of J.A.R.V.I.S. broke through his thoughts.
"Sir, I believe this message may cheer you up."
Drop~
A soft chime sounded, and a holographic projection unfolded in front of him.
In the shimmering 3D image, a girl was racing down a New York highway — astride a sleek black motorcycle, weaving through traffic at an astonishing speed.
Tony blinked.
"Is that the Goddess of Judgment? What the—? Isn't she supposed to be a nocturnal creature?"
He shot upright, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.
The projection hovered smoothly, adjusting itself to remain at eye level as he moved.
Tony squinted harder.
"Am I still dreaming? It's morning, right? The sun's out, right?"
He slapped himself lightly on the cheeks.
Nope.
Wide awake.
And very, very intrigued.
The girl in the footage looked very different from the cold, distant figure he remembered.
Gone was the formal, sharp-edged night uniform.
Instead, she wore something far more wild and free:
A pair of tight black leather shorts secured with a white belt, black knee-high boots, a thin black undershirt, and a sleek leather armored jacket.
Her blonde hair was tied back in a simple ponytail, whipping around in the wind.
And for the first time...
She wasn't wearing the iconic V-shaped mask.
Her face was uncovered — stunning, vibrant, alive.
In her emerald-green eyes, Tony could see a cold, fierce determination burning.
Every move she made exuded raw power and vitality.
She was a force of nature — a rebel princess in full bloom, a wild lioness reveling in her prime.
Tony couldn't help but grin.
"Well, well, well..." he murmured to himself.
"Looks like the day just got a whole lot more interesting."
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