[Third Person's PoV]
-timeskip-
Peter sat in his sleek office chair, slowly spinning in circles as he stared at the ceiling of his Parker Industries office. His gaze was vacant, eyes unfocused, mind wandering far beyond the walls of the room. It had been nearly a month since his birthday—and the whole foursome fiasco that followed. Even now, the memory made his face twitch remembering the event fondly.
A lot has happened in those short weeks leading up to the month of July. For starters Summer break had officially begun meaning no school, which led to a major celebration on their part.
There was progress in other departments though, though. He and Reed Richards had finally come up with a temporary solution to Ben's power instability—thanks to long nights spent tinkering inside a virtual simulation. It wasn't permanent, but it was something.
And then there was the Spider App. After months of delays and debugging, it was finally up and running. Peter pulled out his phone and stared at the red-and-black interface. A digital map of New York City pulsed with glowing dots, each one a live alert, color-coded by severity. A bright red icon blinked near Queens, but Nightwing's emblem overlapped it—claiming the mission.
"Another missing person report," Peter muttered under his breath, his brows knitting. "We've been getting a bunch of them recently…"
Just then, the office door swung open, startling him so much he nearly launched his phone across the room. He caught it mid-fumble, heart still racing from being yanked out of his thoughts.
Standing in the doorway was a woman with long, wavy brown hair cascading over one eye. She wore a sharp black three-piece suit tailored perfectly to her figure—effortlessly stylish and all business.
"Hey, Janice," Peter greeted with a lazy grin, spinning halfway to face her. "Fancy seeing you here."
"Good afternoon, Mr. Parker," she replied, bowing her head slightly. "Also, I do work here, sir."
"Right, right," Peter waved her off, spinning the rest of the way around in his chair as she stepped forward.
"I've brought you a progress report on all current projects," she said, holding up a neat stack of papers. "And a few documents that require your signature."
Peter leaned back, letting the chair recline as he slouched. "Read them to me, please."
Janice raised a brow. "With all due respect, is there a reason you can't read them yourself?"
Peter held up two fingers, his expression completely deadpan. "First: school's out, and I swore an oath to my soul not to look at another piece of paper until it starts up again. Second: you're my secretary. Reading things to me is literally in the job description."
Janice's lips twitched at the corners. "That sounds suspiciously like an abuse of power."
Peter leaned forward dramatically, shuffling through a few random papers on his desk. "Let's see here…" He pulled out a sheet and pretended to squint at it. "Wow, it says here that you're being paid very handsomely by your incredibly attractive boss… oh, and what's this? Full healthcare? Paid vacation? Holiday bonuses? Truly a generous man."
She stared at him, unimpressed, though the hint of a smirk tugged at her lips. "Still abuse of power."
"Abuse of generosity," Peter corrected with a grin, spinning again.
Janice finally sighed in defeat, adjusted the stack in her hands, and cleared her throat. "Very well…
"First is the Spider App and the collection of social media platforms and mobile games developed under Parker Industries. As of this morning, they've collectively reached approximately 1.2 billion downloads worldwide."
Peter stopped spinning, his brows raised in genuine surprise.
"We've been averaging about 3.4 billion in revenue monthly just from microtransactions, advertisements, and premium memberships," Janice said casually, flipping through the pages. "Especially in the mobile games you've developed, which have dominated app charts in over 60 countries. They've become a global phenomenon. Not to mention we're moving past mobile and moving towards consoles"
Peter whistled. "Dang. I knew people liked their mobile games, but not that much."
Janice continued. "Now, on to cosmetics. Our cosmetics division launched only a few months ago, and while there were initial concerns with the health department regarding a few skincare formulas—mainly due to how fast they regenerate damaged cells—it was resolved swiftly, thanks to our in-house biotech team and your expertise along with Ms. Stacy, she has become quite the celebrity around here."
She flipped the page.
"Despite that brief hiccup, profits are booming. We've seen a 70% increase in monthly revenue, and our viral ad campaigns have propelled the brand into the mainstream. This success has laid the foundation for our next venture: medical technology."
Peter sat up a little straighter.
"It's a slow process, as expected," Janice continued, "but so far, all clinical trials are progressing better than anticipated. We've made headway in areas like burn recovery, neural repair, and Prosthetics. The public hasn't been briefed yet, but in private circles, word is spreading."
She turned the page again and smiled slightly.
"Clothing lines are also performing exceptionally. The Parker SmartWear collection, utilizing our silk-and-cotton blend solution, is generating millions monthly. The self-cleaning, weather-adaptive fabric is being reviewed by major fashion outlets and military contractors alike."
Peter grinned. "See, and some of y'all even doubted we would profit from dipping our toes into fashion"
Janice didn't comment on that. She simply went on, "With all of this combined… we estimate that by next month, you could officially be recognized as a multi-billionaire, Mr. Parker."
Peter blinked. "Huh. That explains the champagne someone sent me yesterday…"
Janice moved to the final page. "Lastly, the Parker Motors initiative is gaining traction. Our prototype electric car has gained attention for its unique suspension system and compact fusion battery. Pre-orders are already in the hundreds of thousands, and our energy division is receiving investment offers from multiple governments."
Peter leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling, his voice distant. "Damn, to think how time changes, it wasn't that long since we started"
Janice nodded. "And now you're a teenage mogul with multi-billion dollar apps, luxury fashion, top-tier cosmetics, a medical revolution on the horizon, and your own car brand."
Peter paused, then looked at her with a sly grin. "Janice, be honest with me—how cool am I right now?"
Janice smirked, one brow raised. "On a scale of one to ten? About a solid fifteen."
Peter made finger guns. "Knew it. That might have just earned you a raise"
Janice held out the final packet. "And lastly, FEAST."
Peter's spinning slowed as he sat upright, a more serious look crossing his face.
"All the funding's been approved, location finalized, and construction's ahead of schedule. It'll be finished within the week. We just need your signature to finalize the nonprofit's formation." She held the pen out.
Peter took it without a word, signed with a quick flourish, and handed it back.
"Anything else?" Peter asked, one eyebrow raised as he lazily spun halfway in his chair.
"Yes, actually," Janice replied, adjusting the stack of papers in her arms. "Given the recent uptick in workload, I thought it prudent to bring on an assistant secretary. Someone to handle things in my absence or when I'm otherwise unavailable."
Peter paused mid-spin, brow lifting a little higher. "Uh-huh…"
Janice smiled knowingly. "I figured it'd be best to introduce her now, in case you ever need her assistance directly—assuming you don't mind, of course."
Peter waved her off casually. "Nah, go for it. Bring her in."
With a small nod, Janice turned and walked to the door. As she opened it and leaned her head out into the hallway, Peter glanced down at his phone, subtly tapping at the Spider App again. Another blinking alert. Another red. A Murder case. He frowned faintly, fingers tightening around the phone, however he saw the Scarlet Spider emblem appear.
Then, he heard Janice speak to someone just outside.
"Sorry for the wait. Let me introduce you to the boss. And a word of advice—don't underestimate him just because he's young."
The sharp, rhythmic click of heels echoed against the tile floor, growing louder with each step. Peter looked up—casual, until his eyes landed on the woman now standing beside Janice. And then, he froze.
Long red hair. Striking features. A warm, professional smile that masked far too much. She was beautiful—of course she was—but Peter didn't need to look twice to know exactly who she was.
'Fuck.'
"Mr. Parker," Janice said brightly, clearly oblivious to Peter's internal scream, "I'd like you to meet our new assistant secretary—Natalia Beumen."
She gestured toward the redhead, who stepped forward gracefully, hand extended.
"Natalia, this is my boss—and now yours too—Peter Parker."
'Beumen, my ass,' Peter thought. 'That's Black-freaking-Widow.'
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Parker~" she said sweetly, her voice honeyed, her smile disarming.
Peter gave a practiced, polite grin and stood to shake her hand, his posture easy, charming. "The pleasure's all mine, Ms. Beumen."
Their handshake was brief but firm. Her eyes watched him with casual curiosity… and something else hidden just beneath the surface.
'I'm honestly surprised she didn't show up sooner,' Peter thought. 'What the hell is Nicky sniffing around for this time?'
He smiled wider, masking every ounce of suspicion behind charm. This was going to be fun.
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