The next day dawned bright and clear.
Natasha Romanoff, now undercover as Natalie Rushman, sat behind her sleek, minimalist desk near the executive wing of Aeon Biotech.
Her professional secretary attire was sharp and tailored, perfectly chosen to blend into the high-end corporate environment—though it also subtly highlighted her curves and presence.
She sat poised with her fingers lightly tapping against the desk and eyes scanning the glass elevator every few seconds.
It was already 10:00 AM, but Ethan, Jean, and Anna hadn't arrived yet. No one questioned their absence—they owned the place. Still, for Natasha, it was a little frustrating. The sooner she could get closer to them, the sooner she could uncover the truth behind their connection to the events that rattled the world. But she also knows she needs to be patient.
Sending a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent undercover to work with a telepath might sound like a terrible idea—but it was the most effective way to get close and uncover the truth about Ethan, Jean, and Anna.
Still, she wasn't going in blind.
Inside her mouth, resting beneath her tongue, was a pill. It was a backup in case her neurochip failed—a pill given to her personally by Nick Fury. She didn't know exactly what it would do, but Fury had made one thing clear: "It won't kill you. But it'll keep your mind safe."
That was enough.
If the neurochip gave out—and it would, if Jean tried to dive deep—she'd feel the warning signs: a spike of pain, pressure building in her skull. That would be her signal to swallow the pill.
The sound of approaching heels broke her focus.
"Morning, Natalie!" a cheerful voice chirped.
Natasha glanced up to see Chloe, the enthusiastic intern she'd met on her first day. Barely twenty, with bright green eyes and auburn hair tied up in a messy ponytail, Chloe had a bubbly energy that filled the hallway every time she walked in.
"Good morning, Chloe," Natasha replied with a warm, practiced smile.
"Still waiting on the Big Three?" Chloe asked while leaning casually against the edge of Natasha's desk.
Natasha gave a short nod. "They'll be in when they're ready."
Chloe laughed. "Yeah, that's kind of their thing. You settling in okay?" She asked before tilting her head.
Natasha smiled again. "Getting there. Just trying to understand the company culture."
Chloe winked. "Just don't let Barry from Accounting corner you in the break room—guy's got stories that never end."
Natasha chuckled politely but her mind is already refocusing. Her real mission was about to begin, and she was ready.
As Chloe walked away, humming a tune under her breath, Natasha turned back toward the elevator.
'Time to see what Ethan Carter and his little empire are really made of.'
Now, all Natasha had to do was keep the act—and find the cracks beneath the surface.
Whatever secrets these three were hiding, she was going to uncover them.
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The late morning sun gleamed off the polished black hood of a sleek, roaring beast—the 2007 Bugatti Veyron, its chrome accents glinting like starlight. One of the fastest, most desired cars of its time, and now purring into the underground garage of Aeon Biotech, it fit perfectly with the man behind the wheel.
Ethan adjusted his sunglasses as the engine fell silent. The passenger doors clicked open.
"I swear, if I fall over the moment I stand up, I'm blaming you," Jean muttered as she stepped out of the car, her red hair catching the light like fire. She winced slightly since her legs still sore.
Ethan raised a brow and is amused. "Come on, I wasn't that rough."
"You didn't leave me alone for hours, Ethan," Jean shot back before brushing a hand through her hair. "I'm still sore—and it's your fault."
From the other side, Anna emerged, looking more composed but grinning wide. "You should've seen me this morning," she said, giving Jean a playful nudge. "He broke me last night too, but thanks to my physique, I bounced back quicker than you. Otherwise, I'd be walking like a zombie and I'm not gonna lie," Anna said with a smirk before stretching a bit. "He's a monster in bed."
Jean gave her a flat look, though her lips twitched with a smile. "We seriously need to improve our stamina."
"Agreed," Anna replied with a laugh. "If he keeps this up, we're going to need a training montage just to survive in the bedroom."
Ethan shut the car door and walked toward them while smirking proudly. "So… what I'm hearing is: I win."
"You don't get points for wrecking your women," Jean snapped, though her tone was more playful than scolding.
"Oh, I don't?" Ethan arched an eyebrow, stepping out and fixing his suit collar. "Because to most men, that's the highest compliment."
Jean rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your head."
Anna crossed her arms with a teasing smile. "Too late. He's already storing it in the 'achievement' section of his ego."
"I already did," he said with a wink.
They entered the elevator, the chrome doors reflecting their expressions. Ethan leaned casually against the side panel while Jean and Anna exchanged a mischievous glance.
"Next time," Jean whispered as her eyes burning with playful fire, "we're doing this together. A proper threesome."
Anna's grin widened. "Yup. Two on one. Let's see if you can handle us, big guy."
Ethan's breath caught slightly. His heart sped up in anticipation. 'Finally…' he thought, 'my dream comes true.'
They'd always kept things one-on-one—Jean and Anna both preferred to wait until after the wedding for anything more… collaborative. But now?
Now the game had changed and he is very much looking forward to it.
The elevator dinged softly as it reached the executive floor. The doors opened.
The trio stepped out in synchronized confidence—Ethan in his fitted grey jacket and black tee, Jean radiant in a deep red top, and Anna in her sharp green blazer and white slacks. Employees passing by greeted them with warmth and respect.
Then, from the far end of the hallway, a woman approached—striking red hair, sculpted in elegant waves, lips painted in a shade just shy of bold. Her dark pencil skirt hugged her hips, and her white blouse gave her a sophisticated allure.
She walked with poise, carrying a tablet, her posture sharp and practiced.
"Good morning," she greeted, her voice calm and pleasant. "I'm Natalie Rushman, your new executive assistant."
Jean's eyes sparkled. "Oh! We were expecting a new hire today, it's lovely to meet you, Natalie."
Anna beamed. "Hi there! You look like someone who really knows how to run things."
'She has no idea who that really is,' Ethan thought as he watched the interaction, barely suppressing his amusement.
To them, she was Natalie Rushman with polished, professional, and efficient resume and experience.
But Ethan knew better.
'That's Natasha Romanoff. The infamous Black Widow. Sent here by Fury to snoop around. And probably has a neurochip installed, too.'
The moment he'd seen her résumé cross his desk weeks ago, he recognized the signs. The perfect cover story, the subtle inconsistencies in her listed background. And of course, her face—She looked exactly like Scarlett Johansson from the movies in his old life—curves sculpted to perfection, a body that could disarm or kill, depending on her mission.
He smirked inwardly. 'Sending an undercover agent into a place owned by a telepath? It is Bold. Reckless, even. But… entertaining.'
He was sure Natasha had a neurochip implanted to protect her from psychic intrusion—he'd dealt with that tech before. He wouldn't put it past Fury to load her up with other failsafes too.
But Ethan wasn't worried. She wouldn't find anything incriminating here.
He had made sure Aeon Biotech looked like just another rising company—albeit a powerful one. All the deeper secrets were locked away, with protections layered upon protections. Even Jean and Anna couldn't access certain vaults without him.
His fertilizer formula, the heart of their agricultural research empire, could never be reverse-engineered. Its core ingredient came from his own world-sustaining blood. Even the infiltration attempts from other organizations had failed to uncover anything beyond surface-level science.
'Let them think it's some hidden cabal or underground syndicate,' Ethan thought with a chuckle. 'They'd freak out if they knew this is just a guy trying to make the world greener and keep his women happy.'
As Jean gestured for Natalie to follow her toward her office, Ethan stepped forward.
"Welcome to Aeon Biotech, Miss Rushman," he said, offering a firm handshake. "I hope the team's been treating you well."
"Very much so," Natasha replied smoothly. "I'm looking forward to assisting wherever I'm needed."
Her voice was calm, confident. Her eyes didn't betray a thing. But Ethan knew better.
'A master of masks. Good. This might be fun after all.'
Anna headed off toward the R&D department, already chatting with the interns, and Jean led Natalie into her office for a quick orientation in person.
Ethan stood in the hallway for a moment, watching them disappear into the glass corridor.
He smiled with his hands in his pockets.
'Things just got a lot more interesting. Let's see how long it takes before the Black Widow starts to squirm…'
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