Tony Stark sat up straighter, his eyes sharp and focused as he looked at Bella.
Everything about her had become a mystery he wanted to solve. Ever since Loki infiltrated S.H.I.E.L.D. and exposed classified intel, Bella's true identity was leaked to key players—Nick Fury, Maria Hill, and Phil Coulson were among those who now knew who she really was.
And once you knew, you couldn't unknow it.
They hadn't bothered her immediately. After the Battle of New York, there had been too much chaos to sort through—alien wreckage, diplomatic fallout, the reconstruction of Manhattan. But now that things had calmed down, they couldn't ignore Bella anymore.
She had gone to great lengths to conceal her identity, making it clear that she wasn't someone who welcomed attention. If anyone tried pushing too hard, they could find themselves on the receiving end of a beatdown—and she had enough strength to destroy Tony Stark or even Nick Fury without breaking a sweat.
Tony knew that.
So, he had waited—waited until Bella had relaxed, played her part in the battle, and found her peace again—before daring to knock on her door.
"Now," Tony began with a wry smile, "as Iron Man, I formally invite you to join the Avengers to help us prepare for any future crises."
That one sentence hit the room like a thunderclap.
Behind him, Happy Hogan blinked in disbelief. His jaw practically hit the floor.
He'd heard about the Avengers project—after all, an entire base was now being built to house them. Though their performance in the Battle of New York was a mixed bag, each member was undeniably powerful. They were the elite of the elite, and now Tony was asking this girl—who Happy barely knew—to join them?
Who was she?
Bella didn't react much. She casually sipped her coffee and replied in a calm, steady voice: "I don't join organizations—not private, not government, not anything."
Tony chuckled, like he'd expected this.
"Still the lone wolf, huh?" he said.
But instead of arguing, he pulled a sleek, metallic case from beside him and opened it.
Inside was a set of documents.
"Share transfer?" Bella raised an eyebrow.
Tony nodded, sliding them across the table.
"It's just a small gesture," he explained. "These are shares in Stark Industries—technically owned by S.H.I.E.L.D., but Fury has decided to transfer them to you."
Bella's brows furrowed. S.H.I.E.L.D. having shares in Stark Industries wasn't new to her—but transferring them?
Tony answered her silent question. "It's Fury's way of thanking you. You helped save not just New York—but the entire planet. He's also throwing in the scepter for good measure."
The scepter. Loki's weapon.
Bella finally understood. This was hush money. A reward. A deal.
Though Loki was the enemy, the political fallout from the battle was devastating. The destruction of Manhattan had left thousands dead and millions in damage. Someone had to take the blame.
It wasn't going to be the Asgardians. Country M didn't have the nerve to challenge gods.
So, who better than S.H.I.E.L.D.?
The organization was now a convenient scapegoat. Its leadership knew it—and so did Bella.
This "gift" was a way for them to smooth things over with her. If she didn't raise a fuss, didn't go public or retaliate, then maybe they could ride out the storm.
Bella didn't care about politics. She had no intention of destroying S.H.I.E.L.D.—unless they got in her way.
But she did recognize value.
S.H.I.E.L.D. held many secrets, and it was better to have access than to destroy the source. Even Hydra, hidden within its ranks, could be a useful tool if she ever decided to pull some strings.
She took the document and flipped through it.
"Huh. 2.7% of Stark Industries?"
Her tone was genuinely surprised.
Even for someone as wealthy as Tony, that was a massive sum. Stark Industries was valued in the trillions. That made the gift worth over 20 billion dollars.
Tony raised his coffee cup again, smirking. "Yeah, it hurt Fury a little, but not much. Government budgets, you know. What's twenty billion to him?"
Bella stared at the document a moment longer, then took the pen and signed her name.
In that moment, she officially became a shareholder in Stark Industries.
For an average person, that would have been a life-changing event—a guaranteed seat among the world's most powerful elite. But Bella was no ordinary woman.
Still, money was better than no money, and she accepted it without hesitation.
Tony lifted his mug in a toast. "Welcome to the Stark family. Cheers."
Bella sipped her coffee in return, calm as ever.
Tony, on the other hand, was glowing inside. Now that Bella had a stake in Stark Industries, she was technically "one of them." That changed the game.
As for Happy? He looked like a ghost.
He was still trying to process everything.
"Wait a second," he thought. "Tony just invited her to join the Avengers, she flat-out refused, and he STILL gave her billions?"
None of it made sense. It was like watching a dream—or a scam—play out in real-time.
Who was this girl? Tony couldn't be this reckless, could he?
"Is she Tony's secret daughter? Or an alien princess? Or maybe… maybe she's controlling him?!"
His mind spun with wild conspiracy theories.
Just then, the sound of light footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
A sweet, childish voice called out, "Sister, what are you doing?"
A tiny figure burst into the room and launched herself into Bella's arms. It was Sally, her adorable little sister, full of energy and laughter.
Behind her bounded a huge golden retriever and a chubby blue cat, both panting happily.
Sally climbed up Bella's lap and snuggled in, turning her head curiously toward Tony and Happy.
"Why didn't you come play with me? Are you finished talking?"
Tony blinked, trying to respond, but no words came out. Happy just gave up altogether.
This was too much.
Superpowers, billion-dollar shares, Avengers offers, and now adorable sisters and magical pets?
Happy felt like he'd stepped into a fantasy novel.
Bella gently hugged Sally and smiled for the first time during the whole encounter. Her demeanor softened completely.
The room, which had felt so tense before, now radiated warmth and peace.
Tony stood up slowly, setting down his empty coffee cup.
"I should go," he said, eyes still flicking between Bella and the strange aura that surrounded her.
"Thanks for the coffee. And… welcome again."
Bella gave a slight nod, and just like that, the billionaire genius turned and walked out.
Happy followed in a daze.
Behind them, Bella leaned back with Sally still in her arms, looking out the window as the sun broke through the clouds.
She had no intention of joining the Avengers.
But she would watch.
And if another war came, she'd be ready—not because she was part of a team, but because she was Bella.
The Goddess of Judgment.
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