Early the next morning, as Ethan Cole walked into the living room, he saw Jessica stuffing the last slice of toast into her mouth. Glancing at the now-empty plate on the table, Jessica scratched her head awkwardly and muttered in a low voice,
"Sorry, boss… I was so hungry I couldn't help eating your share too…"
Seeing her act so shamelessly, Ethan couldn't even be bothered to comment. As he walked past the living room and opened the front door, he said softly,
"Remember to go find a job!"
Jessica looked at the closed door, a little dejected, cursing in her heart that Ethan had no sense of romance or gentlemanly grace. Just as she was about to go back to her room to sleep, her stomach growled again.
Letting out a small "oh," Jessica slowly walked to the door, bent down, and picked up four Benjamins lying on the ground. Her face instantly brightened with a radiant smile. Grabbing the keys, she dashed toward the burger shop two blocks away.
Meanwhile, Ethan was still wondering whether that silly girl had noticed the money he'd dropped.
Just then, a loud bang came from behind. Turning around, he saw Jessica bolting down the street like a husky finally freed from its leash, disappearing in an instant. He sighed, feeling sorry for his iron front door for about three seconds before deciding that, once he had the money, he'd replace it with one made of vibranium.
Jessica sprinted to the burger shop and ordered three combo meals for two. The cashier gave her a strange look — it was hard to imagine that petite body could hold that much food.
Ten minutes later, the same cashier watched, dumbfounded, as Jessica devoured burger after burger. Somehow, she didn't look quite as attractive anymore. Jessica took a long swig of cola, swallowed her food, and leaned back in her chair with a loud belch.
Other customers, seeing her sitting like a total tomboy, shook their heads, gathered their children, and left. After finishing her feast, Jessica handed a Benjamin to the cashier, pocketed her change, and walked toward the door.
Suddenly, a screech of brakes pierced the air, followed by a little girl's scream. Jessica turned toward the sound and saw a Ford swerving uncontrollably down the street.
The little girl stood in the middle of the road, screaming and flailing in panic. Just before the car could hit her, she dropped into a crouch, covering her head and crying helplessly.
After a loud crash, Jessica gently picked up the girl and handed her to the woman who ran over. Watching the mother and daughter's hurried retreating figures, Jessica smiled with satisfaction — she really liked the feeling of helping others.
"Hey! You think you can just walk away like that?!"
The driver got out of the car, his face full of anger. "You wrecked my baby like this — don't you think you should pay for the damage?!"
Jessica froze mid-step, finally understanding why the mother and daughter had run away so fast. Remembering how the driver had tried his best to avoid the accident, she sighed, spread her hands, and said calmly,
"I don't have any money."
The burly man nearly popped his eyes out. It was the first time he'd ever met someone who said that so boldly. Somehow, her attitude made him feel like the bad guy. The words demanding compensation stuck in his throat, making him very uncomfortable.
Just as he was about to give up and walk away, Jessica added,
"I don't have money — but my boss does!"
The man gave her a once-over and immediately pegged her as some rich guy's mistress — strong, but not too bright.
No wonder she was just a mistress, he thought. Then, in a cold voice, he said,
"Get in the car and show me the way. I'm going to have a little talk with your boss!"
Jessica obediently got into the car and guided him. Meanwhile, Ethan Cole walked home in high spirits — life was great when you had a backpack; no need to carry anything else.
"What's going on here?"
Ethan opened the door to see the two of them sitting on the couch. He suddenly had a bad feeling — what was this, adopting people right in front of him now?
"You're her boss?" the burly man asked, standing up and glaring. Pointing out the window at his car, he shouted, "Just now, I was driving along, humming a tune, and she slammed down on my hood! Look at what she did to my car!"
Ethan turned his head to glance at the badly crumpled Ford outside, then said casually,
"Cut the nonsense. Name your price."
"Ten grand!" The man's eyes gleamed — jackpot. This guy looked like an easy mark.
"Here." Ethan pulled a thousand dollars from his pocket and handed it over. Seeing the man's stunned expression, he sneered,
"Do I look like an idiot to you? Either take the money and leave, or I'll treat this as a home invasion and shoot you on the spot."
The man snatched the cash and bolted for the door. A moment later, the engine roared, and the car vanished down the street.
"Boss, don't be mad — let me explain…" Jessica lowered her head and quickly recounted what had happened.
Listening to her, Ethan sighed and said irritably,
"From now on, no matter what happens, your first move is always to run."
"Got it, boss!" Jessica nodded vigorously.
Ethan turned on the living room TV. A familiar face appeared on the screen — Tony Stark. Hearing the news that Stark was heading to a military base for a weapons test, Ethan's eyes flickered slightly, and he muttered,
"So this is Iron Man 1, huh…"
As Stark smiled confidently on-screen, Ethan's own lips curved into a grin.
> "As the military liaison for Stark Industries, it is my great honor to work with such a patriot. Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present this year's highest honor to Mr. Tony Stark!"
Colonel Rhodes smiled broadly — proud of his friend's achievements. As applause filled the hall, he began rehearsing his next lines in his head; knowing Tony, the guy was bound to say something unpredictable. Rhodes felt smugly prepared.
But as the applause faded and Tony still hadn't appeared, Rhodes' smile stiffened. He wanted to dig a hole with his toes and bury a Tony Stark inside it.
Obadiah Stane walked onto the stage, smiling as he took the trophy from Rhodes' hand and said smoothly,
"This is a beautiful trophy. Though I'm not Tony Stark, I can still share with you his honor and joy! As you all know, Tony's greatest strength is also his greatest flaw — when he's working, he loses all sense of time!"
Stane's easy humor quickly lightened the atmosphere. Colonel Rhodes stood by, silently cursing Tony up and down. Nobody in the audience actually believed Stane's words about Tony's "dedication," but they still gave polite applause.
After the event, Rhodes thanked Stane again for saving the moment. Once Stane left, Rhodes used military intelligence channels to locate Tony Stark's whereabouts.
Half an hour later, Rhodes parked his car outside a convention hall. Inside, he found Tony, chatting and laughing with a beautiful woman on his arm. Even though he'd expected it, Rhodes still felt his blood pressure rising.