Seeing a Guest Off

Unlike other banquets, there were no follow-up meetings, third meetings, or other entertainment after the dinner.

Alex and his wife were the first to leave. Before leaving, he not only gave Henry a personal business card but also left Henry's contact number. His gaze was intriguing.

Catherine is staying at the Stark Family's villa in Los Angeles, so she doesn't plan to move.

However, she also exchanged contact information with Henry and said, "I'll contact Audrey about your job. But we don't live in Los Angeles, so we'll have to arrange a time to meet."

"So be patient, child. What If...? you want to see your idol, another Hepburn. And the decision is in her hands, you understand?"

"I understand, Catherine." Henry simply thanked her and said nothing more.

Because if we talk too much, this "Ms. Hepburn" in front of us will get jealous. Even an eighty-year-old Kryptonian couldn't handle such Kryptonian.

Stepping out of the house, Henry was surprised to find that the flashy red Ferrari was still there.

Tony was standing by the car, smoking. As soon as he saw the person get out, he stubbed out the rest of his cigarette and said, "Get in, I'll take you home."

"Oh ho, I thought I'd have to walk home myself," Henry joked.

Tony said unhappily, "I brought you here, so it's normal for me to send you back. Besides, I don't want you wandering around this wealthy area all night."

"You're unlikely to run into a robbery-cracking black guy, but you might run into nosy cops. So get on the bus, or if I wait until I kick your ass, you'll be sitting in the front compartment."

This flashy Ferrari has a mid-engine layout, so the trunk is located at the front. It's not very spacious; at least in Henry's X-Ray Vision, you'd have to break your arms or legs into several pieces to fit inside.

Henry, of course, didn't want to stay in the trunk, so he obediently got into the car.

As Tony slammed on the gas, Henry squeezed himself into the seat. The roar of the engine seemed to be Tony's way of venting his emotions, instantly approaching the redline.

Even though it's a sports car designed for grip, Tony managed to pull off a drift. The large iron gate opened slightly earlier, and by the time the Ferrari passed through, it was just the right distance for one car to pass, showing that the timing was perfectly calculated.

It must be admitted that Tony Stark possesses remarkable talent in vehicle control. This is why he was able to drive a Formula One car in a formal race at the Monte Carlo circuit in Morocco in the movie.

Although the car's design suggests it's not top-tier F1, but rather F2, a racing license is no easy feat, and not just anyone can drive in official races.

However, once on the proper roads, Tony didn't go into speed mode, but instead adhered to the speed limits. The Ferrari's engine revs entered a stable range, neither close to idle nor close to the engine's limit.

Judging from this, Henry knew Tony had something to say, otherwise he wouldn't be in such a hurry to get rid of him.

Tony was neither used to nor happy about being rejected. He then brought it up again. "Why didn't you accept my job offer?"

"Bringing this up again," Henry retorted. "What else do you think I can do besides taking a bullet for?"

Tony was momentarily speechless, then said after a moment, "Shouldn't Mutants like you be trying to use your talents to better integrate into ordinary people's lives?"

So, he thought of himself as Mutants.

Henry, however, had no intention of clearing up the misunderstanding and asked again, "Then our genius Mr. Tony, can you tell me, what kind of people do United States's top lawyers serve? What kind of people can afford to hire these elite lawyers?"

This question silenced Tony once again.

Henry continued, "What If...? someone were to hire me to take a bullet for them, it would first mean they've done something that would make someone want to shoot them. I think nine out of ten of those people are bad people."

"And the remaining one, I don't think he can afford to hire me. So tell me, is it really a good thing for me to make this kind of money against my conscience?"

"What If...? you were to suggest becoming a vigilante and going around rescuing people, don't you think that by the time I arrive, the person might already be dead? And then the police might just walk up and arrest me as a suspect."

"What a terrible thing I must have been to do something so thankless. So, volunteering to be Ms. Hepburn's driver and bodyguard was the best solution I could think of."

"At least she's a good person, and I'll be of use in a place like Africa. More importantly, she can at least pay me a basic salary, unlike other poor people who have to make me work for free."

Now Tony understood that Henry's attitude wasn't that he was unwilling to help others, nor was it a waste of his talent. He was simply selective about who he helped, and he did so in a way that left no room for criticism.

Henry continued, "What If...? declining your job offer today disappoints you, I can only say I'm sorry. But let me make one thing clear: I didn't really mean to refuse you. You can see that, can't you, Mr. Tony the genius?"

"Good for you Tony. Mr. Tony, that sarcastic remark..." After a nonchalant complaint, Tony continued, "Are you trying to reject Alex?"

Henry said, "Of course. You didn't see how that big shot in the financial world's eyes lit up when he saw I could take the bullet. It's just that it was my first time meeting him, so there were some things I couldn't say."

"We've met a few times already, and with Ms. Hepburn making jokes around, my rejections can be taken as a joke without being too impolite."

"This is the best outcome for me. I don't even want to think about why a big shot like him would need someone like me."

Tony recalled the inside information Alex had shared. Knowing so much, was it really possible, as he himself claimed, that he had absolutely no connection?

"What If...? you're worried about him, you can offer more ordinary terms instead of revealing your abilities," Tony criticized.

Henry scoffed, "What If...? I simply act like an ordinary person, with your resources, would it be difficult for you to find someone more capable and trustworthy than me? Do I really have any other leverage?"

"Oh, sorry, I forgot. After all, the young masters of the Stark Family lead simple lives. They can't understand how difficult it would be for someone like me, a nobody, to cross social classes and enter your circle, even just as a servant."

"What If...? I didn't demonstrate skills that some people don't possess, would you even look at a stranger like me with any respect? I'm not naive enough to think that we can be considered friends after only a few conversations, especially since they weren't all pleasant experiences."

"What If...? we were truly friends, I believe you could have been more straightforward when Catherine Hepburn asked for my opinion. And you wouldn't have used 'Ms. Hepburn ' as bait to lure me in and see me make a fool of myself."

"But I am not offended or displeased by this. Whether you are satisfied with today's monkey show, young master or not, I have done my best. All of this is to repay you for giving me this opportunity."

"I am truly grateful for this, and I have no disrespect intended. After all, not everyone gets to have such an opportunity. This is absolutely not meant to be sarcastic or ironic."

"And I believe our life trajectories won't overlap much in the future. I'm not the son of a billionaire, and we won't fit into each other's circles."

The car was parked by the roadside when we arrived at our destination. Henry opened the door and got out. Standing beside the car, he gave a Western-style hand gesture and a standard business smile, and said:

"So, goodbye, never to be seen again, Mr. Tony Stark."

Tony Stark's silence was the best response.