Natasha found it strange, awkward.
From the moment she started work that morning, she'd felt that something was off.
The strange thing was her current ostensible boss, that narcissist Tony Stark.
Today, he seemed like a completely different person, going out of his way to be nice to her.
It wasn't the usual kind of attention he gave her because of what happened in bed. It was more like... how should she put it? Like he needed something from her.
Natasha couldn't understand what a billionaire like Tony Stark could possibly need from her.
And what she found even harder to understand was that whenever she took off her high heels to let her feet, clad in black stockings, relax for a while,
Tony Stark would always look over. But from his expression, she could tell it wasn't the way a man looked at a woman's beautiful legs.
Instead, there was a conflicted look in his eyes, as if he were hesitating over something. He looked utterly pained.
Tony Stark's behavior was clearly abnormal, so Natasha found an opportunity to secretly report it to Xia Ling.
But what confused Natasha even more was that when she reported the matter, the Director's first reaction was to burst out laughing.
It was as if he wouldn't stop until he laughed himself to death. Natasha had no idea why this was so funny to the Director, but as a subordinate, all she could do was wait quietly.
Fortunately, after the Director finished laughing, he didn't do anything strange. Otherwise, Natasha would have had to wonder if she'd opened the door the wrong way this morning. How else could everyone she met have become so weird?
Since the Director had ordered her to keep observing and reveal her identity if the situation called for it,
she would keep observing. But that order to reveal her identity "if the situation called for it" made Natasha roll her eyes. Had he given her such a vague instruction just so she could take the blame?
With a head full of questions and a trace of unease, Natasha returned to her post.
She did her best to stay calm, but Tony Stark's strange behavior was like a fog she couldn't ignore.
Every time she saw that conflicted look in Tony Stark's eyes, she felt uneasy all over, as if something filthy were watching her.
Fortunately, Natasha was an elite agent among elite agents. What kind of big scenes hadn't she seen?
Though she felt a little uncomfortable, it was nothing compared to what she'd been through before.
When Natasha once again casually took off her high heels, giving her tired feet a brief rest, Tony Stark suddenly walked over, wearing that same hesitant expression.
Natasha quickly adjusted her posture, doing her best to look natural, though for some reason her heart was beating faster.
She watched Tony Stark's reaction without giving anything away, ready to handle whatever might happen.
"Natasha, I... I have something I want to talk to you about."
Tony Stark's voice trembled a little. He seemed to have worked up a great deal of courage before speaking.
"Mr. Stark, did something happen today? You've seemed off all day. If something's wrong, you can tell me directly. You are my boss, after all."
Boss.
Hearing that word only made Tony Stark more uncomfortable.
On the surface, he really was this secretary's boss. But the Magic Conch had told him to be her dog, and to lick her feet if he couldn't manage that. So who was the boss here?
"Natalie, you've always been one of the assistants I trust most. Though sometimes our relationship... well, it's a little complicated. But today, I want to tell you that I've discovered some secrets. Very, very serious secrets."
Natasha's eyes sharpened instantly. Had this playboy figured out who she really was?
That made sense. The search for the Magic Conch had been handled far too clumsily, leaving too many loose ends. It was only natural that someone as smart as Tony Stark would grow suspicious.
Besides, the Director hadn't said she absolutely had to keep it secret. He'd even said she could come clean if the circumstances were right.
So, should she lay her cards on the table?
"Boss, I'm just a lowly secretary. If you're planning to tell me company secrets, I'm afraid I'd rather not hear them. That's not something I should be involved in."
There was a note of caution and distance in Natasha's words. By deliberately calling him "boss" and herself a "lowly secretary," she emphasized the professional boundary between them while testing Tony Stark's reaction.
A flicker of surprise crossed Tony Stark's face, but he quickly composed himself. He realized Natasha might have misunderstood him, or perhaps she was deliberately avoiding something.
So he tried another approach.
"Natasha, you've misunderstood. The secret I want to tell you isn't directly related to the company. It's... closely tied to the safety of the world."
The safety of the world? Had he really figured out who she was?
"Mr. Stark, I'm just an ordinary person living on a salary. The safety of the world is far beyond my pay grade. You should find someone else."
Natasha still had no intention of laying her cards on the table just yet. What if she had misunderstood?
If the world-famous Black Widow had her cover blown by someone, wouldn't she become a laughingstock in the field?
Not that Natasha cared much about her reputation. But if she exposed herself just like that, what would the New Director think of her?
After thinking it over, Natasha crossed her legs and gazed at Tony with an air of indifference, as if to say, "What does the safety of the world have to do with a little employee like me?"
Tony Stark looked at Natasha's feigned ease, unable to hide the wariness beneath it, and grew anxious.
How could she still not understand after all this?
Couldn't people just trust each other a little more?
"Natasha, I know what I'm saying might sound absurd, but please believe me. Every word is true. This world is facing an unprecedented crisis, and I... I may need your help."
Tony Stark's voice was low and earnest, his eyes revealing a seriousness he'd never shown before.
"Mr. Stark, I'm sorry, but I really don't understand what you're talking about. You're a superhero, but I'm really just an ordinary person. I'm sorry I can't help you."
Natasha shook her head again and crossed her legs the other way, refusing to take Tony's bait.
Natasha planned to first figure out what had made Tony act this way, then decide whether to come clean depending on the circumstances. That way, she could stay in control instead of ending up on the back foot.
Tony stared straight at Natasha's crossed legs, steeled himself, and made a decision.
Just then, Natasha felt a chill.
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