Ashley only just realized there was someone else in the room.
And when she saw who it was, her first thought was...
I'm dead! I'm dead!
I'm definitely dead this time. Not even Jesus can save me!
She knew all too well what Ryan meant to Homelander. He was an absolutely untouchable presence, someone Ashley herself would have listed as off-limits and impossible to ignore.
And yet...
Ashley, what the hell had you just done?
You'd played Homelander's murder video right in front of Ryan?!!
Fear came out of nowhere and swept through her.
At that moment, Ashley was on the verge of a mental breakdown, and the urge to pee was rising fast.
But strangely, at this critical moment, it was as if her mind had split in two.
One half of her was so terrified she wished she could faint on the spot.
The other half managed to put on a serious, solemn expression and reply, "That's right, sir."
Homelander relaxed, as if that really was the truth. "Then why aren't you getting back to work?"
"Yes, I'll just..."
I'm saved!
Ashley let her guard down for a moment and was about to agree, but then she remembered Stan Edgar's instructions before she'd rushed back.
She was terrified of Homelander. That was the truth, with absolutely no exaggeration.
But Stan Edgar, who had run Vought International for decades, was no pushover either.
Other people might not know how terrifying Mr. Edgar was, but as Madelyn's assistant, how could she not?
As if! He was the cold-blooded man who could use precious supes for human experiments.
With a long face, Ashley dragged her feet. At last, when Homelander was growing more and more impatient, she meowed, "Mr. Edgar ordered that you, you should apologize to the public!"
The moment she said "apologize," it was like she'd slapped Homelander hard across the face.
It was a clear declaration that the excuse he'd just made up didn't hold water.
Homelander was so angry he laughed. "Apologize?"
"Not a chance! You think I'd apologize to these mere mortals?"
"Ha!! Ashley, tell me, do these ungrateful people know I accidentally killed that dumbass for their sake?"
"How else do they think America gets saved? By their damn online protests? If those voices actually worked, supervillains wouldn't be landing in America."
Ashley hesitated. "The PR department is discussing how to handle it. Admit fault, apologize, take action..."
"No, no, no!"
Homelander was clearly getting worked up.
He'd temporarily forgotten about his son, consumed instead by righteous indignation and burning rage.
He felt insulted. He'd gone all the way to that hellhole in the Middle East and worked his ass off for what? For this country and the people living in it.
And yet these people didn't understand him.
He'd only accidentally killed an insignificant bug. Why were they making such a big deal out of it?
Homie felt wronged, but stood firm. "Tell Edgar he can forget about telling me what to do! Get back to work, Ashley. Don't bother me!"
Looking at the now-furious Homelander, Ashley had only one thought.
Disaster was coming.
And she was going to lose more hair.
"Dad..."
Suddenly, just as Ashley was falling into despair, a heavenly voice rang out.
Behind the large conference table, Ryan had watched Homelander and Ashley's entire exchange. Though he was roasting them internally, not a trace of it showed on his face. He simply spoke with sadness and disappointment.
"Dad, I can apologize for you."
Like a frightened quail, Ashley's eyes suddenly lit up.
Homelander came to his senses, remembering that his son Ryan was still there. His entire body stiffened, and he blankly turned to look at him.
His mind went completely blank. He was genuinely stunned.
Ryan gently pursed his lips, then considerately offered Homie a different excuse. "After I learned to fly, I once accidentally hit a bird while landing. I, I really didn't mean to. I just couldn't control myself properly."
"I know how awful that feels. It's terrible."
"But I was afraid Mom would be disappointed in me, and that she'd never let me fly again, so I just buried the bird in secret. I didn't dare tell anyone."
After finishing this little story he'd made up on the spot, Ryan looked earnestly at Homelander. "Dad, I want to admit that I made a mistake."
"I shouldn't have hidden what I did just because I was afraid of disappointing someone."
"I also know that admitting a mistake is really, really hard. But I'm Homelander's son, so, Dad, I can admit your mistake for you."
Homelander just stared blankly, without reacting.
He didn't know what was happening to him, but the emotions welling up in his heart told him that someone understood him, someone felt for him, instead of doing what everyone else had always done...
Acting sympathetic to his face while despising him behind his back.
He had Super Hearing. How could Homelander not know what those people said about him in private?
It was only because he was magnanimous and kept the bigger picture in mind. Otherwise, not a single person in this Seven Tower would still be alive.
"Son..."
Homie's eyes grew misty again.
Nearby, Ashley didn't even dare to breathe.
Holding her breath, she screamed frantically in her mind: Say yes! Say yes!
Thank goodness for Ryan. Thank goodness he was so sensible. Mrs. Becca, you really are a wonderful mother. Just look at how outstanding your son is.
"Ashley, can I apologize to that person on Dad's behalf?"
Ryan gently changed the subject.
He knew all too well how much his words and actions had shaken Homelander. He wanted to leave that emotion etched in Homelander's heart.
Feelings weren't just spoken aloud. They had to be engraved in your heart.
"Of... course?"
Ashley replied tentatively.
Then, seeing that Homelander seemed to have agreed, she immediately perked up and added, "Ryan... uh, young Master Ryan, no one outside has ever known you existed. If you step forward on your own, and especially if you do it to apologize, you'll instantly set the entire internet buzzing."
"No, the whole world!"
"All the public attention will shift immediately. Everyone will focus on you, and no one will keep harping on this accident."
The clearer Ashley's thinking became, the more excited she got. She paced back and forth around the conference room.
"We need to build up anticipation. I've got it. When the video was leaked last night, a false rumor also popped up online, claiming Homelander had a son."
"The person who posted it is a nobody. She doesn't have any real photos to back it up, but I can give her a blurry picture."
"I'll have her get the rumor going first. One day is enough for the story to spread. Then, during prime time tonight, we'll go on The Cameron Coleman Hour."
"Make your official debut!"
Smack—
After she finished, Ashley smacked her palm with her fist.
Then she turned around and saw Homelander's face, filled with emotion and utterly at a loss.
Before you continue