As for what Tony had been getting up to in Los Angeles, Howard naturally knew. After all, he was the director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
But family scandals should not be aired in public. It sounded far too awful to say that the director's underage son had become the source of all evil.
Howard was not particularly angry about Tony finding girls to "play games" with. After all, he had been the same way when he was young, and had even taken pride in it, thinking that Tony took after him. But when it came to drugs and alcohol, Howard still made time to fly to the West Coast several times and have a talk with Tony.
But it was useless.
Tony had only one thing to say from beginning to end.
"If you and Mom have time to keep me company, I'll quit all of it. Okay?"
Howard had no answer. He could not set aside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s affairs, and he could not let Tony know what he was busy with.
Even if he had some free time, he still needed to go into the lab and continue his research. Otherwise, not only Stark Industries, but even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s technology could be surpassed by their enemies.
Maria, meanwhile, had to handle both sides' companies and businesses by herself. She was constantly flying around the world and had no time either.
They did have a vast family fortune, but if you stopped working for even one day, everyone beneath you would be left starving. Italians only trusted their own family in business, and Maria was a traditional Italian. She had to personally handle every negotiation and partnership.
Like all parents, Howard could only tell Tony that adults had work to do.
So every conversation between Howard and Tony ended unhappily, and the relationship between