Jessica Drew
at the same time.
Stark Industries headquarters building.
Luca Stark's private office.
Jessica had been waiting in the office for fifteen minutes.
She sat on the sofa, legs crossed, in an elegant posture.
But only she knew that her gaze hadn't stopped moving from the moment she entered the room.
The desk was custom-made from walnut wood, and several documents were piled on it, along with a small, half-disassembled device.
Unfortunately, it's impossible to tell what it is, but the intricate wiring inside is dizzying.
The bookshelf against the wall had few books, but was filled with a lot of random things.
For example, there was an autographed baseball, a pair of disassembled headphones, several pairs of sunglasses in different colors, and a note with a sticky note that said "Don't touch my things."
The office's style can be described in one word: the casualness of the wealthy.
Jessica shook her head and quickly looked away.
She repeatedly went over the possible solutions in her mind.
The target is Luca Stark, 25, co-CEO of Stark Industries.
Public records show that he is a genius, Playboy, and a party animal, just like his Tony Stark.
But she had seen much more non-public material.
This man is far more dangerous than he appears.
Beneath that smiling expression lay something that even the top brass of Hydra took very seriously.
Therefore, she cannot let her guard down.
Soon, footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Jessica immediately adjusted her posture.
She straightened her back slightly, a perfectly measured smile playing on her lips—neither overly enthusiastic nor cold.
The door was pushed open.
Luca Stark walked in.
His imposing height gave him a strong sense of intimidation when he entered the room.
With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he wore a black suit with the top two buttons of his shirt undone, giving him a very casual look.
Anyone who didn't know better would think they were attending a cocktail party instead of going to work.
It's worth noting that the other person was also holding an iced Americano.
He kicked the door shut as he shouted something down the hallway.
" Pepper! I already have JARVIS, why are you hiring a babysitter for me? I'm not a child anymore!"
Pepper's indifferent reply came from afar in the corridor.
"You've lost a few contracts."
"Damn it, I didn't lose them, I just deliberately gave them up."
"Also, those contracts are so ugly, the font is terrible, it's 2008, who still uses those?!"
" Luca, have you forgotten? One of them was worth two hundred million."
"A contract worth 200 million with that kind of signature is definitely unacceptable. It shows the other party has a problem with their aesthetic sense, and people with aesthetic problems are unreliable in business."
Pepper's footsteps had already faded into the distance; she clearly had no intention of continuing the argument.
Luca rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly.
"Look, she's doing it again. Every time she can't win an argument, she pretends not to hear me."
After saying that, Lu turned around.
Then I saw Jessica on the sofa.
Luca paused for a moment, then looked Jessica over with interest.
She had long, dark brown hair, delicate features, and her makeup was understated yet perfectly accentuated her facial contours.
Wearing a black business suit, with a skirt that fell a few centimeters above the knee—neither too long nor too short—she looked professional while perfectly showcasing her long, slender legs.
Luca raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his coffee.
Well, Pepper's taste in choosing people this time is impeccable.
Jessica stood up and extended her hand.
" Mr. Stark, hello, I'm Jessica. It's nice..."
"Etc."
Luca raised his hand in a serious tone to interrupt her.
"Before you finish your opening remarks, I need to clarify something."
Jessica paused slightly, her outstretched hand hovering in mid-air.
"What is it?"
" Mr. Stark is my brother, just call me Luca." Luca took her hand and grinned.
"Of course, you can call me handsome too, I don't mind, because it's true."
Jessica's lips curled up slightly, and she understood.
"Okay, Luca."
"Okay, that sounds much better than Mr. Stark. I felt twenty years older just hearing those words."
After saying that, Luca shook hands with the other person.
At the instant of contact, Luca's pupils contracted slightly.
His abilities allowed him to clearly perceive something unusual.
For example, Jessica's energy density far exceeds that of an average human.
To him, an ordinary person's body was like a glass of lukewarm water, unremarkable.
But the woman in front of me is more like a sugar-coated bomb.
As it turns out, she was no ordinary person.
In the past, Luca might have been alarmed.
But now?
That's interesting, so very interesting.
Pepper found him a superhuman as an assistant, which was much more interesting than the interview itself.
Luca naturally let go of her hand, walked around her, and went behind the desk.
He then sat down casually, leaning the chair back so that he was almost half-lying down.
"So..."
He put his feet up on the table and swirled the coffee near his lips.
"Does Pepper think I need someone to keep an eye on me?"
Jessica sat down as well, her posture composed.
"The role of a personal assistant is to assist, not to manage."
"That's a beautifully said statement, but the reality is, the last time Pepper mentioned finding you an assistant, that person quit the very next day."
Luca took a sip of coffee and said this meaningfully.
"Two days, do you know why?"
Why?
"Because I asked her to buy me coffee, she came back with a latte."
Luca continued, his expression as if he were telling a horror story.
"Everyone in the world knows that I only drink iced Americanos, just like I only eat chicken burgers. And it's written on the first page, first line of the job requirements, in bold, underlined, and highlighted in red."
"I've already made myself very clear, but she still bought me a latte."
Jessica, her expression unchanged, suppressed a smile and echoed, "So, you fired her because of a cup of coffee?"
"No, she resigned on her own," Luca said matter-of-factly.
"After she bought it, I simply spent forty-five minutes explaining to her the differences in caffeine content and taste between an iced Americano and a latte."
"Um... you mean, forty-five minutes?"
"Yes, I think I've been very restrained."
Seeing the man's innocent expression, Jessica finally understood why Pepper had personally chosen the people.
The answer is simple: ordinary people simply cannot withstand it.
"Okay, let's get serious." Luca casually picked up the resume from the table and opened it.
But he closed it after only a second.
"Okay, I've finished reading."
Jessica was completely bewildered and had no idea what was happening.
"Sir, you haven't even turned the first page."
"The first page is enough. Harvard graduate, two years of administrative experience, GPA 3.9, five letters of recommendation."
He casually rattled off a few pieces of information, his smile radiating confidence.
"You know, I'm a genius, so I can see things very quickly."
Jessica's heart sank slightly.
This guy can scan an entire page of information in a second and remember the details; that alone makes him extraordinary.
Jessica Jones.
Luca repeated the name to himself, then smacked his lips.
"Nice name. It's a pity, I thought you'd have a more exotic name like Natasha Romanoff."
He casually tossed the resume aside, glanced at Jessica from head to toe, and then flashed a Playboy smile.
"Where did you work before?"
" Wayne Foundation, Administrative Assistant"
Luca raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled.
" Wayne? Which Wayne?"
"Uh... Bruce Wayne, the one who does charity work."
"Okay, the Wayne Foundation... does charity? As long as it's not in Gotham."
Luca nodded and quickly asked the next question.
"So you've jumped from the world of saints to the world of arms manufacturing, a leap bigger than me jumping directly from a party to a lab. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"Sir, Stark Industries no longer manufactures weapons," Jessica corrected with a smile.
"Yes, yes, we're working on clean energy now," Luca said with a serious expression.
"Clean, environmentally friendly, and pollution-free! Except for the fact that our metal canisters always leave a dent when they land, it's basically zero-carbon emissions."
Jessica couldn't help but chuckle softly.
I have to admit, this guy does have a certain charm that makes people lower their guard.
He talks like a machine gun; if you lose focus, you'll fall behind, and if you do, you'll find yourself being led along by him.
The problem is, she can't be led around like that.