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With his strength improved again, Jaxon gained more confidence.

"There hasn't been a superhero or supervillain to step forward yet, and I'm almost invincible."

"This feeling is really good."

After Jaxon counted his recent gains, he immediately prepared dinner. A lot of time had been wasted because of Natasha's sudden appearance.

---

In a blink of an eye, the night of the charity gala arrived. Jaxon wore his newly bought suit and drove to pick up Pepper, who was waiting on the roadside in a stunning purple dress.

"It would be a pity if I didn't use the cupping on my back." Jaxon joked as he pulled over.

"Hi, beautiful lady, do you need a ride?" Jaxon smiled.

Pepper smiled back, "I think I do. Can you take me to the hotel?"

"Of course. Please, get in."

Pepper sat in the passenger seat, fastening her seat belt.

"Pepper, I can't believe it. You always look great in formal attire, but I didn't expect you to look even more beautiful in a gown."

Pepper blushed slightly at Jaxon's compliment, "Really? I was worried the back was too open."

"You look gorgeous. You'll attract everyone's attention. If you were my girlfriend, I'd do everything I could to keep other men from looking at you."

Pepper, flustered by Jaxon's flirtation, quickly changed the subject, "Jaxon, I think we should head inside."

"Of course."

Jaxon drove Pepper to the hotel where the charity gala was being held. The venue was filled with people, and as they arrived, the event was already in full swing.

The charity gala, although framed as a charitable event, was mostly a place for celebrities to network and discuss business. Pepper, with Jaxon's help, got out of the car, and they entered the hotel arm in arm.

Inside, the atmosphere was lively. As they moved through the crowd, Jaxon spotted Obadiah Stane. Obadiah was deep in conversation but paused when he noticed Jaxon and Pepper. He was familiar with Pepper as Tony Stark's assistant, but Jaxon's unfamiliar face caught his attention.

When Jaxon and Pepper reached the bar to order drinks, Obadiah approached them.

"Pepper." Obadiah greeted.

"Sir, what's the matter?" Pepper responded politely.

"Is Tony coming tonight?"

"I'm not sure. When I left, he was still busy in the basement studio and asked not to be disturbed. He probably won't show."

"Okay." Obadiah acknowledged before turning his attention to Jaxon, "And who might this be?"

Pepper introduced them, "This is Jaxon, Mr. Jaxon. He recently bought a significant number of shares in Stark Industries."

Jaxon extended his hand, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Stane. I've always wanted to invest in Stark Industries, but the stock prices were usually too high. Fortunately, I seized the recent opportunity and now own 14% of the company's shares."

Obadiah shook his hand, his expression neutral, "Impressive. We at Stark Industries appreciate your confidence in us. With Tony closing the weapons department, it will take some time to bounce back, but we're determined to rise again."

Jaxon smiled confidently, "I have faith in Tony. He's a genius, and I believe he'll find a way to solve any problems."

Obadiah's smile tightened. Though he remained outwardly cordial, he was troubled by Jaxon's presence. Owning 14% of the company's shares, Jaxon was no longer a minor player, and his apparent closeness with Pepper made Obadiah suspect that Tony might be supporting Jaxon behind the scenes. This could potentially interfere with his plan to force Tony out.

"Yes, we will solve the problem." Obadiah replied, though his mind was racing with darker thoughts. He walked away, his face grim.

"Tony, I'll make sure you die by your own design." Obadiah muttered to himself, "This company is mine."

---

After Obadiah left, Jaxon turned to Pepper with a smile, "Shall we dance?"

Pepper hesitated briefly before agreeing, "Okay."

They moved to the dance floor, swaying to the music. As they danced, they continued to talk.

"Pepper, are you Tony's woman?" Jaxon asked suddenly.

Pepper was caught off guard, immediately denying it, "No! I'm just his assistant."

"Really? Tony's a playboy. I'm surprised he hasn't made a move on someone as beautiful as you."

Pepper sighed, "The women around him are far more stunning than me. Besides, Tony's not my type."

"Not your type?"

"He's my boss, and I don't want people thinking I'm using my position for personal gain. Plus, Tony is immature. He's brilliant but has a lot of baggage. I've spent years taking care of him like a little brother or, worse, a babysitter."

Jaxon defended Tony, "Maybe he gives off that impression, but I believe he's changing. He's starting to take responsibility."

"Maybe." Pepper conceded, though doubt lingered in her voice.

Jaxon saw an opportunity to press further, "What about me? Am I your type?"

Pepper misstepped, accidentally stepping on Jaxon's foot. Flustered, she stopped, "Sorry, I... I need to get some air. I'll be on the balcony."

"It's fine." Jaxon replied, watching her retreat.

Pepper stepped onto the balcony, the cool breeze helping her regain her composure. She couldn't deny that she felt something for Jaxon, but the age difference made her hesitant.

'Oh God, why am I blushing?' She thought, "Jaxon is so handsome, and mature—completely different from Tony."

Moments later, Jaxon returned with two drinks, "Here's your vodka martini, extra olives, just as you like."

"Thanks." Pepper downed the drink in one gulp, trying to steady herself. After a moment of silence, she spoke again, "Jaxon, I need to tell you something."

"Go ahead, I'm all ears." Jaxon said softly.

"You're amazing, and I'm attracted to you... but you're younger than me. I don't know if I can accept that."

Jaxon closed the distance between them, his voice low, "That's not a problem. I like you."

Pepper was stunned. Their eyes met, and the atmosphere between them shifted. Jaxon leaned in and kissed her.

Suddenly, an all-too-familiar voice interrupted them.

"Oh, come on!" Tony exclaimed, "Jaxon, you're trying to steal my girl?"

---

Tony had just finished testing his armor, encountering some trouble with icing during his flight. After fixing the issue, he remembered the charity gala. Realizing he hadn't attended his own event, he hurriedly dressed and drove over in one of his luxury cars.

Upon arrival, Tony spotted Pepper and Jaxon on the balcony. He couldn't resist interrupting their moment.

Pepper, flustered by Tony's arrival, quickly excused herself, "I'll go get a drink."

Tony, however, wasn't done, "Jaxon, Pepper's just my assistant. Can't she have her own life?"

Jaxon smirked, "Yeah, I think she should. But I also think we're a good match."

Tony raised an eyebrow but didn't argue further. Instead, he decided it was time to show off his new creation to Jaxon.

Before he could, a woman approached him.

"Tony Stark, I didn't expect to see you here." She said.

Tony vaguely recognized her but couldn't place her name, "Carly?"

"Christine, from *Vanity Fair*."

After some brief small talk, Christine revealed disturbing photos showing Stark Industries weapons being sold to the Ten Rings, the same terrorist group Tony had encountered.

Tony's anger flared. He had shut down the weapons department, yet his tech was still in the hands of criminals. Worse, these weapons were being used to attack innocent civilians in places like Gulmira—a name Tony knew well. His friend Ethan had come from there.

"When were these taken?" Tony asked, his voice tense.

"Yesterday." Christine replied.

"I didn't authorize any shipments." Tony growled.