Felicia & Skye Join Ashborn
Alex made the request casually.
"Felicia. Skye. I need you both at Ashborn Group."
They didn't even hesitate.
By the next week, both had officially transferred.
Same roles they'd held at Stark Industries—
secretary and assistant—
Just now…
They worked directly under Alex.
Felicia leaned against his office doorway on her first day, arms crossed, smirking.
"So," she said, "see you every day now?"
Alex glanced up from his tablet.
"…Yes."
Skye grinned. "You sound way too calm about that."
Alex chuckled softly.
"That's because I know you'll be trouble."
Felicia laughed. "Absolutely."
They took their places outside his office.
And for the first time—
They could see him regularly.
Every day.
Alex noticed their mood shifts almost immediately.
And found it… amusing.
A New Reward — Red Queen
Later that evening, Alex reviewed his accumulated rewards.
One caught his attention.
Red Queen — Advanced Strategic AI
"…Perfect."
He uploaded Red Queen directly into the Ashborn central servers.
The system activated instantly.
A calm, elegant female voice echoed through the control room.
"Red Queen online. Awaiting directive."
Alex spoke evenly.
"Your role is to assist Ashborn Group operations. Prioritize Gwen Stacy, Dr. Helen Cho, Felicia Hardy, Skye Johnson, and Jennifer Walters."
"Understood," Red Queen replied.
"I will ensure efficiency and support."
Introductions
The next morning—
Red Queen appeared simultaneously across multiple offices.
Holographic projections flickered to life.
In Ashborn Labs—
Gwen blinked. "Uh… hello?"
"Good morning, Gwen Stacy," Red Queen said politely.
"I am Red Queen. I will assist you in research and optimization."
Helen looked impressed.
"…An adaptive AI?"
"Correct, Dr. Cho."
In the legal department—
Jennifer paused mid-document.
"…You're an AI."
"Yes, Ms. Walters."
In Alex's outer office—
Felicia and Skye stared at the hologram.
Felicia whistled. "Wow."
Skye smiled softly.
Red Queen continued.
"Chairman Alex Ashborn has assigned me as your assistant to reduce workload and stress."
Silence followed.
Then—
Gwen spoke quietly. "…He did this for us?"
Helen felt warmth spread through her chest.
Jennifer adjusted her glasses, expression unreadable—but her ears were red.
Felicia leaned back in her chair, smirking faintly.
"…He's thoughtful."
Skye nodded. "Too thoughtful."
Their feelings deepened.
Quietly.
Naturally.
Tony Stark Visits Ashborn Labs
Tony Stark arrived unannounced.
Which was normal.
What wasn't normal—
Was what he saw.
"Okay," Tony muttered, walking through the lab, "why does this place look like it runs better than my company?"
He stopped in front of a medical display.
"…Is that tissue regenerating in real time?"
Helen nodded politely. "Yes."
Tony stared.
"…Excuse me?"
Gwen added casually, "It's stable too."
Tony turned slowly.
"You built a regeneration system."
Helen corrected, "We perfected it."
Tony looked around.
At the equipment.
At the staff.
At the efficiency.
Then—
"…Alex."
Alex stepped beside him.
Tony pointed wildly.
"You're cheating. This is cheating."
Alex replied calmly, "I'm investing."
Tony rubbed his face.
"You funded a future medical revolution."
"Yes."
Tony looked at Helen.
"Do you know how dangerous this is?"
Helen nodded. "Yes."
Tony exhaled.
"…I'm proud."
Then he narrowed his eyes at Alex.
"And terrified."
Alex smiled slightly.
Tony left Ashborn Tower that day shaken.
Not because of danger.
But because—
Alex wasn't just building a company.
He was building a world.