Afternoon. V.G.D. Training Complex Lounge.
Antony had just finished showering. A white bathrobe hung loosely over his shoulders, and a glass of warm milk rested in his hand as he leaned against the balcony railing, looking down at the training grounds below.
Wanda was still there.
Alone.
Sweat-drenched and determined.
"Faster! Come on!"
"Ten more in this set!"
Weeks of intensified training—combined with T-VEX enhancement—had transformed her physique. What had once been delicate was now defined. Clear abdominal lines traced across her midsection. Her arms carried lean muscle, firm and elegant.
Sweat slid down her flushed cheeks, over her collarbone, disappearing into the hollow beneath.
"Nine… ten!"
She collapsed onto the floor, chest rising rapidly.
When she looked up—
She saw him.
Their eyes met across the open space.
The exhaustion vanished instantly.
Wanda jumped to her feet, grabbed a towel, wiped herself down quickly, and jogged upstairs.
"Well done," Antony said approvingly. "Your form's precise. No wonder you're the one I value most."
Wanda flushed slightly.
"I still don't think it's enough. Jessica said my physical endurance and reaction speed are my weak points. That's why Agent Barton pinned me down so easily back then."
She tilted her head back to drink water. A few droplets slipped down her long neck, trailing downward.
"No need to downplay yourself," Antony said, letting his gaze linger for a moment longer than necessary. "You're… exceptional."
He stepped closer and casually brushed a loose strand of hair away from her forehead.
"But overtraining backfires."
His voice softened.
"Balance, sweetheart. If you burn out, Pietro will cry to me for a week."
Her heartbeat quickened at the intimacy.
"I'm not tired," she murmured, twisting the towel in her fingers. "I just want to be stronger. I want to… help you."
"You already do."
Antony's tone gentled further—
But the rhythm of high heels interrupted the moment.
Ashley approached briskly.
"Miss Maximoff," she said professionally, holding a contract. "Legal has followed up multiple times. Your Vought City Hero Agreement needs to be signed. Otherwise, your insurance and salary account cannot be processed."
Wanda glanced at the document.
The shyness in her expression shifted—into hesitation.
She looked up at Antony.
"Antony… can I not sign this?"
He raised a brow.
"Why? Dissatisfied with compensation? I believe Ashley offered you S-tier terms."
"It's not about money."
She shook her head quickly.
"I don't want to be a 'City Hero.' I don't want to handle petty robberies or help grandmas find lost cats."
"I want to join The Seven."
She stepped closer, closing the distance between them.
"I want to face real crises. I want to stand beside you. Fight with you."
"Like Jessica does."
There was unmistakable competitiveness in her voice at the mention of Jessica.
Ambitious little witch.
The problem, however, was logistical.
The Seven officially had seven seats.
In reality?
Antony, Jessica, Angelica, Robbie, Invisible Man, Pietro—
Six.
But publicly, they were still the Seven.
And the missing seventh member—
Wade Wilson.
The man who had vanished with company funds.
Even if he was nowhere to be found, his name still sat on payroll.
"Well…"
Antony adopted a troubled expression.
"Wanda, I'd love to bring you in. Truly."
He sighed.
"But the roster is full."
"Full?" Wanda frowned and began counting on her fingers. "One, two, three… there are only six! Even that invisible guy counts—why not me?"
"Shh."
Antony lifted a finger.
"There's still one more. Wade. You haven't met him, but he's part of the team."
"He's… on a classified mission."
Antony delivered the lie flawlessly.
"Sacrificing himself for Earth's peace. We can't remove him. That would be inhumane."
The light in Wanda's eyes dimmed.
"Oh…"
She lowered her head.
"So I have to patrol streets?"
Antony watched her crestfallen expression.
Then—
He shifted tone.
"However…"
Her head lifted instantly.
"If you truly don't want that contract, I do have another position available."
"What position?"
"While Ashley is excellent, she's still human."
He gestured toward Ashley.
"There are situations she cannot accompany me."
"I require a… special assistant."
"Someone capable. Someone powerful enough to protect herself."
"Someone who can stay by my side at all times."
He looked directly at her.
"What do you say, Wanda? Would you be willing to humble yourself… and serve as my assistant?"
Wanda froze.
Assistant.
Always by his side.
That sounded—
Ten thousand times better than The Seven.
Her mind flashed through every workplace romance drama she'd binge-watched since arriving in America.
She barely restrained her grin.
"Oh—Yes, I do!"
She coughed lightly.
"I mean… if it's necessary for work, of course I have no objections."
"Excellent."
Antony nodded.
He turned to Ashley, whose expression had gone entirely blank.
"You heard her. Draft a new contract. Position: Special Executive Assistant to the President of Vought."
"Compensation aligned with S-tier Hero standards."
"Understood, sir."
Ashley turned and walked away in silence.
Internally?
This isn't hiring an assistant. This is flirting with payroll authorization. Poor Jessica.
Once Ashley left, Wanda blinked up at Antony, lashes fluttering.
"So… as your assistant, what are my duties?"
"I heard you like warm milk."
"I can heat it for you now. Exactly how you like it… forty-five degrees?"
Antony raised a brow.
Fast learner.
"Thirty-seven works too," he teased lightly. "But milk can wait."
He leaned against the railing again, gazing down at the training grounds.
"There's something else I'm considering first."
And the way he said it—
Made Wanda's pulse spike all over again.
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T/N:
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