Chapter 33

A/N: There you go, both of the chapters. I tried to put a timer but it published directly

....

"In my own special way, I've contacted members of an organization, met with their leader, and we've reached an agreement to cooperate," Natasha said, sitting on the sofa in the wooden villa, sipping her tea.

Leon, sitting nearby, nodded for her to continue.

"The two designs are priced at $1.5 billion each. If the deal goes through, you'll be a billionaire," Natasha teased, playfully patting Leon on the shoulder. "I'll need some pocket money for cosmetics and new clothes."

Leon rolled his eyes. "This is our money. You handle it."

Even though he was on the verge of earning $3 billion, Leon wasn't overly excited. There were plenty of ways for him to make money, and he wasn't particularly tempted. But the others—well, that was a different story.

Immediately, a chorus of excitement erupted.

"Wow, Boss Leon! We're gonna be rich! I want to buy game consoles, gear, and a new computer!"

"I want new headphones!"

"I need new clothes—the old ones are starting to feel too small!"

Sergei, Pietro, and the others eagerly raised their hands, voicing their desires.

In the past, Leon had taken good care of everyone when he had money—no one lacked electronics, clothes, or essentials. Still, it was never quite enough, as the family's needs were vast. Everyone was considerate, avoiding excessive spending.

But now, with $3 billion on the horizon, things were different. Such an enormous amount instantly sparked everyone's shopping dreams. Even the three little ones—Alina and her friends—excitedly asked for more snacks. They weren't too interested in toys, but they were eager for treats.

As a large group gathered around Leon, eyes shining with excitement, he deflected, saying, "Don't look at me. Natasha is our financial officer now. All expenses have to be approved by her. I suggest you ask her nicely."

Pietro, quick to react, used his super speed to grab ice cream and other treats from the fridge and placed them in front of Natasha in an instant. He then zipped behind her, gently massaging her shoulders like a loyal servant.

In a flattering tone, he said, "Oh, beautiful and generous Ms. Natasha, your beauty rivals that of Venus, and your kindness matches Prometheus. Surely, you won't refuse the humble request of your most loyal Pietro."

The rest of the group crowded around Natasha, showering her with attention—massaging her legs, rubbing her arms. Even Alina and the little ones joined in, dragging Clarice along. They all piled onto Natasha's lap, their little faces flushed and wide-eyed, looking up at her expectantly like eager puppies.

Even Wanda found herself squeezed out, which made her immediately annoyed. "Hey, Pietro, I've never seen you treat me this well!" she said, crossing her arms.

"Ha! Wanda, trust me—right now, Natasha is family," Pietro shot back, not even turning around as he delivered his playful jab.

Wanda fumed, nearly tempted to use her chaos magic on him. Leon, meanwhile, slapped his leg and burst into laughter.

Natasha, fully aware of the game, maintained her composure, playing the role of a supreme, elegant goddess. She leaned back, enjoying the attention with a regal air.

"Alright, alright, Pietro. A little more on my shoulder, please," she instructed calmly. "Yes, and don't forget the left arm. By the way, the ice cream's great."

As Alina fed her spoonfuls of ice cream, Natasha continued to direct her loyal minions with poise. Pietro, ever the flatterer, cooed, "Beautiful Ms. Natasha, how are our skills?"

"Very impressive," Natasha responded, clearly pleased with his groveling. "Let me know what you want to buy in the future."

Pietro let out a joyful "Wuuuuuuu!" and zipped away, reappearing moments later with pen and paper, ready to start drafting his shopping list.

Pietro let out a joyful "Wuuuuuuu!" and zipped away, reappearing moments later with pen and paper, eager to start drafting his shopping list.

Seeing this, the others began chattering excitedly and followed suit. Natasha responded to each of them patiently, and soon, everyone was buzzing with energy, heading off to make their own lists just like Pietro.

Watching the lively crowd retreat noisily to the second floor, Leon smiled and shook his head. This bunch... As expected, they were still young and easily swayed by Natasha. Now that she had control of the finances, he knew she'd make them work for every penny.

Yuriko, sitting nearby on the sofa, observed the scene. Her eyes softened, seeing the camaraderie. Is this what a family feels like? She found herself wondering why she had the sudden urge to belong.

With everyone else upstairs, only Leon, Natasha, Wanda, and Yuriko remained on the first floor. Natasha's playful demeanor shifted, her expression growing serious.

"Although our mission went smoothly, I noticed something odd," she began. "It seemed like someone was tracking us—or maybe just me."

"Could it be Dreykov's men?" Leon asked, frowning.

Since Natasha joined them a year ago, she had rarely gone out. If Dreykov's people were still after her, it was strange they would target her so quickly. Had they never stopped looking?

"I'm not sure," Natasha admitted, "but it feels like there are two different groups following us."

"Two groups?" Leon echoed, his frown deepening.

"Two groups?" Leon echoed, his frown deepening.

"Yes," Natasha confirmed. "One might be Dreykov's men, but the other group is much more elusive and patient. Wanda and I noticed them several times, but every time we tried to track them, they vanished almost instantly. It's rare to encounter such skill."

Natasha nodded, her tone serious. Over the past year, she had grown far stronger. Trained and conditioned from a young age, her physical fitness had always been exceptional. Now, with the addition of the rhythmic breathing technique that quickly strengthened her body, combined with her mastery of two forms of Haki, her skills were even sharper. While she hadn't reached full concentration, her perception was still top-notch, especially with Wanda by her side.

Wanda, using her heightened senses and ability to detect auras, was able to pinpoint subtle movements with remarkable precision. For their stalkers to evade both of them suggested they were dealing with a highly skilled adversary.

"It's interesting," Leon mused. "Could they be Hydra?"

He thought for a moment, then shook his head. "No matter who they are, they'll slip up eventually. But we should move our plans forward. We need to track down Dreykov, eliminate him, make it look like an accident, and take control of his hidden assets."

Dreykov was no small player. He controlled vast resources, including the infamous Red Room, which trained a large network of spies. However, he was also under the watchful eye of S.H.I.E.L.D. Even if Leon didn't act, S.H.I.E.L.D. might find an opportunity to eliminate him. Dreykov's overt assets were too risky to touch, but his hidden resources—those could be fair game, and Natasha understood this perfectly.