Chapter 18: Investigation Direction

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"Not exactly. I asked him if he preferred me working or staying at home, and he told me it was my choice." Jessica, now changed into more comfortable clothes, lay on the couch looking a bit lost. "But now, I don't know what to choose."

"Did you see that Vanessa today?" she asked.

"What do you think of her?"

Trish thought for a moment before replying, "She's a remarkable woman. That Fisk guy couldn't take his eyes off her. Link seemed to notice, which is probably why he left early."

"But if what Link says is true, then he's really a professional gambler?"

"That's not exactly a good thing!"

"Yeah," Jessica sighed, still troubled. "But... could I become a woman like Vanessa?"

"Why would you want to become her? I didn't get the impression Link is interested in her at all," Trish quickly reassured. "You're you."

"That's not what I meant. I meant becoming a woman with her own career. I can't figure out what I'm good at," Jessica said, looking troubled. "Am I destined to be a housewife?"

Trish rolled her eyes and reminded her, "You've been together for less than two days. You're overthinking this. Just take some time to get to know each other."

"Though financially, you are kind of..."

---

The next afternoon, Link was having lunch at a restaurant when he received a text from Coulson. It contained information about the artworks at Vanessa's gallery, as well as details on her connections within the art world.

There were also contacts for other art dealers, and a list of valuable works.

Additionally, there was intel from the night before, when Vanessa and Fisk were interrupted by Russian mobsters during their dinner. The situation wasn't ideal.

Coulson also included a note for Link to keep an eye on a masked vigilante operating in Hell's Kitchen. Link immediately knew who he was talking about—Daredevil.

It seemed Matt Murdock had already made his presence known. Or maybe he had been active for a while now, but until his training with Stick, he hadn't become a full-fledged vigilante. Instead, he had chosen to attend law school.

S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resources were indeed vast, gathering so much intel so quickly. After reading everything, Link deleted the messages.

He didn't plan on visiting the gallery today. Being too frequent would be suspicious. He had gathered enough information to report back to Coulson if needed.

For now, his focus shifted to investigating the United Construction Company. They had some questionable accounts that had been flagged by a woman named Karen Page.

The company's books were handled by an accountant named Leland Owlsley. He was known for laundering money, and his skills were top-notch, but he also understood the precariousness of his position—he could be eliminated at any time to cover up secrets.

Link was sure Owlsley had some evidence in his possession, and decided it was time to dig into this man.

Owlsley ran an accounting firm, and on paper, their books were pristine. Link easily found the firm and headed over to stake it out.

Today, Link didn't reach out to Jessica. Instead, he focused on tailing Leland Owlsley. Investigating both his firm and his residence were the first steps.

Using his S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance, he planned to check whether Owlsley had any bank safety deposit boxes. There was no need to open them yet—Link's enhanced vision could confirm if there were incriminating documents inside.

More important than that, however, was uncovering the Hand's true motive. Madam Gao was likely the easiest to investigate. For now, Link needed some recording or bugging equipment.

---

Meanwhile, Jessica and Trish had gone to La Perla, an Italian lingerie boutique. Trish, acting as Jessica's fashion consultant, selected all the most seductive pieces.

Jessica, however, seemed distracted. Trish noticed and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"He hasn't called," Jessica admitted.

Trish rolled her eyes and said, "He's really got you wrapped around his finger, huh?"

"Should I call him?" Jessica asked.

"No, you can't do that. It'll seem like you're checking up on him." Trish advised, "But you can ask him if he wants to have dinner tonight, and maybe mention that you're shopping for lingerie."

Jessica's eyes lit up, and she immediately pulled out her phone.

Link, who was heading to the S.H.I.E.L.D. office to pick up some equipment, answered her call. "Missing me already?"

"You can guess. But I'm at La Perla, picking out lingerie and sleepwear," Jessica teased, a smile creeping across her face.

Link's interest was piqued. "Dinner tonight? How about officially moving in with me?"

"Sure! Where are we eating?" Jessica asked, giving Trish a knowing look. "The same restaurant as last night?"

"That works. Actually, why don't you make the reservation? You'll need to learn these things eventually. I might bring you to some poker games where you'll mingle with the wives, so you should get familiar with these kinds of tasks."

"Are you driving?" Jessica asked suddenly.

"Yeah, I've got some errands to run. Being a professional gambler requires more than just skill. You need to learn a lot—especially about building connections," Link explained.

"Got it. I'll make the reservation for 6 p.m." Jessica didn't push the conversation further, and they hung up.

Trish immediately asked, "How did it go?"

"He wants me to move in officially. After we finish shopping, we'll go home, pack, and head to dinner. Same place as last night." Jessica made the reservation and the two quickly wrapped up their shopping.

Jessica understood that she didn't need to buy too much at once. Enough for now would do, and she asked the store to notify her when the next collection was available.

Back home, Jessica packed up her things, preparing to move in with Link. Most of her belongings she planned to donate—what wasn't appropriate to bring to his place.

It wasn't that she was looking down on herself. Rather, she realized there was a huge gap between her and Link. While many women would overlook this, or even pursue such a man, she wasn't that kind of person.

Jessica was determined to figure out what she could do to close the gap, even if it took time. She also wondered what would happen if they broke up.

After all, she was different. Would Link even accept her?

She didn't want to think too much about it. But the thought of hurting him, even unintentionally, worried her. What if her strength ended up causing harm?

This was her biggest fear. She didn't want to rely on Link financially, but the question remained—what could she do?

---

Link arrived at the S.H.I.E.L.D. division, picking up equipment and learning how to use and install it. Then, he returned home, placing everything in his secret armory, which also held the weapons and ammunition he had collected.

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