Chapter 23: Family's Comfort

But amidst the excitement of their project, Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Despite the progress they were making, there was a sense of unease gnawing at the back of his mind.

One evening, as he sat alone in his apartment, poring over schematics and equations, Ethan's thoughts turned to his family. He couldn't help but wonder how they were faring in his absence, and whether they missed him as much as he missed them.

Ethan hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button. He waited anxiously as the phone rang, his heart pounding in his chest.

After a few rings, the line connected, and a familiar voice filled Ethan's ears. "Hello?" came his mother's voice, soft and reassuring.

A sense of relief washed over Ethan as he heard her familiar tone. For a moment, the worries and uncertainties of the day melted away, replaced by a comforting sense of familiarity.

Ethan hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button. He waited anxiously as the phone rang, his heart pounding in his chest.

After a few rings, the line connected, and a familiar voice filled Ethan's ears. "Hello?" came his mother's voice, soft and reassuring.

A sense of relief washed over Ethan as he heard her familiar tone. For a moment, the worries and uncertainties of the day melted away, replaced by a comforting sense of familiarity.

Tears welled up in Ethan's eyes as he felt a rush of emotion. "I just needed to hear your voice," he confessed, his voice catching in his throat.

But before Ethan could say anything else, he realized his mistake. This wasn't his mother's number—rather the one from the past.

"Uh, sorry, wrong number," Ethan stammered, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

With a sigh, Ethan ended the call and set his phone down on the table. The brief interaction had brought him a sense of comfort he hadn't expected.

As Ethan and Tony delved deeper into their collaboration, they realized the need for additional support to manage the intricacies of their project. That's when Natasha Romanoff entered the scene.

Natasha, an expert in espionage and covert operations, had been assigned by S.H.I.E.L.D. to keep a close eye on Ethan and Tony's activities. With her sharp wit and unparalleled skillset, she quickly infiltrated their inner circle, posing as an assistant while secretly gathering intelligence for her superiors.

"Ethan, Tony," Natasha greeted them with a confident smile as she entered the workshop, her presence commanding attention. "I've been assigned as your new assistant."

Tony raised an eyebrow, his interest piqued by the arrival of the enigmatic agent. "Well, well, looks like we've got ourselves a new recruit," he remarked, a playful glint in his eye. "I hope you're ready for the ride, Natasha."

Natasha met his gaze with a smirk of her own, her true intentions hidden behind a facade of professionalism. "Oh, I'm more than ready, Mr. Stark," she replied coolly. "But let's not waste any time. We've got work to do."