Chapter 72: Tony’s Grief

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Tony’s Grief

"Tony’s parents are gone. He already flew back home," T’Challa said.

"When did it happen?" Daniel asked immediately.

"Last night. They died in a car accident."

T’Challa’s expression was grim.

"Stark Industries’ stock price is crashing right now. Tony has to prepare his parents’ funeral while also trying to stabilize the company."

"Damn it!" Daniel cursed. "Let’s go. Tony needs us right now."

Susan was standing on the rooftop as well. "I’m coming too," she said.

"Good. T’Challa, get your aircraft ready. We’ll take your plane, going on it would be better compared to me flying while carrying both of you."

Daniel spoke quickly.

The truth was, when he had to take Susan into account, flying really wasn’t the fastest option. T’Challa could handle extreme speeds without much trouble, but Susan wasn’t built like that.

She was still an ordinary human with ordinary durability. Daniel would have to slow down considerably to keep her comfortable.

Meanwhile, T’Challa’s aircraft spent most of its time hovering invisibly above the rooftop. That was far more convenient.

"Alright," T’Challa replied.

Without bringing the aircraft down, Daniel simply grabbed both of them and flew upward. T’Challa moved to the control console and began operating the craft. Moments later, the aircraft accelerated towards New York City.

When Daniel saw Tony again, he immediately realized something had changed. The difference was obvious. His hair was a mess, and a thick layer of stubble covered his face. Dark circles hung beneath his eyes, making it painfully clear that he hadn’t slept for even a second the previous night.

But the thing that hit Daniel hardest was seeing the usually arrogant and proud Tony Stark standing there with reddened eyes. The moment they met, Tony grabbed him.

"They’re dead!"

His voice cracked.

"They’re dead! Why? Tell me why, Daniel!"

Tony’s fingers dug into Daniel’s arm with frightening force. The veins on the back of his hand bulged visibly.

"I never got the chance to prove myself to him, and now he’s gone!"

"He ran away!"

"He’s a coward!"

"Howard Stark is a coward!"

"He was afraid!"

Tony’s face flushed red.

"He was afraid his son would surpass him! He ran away because he couldn’t face the fact that his son would become better than him!"

The words poured out uncontrollably. Spittle sprayed from his mouth as he shouted. Normally, Tony paid obsessive attention to his appearance and manners, but right now he looked like a man on the verge of falling apart.

Daniel didn’t interrupt, he simply placed a hand on Tony’s back and gently patted him.

"The last time I saw him was on Christmas last year."

Tony laughed bitterly.

"Since I was a kid, he dumped me in boarding schools and ignored me."

He clenched his fists.

"Daniel, I hated him."

"I hated him for choosing his work over his family. I hated him for never caring about me."

His voice gradually grew quieter. Then he looked down.

"You know something?"

"When I was really little... so little I wasn’t even old enough for school yet..."

"I still remember it."

Every word came out slowly.

"That day was his wedding anniversary with my mother."

"My mom prepared this huge dinner."

"A beautiful dinner."

"We waited for him."

"We waited until late into the night."

Tony’s eyes grew distant.

"I watched the light slowly disappear from my mother’s eyes."

"She was so disappointed."

"That man never came home that night. The next morning, he staggered through the door reeking of alcohol."

Tony laughed, but there wasn’t a trace of happiness in it.

"And my mother... she just smiled."

"She helped him back to his room and made him hangover soup."

"Everyone said he worked hard." Tony’s voice trembled.

"But didn’t my mother work hard too?"

"The night before, she stayed awake until the middle of the night waiting for him."

"He never saw that. He was good to everyone."

"He was good to Stark Industries."

"He was good to America."

His eyes reddened again.

"But he wasn’t good to me, and he wasn’t good to my mother."

"I hate him."

The final words came out almost as a whisper. Then suddenly he exploded.

"If he wanted to die, couldn’t he have died alone? Why did he have to take my mother with him?!"

The room fell silent. Tony released Daniel and slowly walked toward Howard Stark’s memorial portrait. He stared at the photograph for a long time. Then he spoke.

"Howard..."

His voice was hoarse.

"Are you even a man?"

"How dare you leave this mess for me to clean up?"

"I don’t care about your company!"

"Get up!"

"Get out of there!"

"Come back!"

His eyes glistened with tears.

"Live another ten years before you die!"

"Ten years!"

"Give me ten years and I’ll beat your company!"

"Get up!"

The tears were finally visible now.

"Get up!"

"I want to beat you first!"

"Then you can die!"

Tony roared like a madman. His voice had become so raw that it was almost tearing apart.

Daniel sighed. Then, with a quick chop to the back of Tony’s neck, he knocked him unconscious. As Tony collapsed, Daniel caught him. He turned towards the elderly butler who had remained silent throughout everything.

"Jarvis, where’s his bedroom?"

"I’ll take you there."

The elderly man answered calmly. His hair was combed neatly as always, and his tailcoat remained immaculate. But anyone listening carefully could hear the trembling in his voice, he was grieving too. After laying Tony down in bed, Daniel looked at him.

"You should get some rest too."

Jarvis shook his head gently.

"I’ll be alright."

His gaze drifted towards the memorial hall.

"I’d like to stay with Master Howard and Madam Maria a little longer."

His voice was almost a whisper.

After everything was settled, Daniel, T’Challa, and Susan sat together in the living room. Daniel lowered his head as guilt gnawed at him.

Watching Tony lose control like that hurt. Tony was his friend and the worst part was Daniel could have prevented all of this. He knew what had happened. He had watched Captain America: Civil War.

Howard and Maria Stark’s deaths hadn’t been an accident. Hydra had murdered them and Daniel had simply forgotten it.

"Hydra..."

The name echoed in his mind. The tragedy couldn’t be undone now; the past couldn’t be changed. But he could still do something, he could make them pay. He would find the Hydra facility responsible, and he would wipe it off the face of the Earth.

Daniel stood up.

"I’m heading out for a bit."

A moment later, he was flying through the skies above Russia. He couldn’t remember the exact location of the Hydra base, but he knew it was somewhere in Russia.

So, he searched. Bit by bit, mile after mile and he crossed nearly half the country. Hours later, he finally found it.

There, buried beneath snow and ice. Daniel memorized the location and immediately turned back. He wasn’t going alone, Tony deserved to be there.

When Daniel returned to Tony’s estate on Long Island, Tony was already awake.

"Feeling calmer?" Daniel asked.

Tony nodded.

"Yeah."

His expression had steadied considerably.

"I’m not going to entertain guests today."

"In a little while, I’m heading to Stark Industries for a board meeting."

"No matter how much I disliked him..."

Tony looked toward his father’s portrait.

"It was still his life’s work."

"I’ll protect it."

"No one’s putting their hands on it."

Apparently, he’d already heard rumors that some people inside Stark Industries were becoming restless.

"Want me to come with you?" Daniel asked.

Tony shook his head.

"No."

"I can handle it."

This was the Stark family business and he wanted to solve it himself.

’Watch me.’

’This is the first step.’

’The first step in proving myself.’

The words remained unspoken. But Daniel knew exactly who Tony was talking to, Stark Industries Boardroom.

"I don’t believe some brat has what it takes to be chairman!"

...

"Can we vote now?"

Tony stood at the head of the table.

"Everyone in favor of me becoming Chairman, raise your hand."

Hands rose throughout the room.

A majority.

Tony looked around calmly.

"More than half. Then from this moment onwards..." His gaze swept across every executive present.

"I am the one steering Stark Industries."

Silence filled the conference room, as no one objected. The loudest opponent had already stormed out earlier, and after today, he would never have a seat at this table again.

Late that night, Tony returned home still wearing his suit. Everything about him looked exhausted, but there was a spark in his eyes now.

"It went smoothly."

He looked at the three friends waiting for him and for the first time all day a small smile appeared. After everyone returned to their rooms, Daniel knocked on Tony’s door.

"Do you really believe it was a car accident?" Daniel asked directly.

"No." Tony answered without hesitation, his response was immediate.

"That car had been heavily modified. An RPG wouldn’t have scratched it."

"It wasn’t an accident. It was a planned murder."

His eyes darkened.

"I’ve already started investigating." His voice became frighteningly cold. "And whoever did it..."

"They’d better pray I don’t find them."

"I found them," Daniel said.

Tony froze.

Daniel continued. "Those rats are hiding in the snow, but they can’t hide forever."

Tony immediately reached for the phone. "I’m calling the military."

Daniel stopped him, saying, "No need for that," as he looked Tony directly in the eye.

"I am the military."

"And with me there, that’s enough."

Tony paused. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have forgotten what Daniel was capable of, but grief had left his mind exhausted and unfocused. After a few seconds, he stood up.

"Let’s go."

The moment the words left his mouth, another voice came from outside.

"Count me in."

It was T’Challa.

"And we’re taking my aircraft."

The door opened, as T’Challa stepped inside. A fierce look flashed across his face.

"Let’s move."

His voice was cold.

"Time to send those pieces of trash straight to hell."

Daniel nodded, a dangerous smile appeared on his face.

"Anyone who makes my friends or family suffer is as good as dead to me."

-------------

A.N: Don’t ask my head for this Chapter y’all, because this was kind of necessary for Tony to evolve and grow as a person, you could think of it as character development.

And I know a lot of you are upset about the Daniel and Susan situation, but don’t worry it’ll be resolved soon

-------------

Also, don’t be stingy y’all, keep those stones coming.

And if you want some extra Chapters, be sure to check out my Patron page, it’s 30 Chapters ahead of webnovel and the Chapters are also long so you can check it out.

p at reon . com / NovaScribe

(Just remove all spaces and then search)