A few minutes later, Daredevil re-entered the room.
Jessica's face was still flushed. Although she had been bold earlier, that was only because they were alone.
Being caught by Daredevil, of course, made Jessica feel embarrassed.
Lynch, on the other hand, didn't react much, just feeling a bit sentimental.
Honestly, some things are not what they seem, and size isn't everything…
"Alright, let's talk business."
Lynch, now composed, spoke seriously to the two of them.
"The top ten floors of this building will become our base. It'll have its own elevator, special passages, a helipad, and all sorts of facilities…"
He quickly laid out the base plans, smoothly transitioning the atmosphere back on track.
"Are you serious?" Daredevil furrowed his brows.
"Spending this much on a base?"
"It's no big deal, this is all left behind by Kingpin. I don't need it."
Lynch shrugged.
"Well, it's your money, after all."
Daredevil didn't argue further, knowing Lynch probably didn't care about these things.
But he still frowned and raised another question:
"Do we really need such a large space?"
In his view, if they were just dealing with thugs in Hell's Kitchen, did they need such an extravagant base? His own home could serve as a decent headquarters!
Lynch said nothing. He walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling crowd below.
After a while, he slowly spoke:
"Matt, how much darkness do you think there is in New York?"
Daredevil paused for a moment, his unseeing eyes blinking. Then, in a low voice, he said:
"All I see is darkness."
"Exactly. So what are you worried about?"
Lynch smiled.
"Go ahead and do what you need to do. I'll back you up."
…
"Ding-dong."
As the elevator door opened with a chime, a mature, professional blonde woman stepped inside, carrying a briefcase.
She kept her head down, focused on a document in her hand, not even noticing the three other people in the elevator.
"Hey, long time no see."
A voice she often heard in her dreams suddenly spoke beside her, making her momentarily think she was dreaming.
But in the next second, she looked up in surprise at the man standing next to her.
"Lynch?"
Lynch smiled politely.
Karen quickly stuffed the document into her bag, flashing a breathtakingly beautiful smile at him.
The two of them stood in silence for a moment before Karen, regaining her composure, asked curiously,
"How have you been?"
"I'm good. How about you?"
Lynch kept his distance, as though Karen were just an ordinary friend.
Sensing Lynch's deliberate detachment, the joy on Karen's face faded somewhat.
She finally remembered that they had been apart for a long time.
And it wasn't Lynch who ended things—it was her.
Back then, Karen had gone through a series of shocks and couldn't bear living a life filled with constant fear. So she accepted Kingpin's settlement money and agreed to drop the case.
By accepting that money, it meant she and Lynch went their separate ways, especially since Lynch was determined to bring down Kingpin.
And so, they parted ways.
Even after Karen heard later that Kingpin had died, she didn't seek out Lynch again, feeling she didn't have the right to.
Lynch had gotten involved with Kingpin in the first place to save her, and she knew that, in his eyes, her decision to give up might have felt like a betrayal.
Under those circumstances, Karen felt she had no right to face Lynch.
"I'm doing well too."
Karen looked at Lynch, her smile carrying a hint of bitterness.
He had changed so much—more mature, more confident, and even more attractive.
But…
She had already missed her chance with him.
Back then, with the compensation money from Kingpin, Karen had started her own small newspaper and was living comfortably.
But as time went on, Lynch's fame only grew. He had become a household name in New York, a superhero in high demand.
Everyone believed the young superhero was unstoppable. Karen often thought to herself, only I was foolish enough to think Lynch couldn't protect me.
But it was too late for regret. All Karen could do now was watch Lynch soar higher and higher until he was out of her reach.
Maybe I never deserved someone like him in the first place, Karen told herself.
"I heard from Matt that you're running a newspaper now?"
Lynch pretended not to notice her complicated expression and spoke in a calm tone.
Lynch didn't hold anything against Karen, his "first" in this Marvel universe.
He understood Karen was just an ordinary woman, someone who had been the closest to his former self.
That's why he initially helped Karen. After encountering all kinds of superhumans and elite figures, he had found a rare sense of comfort in her.
Whether he was fighting enemies like Iron Monger, General Ross, or Abomination, or conversing with friends and allies like Tony or Fury, Lynch was always the "Superboy."
He had always relied on his superhuman abilities and the identity of "Superboy" to fit in with these important characters.
But deep down, he had once been just an ordinary boy.
Wearing the "Superboy" mask for too long could be exhausting.
Even with nearly invincible strength, he still felt mentally drained after dealing with all these people.
That's when Karen came into his life.
She was just a regular woman, living in Hell's Kitchen and worrying about mundane things like food and rent.
Being with Karen, Lynch could be a normal person.
She wasn't a spy or a superpowered individual, so Lynch didn't have to hold anything back. He could be his old self.
But sadly, Karen chose to leave.
Lynch didn't object because he understood that everyone had their limits. He could accept it.
Later, when Lynch learned that Karen had become the owner of a newspaper and was living a stable life, he didn't bother her anymore.
He had just forgotten that her newspaper was located in this very building, which led to this awkward encounter.
"Yeah…"
Karen only responded with a single word, but couldn't say anything else. She lowered her head, feeling dejected.
After all, the money she used to start this newspaper was the very reason she had betrayed Lynch.
"Are you still bothered by what happened before?"
Seeing Karen's sad expression, Lynch felt a bit guilty.
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Karen raised her head, her large eyes showing a glimmer of hope.
"Let it go. I don't care about any of that anymore. Everything here is over."
After a brief hesitation, Lynch finally comforted her.
"Then..."
"Ding-dong."
The elevator doors opened again, but no one entered. Instead, Daredevil walked out.
"Uh, I'll leave you two to talk."
"Matt?"
Karen finally noticed Daredevil, waving at him.
"Goodbye."
Turning her gaze back to Lynch, Karen furrowed her beautiful brows slightly.
"Is this your sister?"
Karen pointed at Jessica, smiling.
"I'm his girlfriend!"
Jessica, who had been sulking for a while, immediately grabbed Lynch's arm tightly, glaring at Karen in defiance.
"Really?"
Noticing that Lynch didn't respond, Karen smiled seductively, showing off her mature charm.
She didn't even glance at Jessica, as if not seeing the younger, inexperienced girl as competition. She then flirtatiously asked Lynch:
"So, you don't have a girlfriend yet?"
Standing in the middle of the battlefield between the two women, Lynch felt uneasy, forcing a stiff smile as he replied:
"I've always been single."
Damn it, why am I stuck in this mess!
Stupid elevator, why is it so slow?!
"Really?"
Karen mused to herself, then suddenly looked at Jessica.
"You say you're Lynch's girlfriend, so do you know what position he likes?"
Her smile was suggestive, her tone provocative, as if she had figured something out.
Lynch's heart skipped a beat.
"I know! Just now, he was lying on my…"
Jessica couldn't take the taunt and, fueled by her fiery temper, began making up stories, not even caring if she and Lynch had done anything intimate.
"Stop!"
Sensing that Jessica was about to spill the embarrassing incident from earlier, Lynch immediately shouted, cutting her off.
He shot Jessica a sharp glare as a warning, and she immediately pouted, falling silent.
Jessica, you genius!
One little nudge and you spill everything!
Lynch sighed helplessly, then turned to Karen and said with resignation:
"She's just a kid. Don't argue with her."
Karen!
Please, be sensible!
If you really piss off Jessica, she might punch your brains out!
Hearing Lynch call Jessica a "kid," Karen stopped pushing, instead smiling proudly.
"I told you! I'm not a kid!"
Jessica protested loudly, demanding that Lynch take it back.
"Shut up! You're not a kid, you're a sexy bombshell, the world's most beautiful woman. Happy now?"
Finally, Jessica quieted down, leaving Lynch in peace.
Lynch felt his head throbbing. Women were so hard to deal with!
"So, why are you here today?"
Karen asked curiously. After all, she had never seen Lynch here before.
"Just doing an inspection."
Lynch replied.
"Inspecting what?"
After a moment of hesitation, Lynch decided to tell her the truth:
"We're setting up a base here."
"A base?"
To Lynch's surprise, Karen didn't probe further. Instead, she caught onto something that piqued her interest:
"So, you'll be coming here often?"
"…Yes."
Feeling the sudden pressure on his arm, Lynch smiled wryly and said:
"I'm not sure… I'll come by sometimes, I guess."
"Then…"
Karen suddenly leaned in, pressing close to Lynch.
"Let me treat you to dinner!"
Dinner?
Hmph, I bet you just want to get your hands on me!
Lynch was about to respond when his arm suddenly throbbed with pain, snapping his attention back.
Jessica stood beside him, her face filled with fury, making it clear that if he agreed, she'd explode.
Great, where was all this strength when we were fighting bad guys?
Just as Lynch found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, the elevator chimed once more.
Finally, it's here!
I can slip away now!
With a look of anticipation, the elevator doors slowly opened.
Then, Lynch's hopeful expression froze as a breeze swept past, turning him into a statue, piece by piece crumbling into dust.
Standing at the door was Natasha, in a sleek suit, her arms crossed, lips pursed in a seductive smile as she silently watched Lynch sandwiched between the two women.
"Lynch, looks like you're having a great time today."