"That's all you brought?" Ethan Hayes asked, watching Gwen toss her backpack into the back seat.
He looked surprised as his girlfriend shrugged nonchalantly.
"A change of clothes and a swimsuit are all I need," Gwen said indifferently from the co-pilot's seat.
She had thought of packing more, but her school locker was already full. Deciding to travel light, she kept it simple.
Ethan chuckled. "Just one change of clothes? Come on, let's hit Fifth Avenue."
Before she could protest, Ethan grabbed Gwen by the hand, leading her straight to Manhattan's famous Fifth Avenue.
"Fifth Avenue? Ethan, I don't have enough pocket money to buy even one outfit there!" Gwen shook her head, but Ethan didn't give her a chance to resist.
Once out of the car, Ethan dragged her through a series of luxury brand stores, shopping without hesitation.
In reality, Ethan didn't have a lot of cash on him, but his Centurion Black Card had no credit limit—tens of millions of dollars available at his disposal. In America, people often relied on credit cards, and for someone of Ethan's growing wealth, getting a high-limit card was a simple matter.
As they finished, the trunk of the car was filled with shopping bags, and Gwen finally let herself relax. She now fully believed Ethan was worth millions. It reminded her that she hadn't yet looked into his other identity—the one she was curious about: the mysterious author. She'd been too busy to investigate. But right now, that didn't seem important.
Gwen couldn't help but feel a little guilty for enjoying the luxury, but like most women, it was hard to resist the allure of designer goods. Though she felt a pang of regret for indulging, Ethan wouldn't give her the chance to dwell on it.
The two made their way to a luxury villa on Long Island, a spot Ethan had been looking forward to. He had even prepared a stunning evening outfit for Gwen.
Unknown to them, someone else had been watching—Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. From the shadows, she had observed Ethan and Gwen's shopping spree.
"Not bad. Making tens of millions from a novel… impressive," Natasha muttered to herself as she slipped away, mindful of not being noticed.
Her mission was simple: gather intel on Ethan. She planned to report back to Director Nick Fury in Washington. The information surrounding this "Ice Demon" could either be of minor interest or a massive concern, depending on how Fury saw it.
Another stalker, however, had also been following the couple: Mystique. Disguised as a woman named Juliet, she carefully monitored Black Widow's moves. Mystique was certain that the school's counselor was actually an undercover S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and when this information spread, it would capture the attention of many.
Meanwhile, in the Osborn Group's lab, tension brewed.
"Dr. Connor, we're ready for human trials," said William, assistant to Osborn's current CEO, with an unsettling calmness.
Dr. Connor immediately objected. "No. We may have solved the genetic modification issue, but human trials are far too risky."
William stared coldly at the doctor. "Doctor, remember, everything you have—your lab, your research—it all belongs to the Osborn Group. You can take your time with your experiments, but the boss… he doesn't have that luxury."
Dr. Connor clenched his fist. William continued, "Whether you agree or not, the trials will proceed. This is company property."
Frustrated, Connor collapsed into his chair as William left the lab. Touching his severed arm, pain crossed his face. He had devoted his life to studying lizards, hoping to one day regenerate his lost limb. Victory was within his grasp, but his morality told him it was too soon for human trials. The tests on the lab mice weren't even complete.
Consumed by desperation, Dr. Connor made a decision. He would not let anyone take his work away. He pulled out a vial of the genetic modification serum and injected it into his arm.
As excruciating pain coursed through his body, he watched in awe as his arm began to grow back, but something went terribly wrong. The skin began to change, turning scaly.
Meanwhile, Peter Parker arrived at the lab, only to find one of the test mice had mutated and was eating another. Peter noticed a defect in the genetic formula—and the solution came to him almost instantly. With a determination fueled by anger and grief, he reworked the formula, adding his own blood to the mix.
"Father… is this the greatest gift you left me?" Peter whispered, his eyes gleaming.
Without hesitation, Peter injected himself with the modified serum. A new world of power opened before him. Since uncovering the truth behind his father's death, Peter's once kind nature had turned vengeful. He wanted revenge. As the serum surged through him, Peter knew that nothing would stop him now.
Deleting all records and wiping the security footage, Peter walked out of the Osborn building, the serum still taking effect. He could feel the power growing inside him. Soon, New York's nights would belong to him.
Unbeknownst to Ethan, his actions had triggered a series of changes that would reshape the future. The chaos he caused by stepping into this sacred timeline had set off a butterfly effect, changing everything.
Later that evening, Ethan and Gwen sailed into the Atlantic on a luxury yacht rented for their private getaway. Gwen, fascinated by her boyfriend's mysterious nature, couldn't help but feel captivated.
Since she had agreed to be his date for the prom, the two had seamlessly transitioned into a deeper relationship. And tonight, for the first time, they were spending the evening together without worrying about curfews.
Ethan had arranged everything perfectly. He remembered Gwen once mentioning that she had never played in the ocean before. With a simple phone call, Ethan had arranged for the bank to lend him a luxury yacht.
Gwen looked at Ethan as the stars reflected on the water. Her boyfriend, full of mystery and charm, had surprised her once again
READ 30 CHAPTERS AHEAD OF EVERYONE FOR ONLY $7!
LINK: patr eon.com/SenatusPopulus