Chapter 131: A Fragile Facade

Stepping out of his apartment building, Tony felt the weight of a purposeless afternoon settle on him. The carefully constructed lie about appeasing Natasha evaporated the moment the door closed behind him. He had nowhere to go, no mission to undertake, just the gnawing suspicion that had taken root in his gut. With a sigh, he found himself drawn towards Natasha's house, a familiar anchor in the storm brewing inside him. Reaching the door, he hesitated for a moment, a sliver of hope flickering within him. Maybe, just maybe, she was home. He knocked, the sound echoing through the quiet afternoon. A beat of silence followed, then the recorded voice of the security system politely informing him that Ms. Romanoff was unavailable. Disappointment clawed at him, but it was quickly overshadowed by a surge of frustration. Of course she wasn't home. Natasha was back at work. Her prolonged absence from the hospital and other family businesses had annoyed her father, forcing her to cut short he