Chapter 69: Rat Spell and Vinica, Tony's Invitation, and the Seduction of a Female Reporter
"It's a nice day."
As Ethan Lee stepped outside, he looked up to see the sky clearing. The clouds that had lingered all morning had now begun to part, revealing a warm, golden sun.
"Looks like there won't be any rain in New York today."
Driving four wheels all the time was starting to feel dull. Ethan was in the mood for something different.
He called out into the yard—
"Vinica!"
Boom!
Beep!
With a low, mechanical hum, a sleek, dark, and elegant motorcycle pulled up to him on its own. It was unmanned, its design graceful yet fierce, and it honked cheerfully as if to say:
Ride me! Ride me! Come on!
Enhanced Rat Talisman – Enlightenment of Spiritual Wisdom.
This wasn't just any motorcycle.
Vinica was something special—a creation Ethan had awakened with the power of the Rat Talisman. More than a machine now, she had a mind of her own.
"Alright, baby. Let's go for a ride~" Ethan grinned as he swung a leg over and grabbed the handlebars. No helmet. He didn't need one.
"Hey, Lee!"
It was Director George, finally enjoying a rare day off. He was watering flowers by his porch when he noticed the bike. "You bought a new motorcycle? Must've cost a fortune!"
Boom!
Vinica's engine roared indignantly, almost offended by the remark.
Ethan squeezed the brake gently, patting her affectionately. "Easy now. She's amazing… just a little temperamental."
"She?"
George chuckled, thinking Ethan was joking. "Haha! You're just like the guys in my department. They name their cars too."
He nodded toward his yard, where his own beat-up police cruiser sat.
"Still, this old buddy is the only thing I can drive."
"There's no shame in that, George," Ethan replied with a smirk. "He's more eye-catching than Vinica."
"He?"
George blinked as Ethan sped off in a puff of dust, then laughed, shaking his head. "That punk!"
---
A salty breeze brushed against Ethan's face as the waves crashed against the shore. The sea stretched endlessly into the horizon.
Dirty, dirty, dirty——
Vinica raced like lightning, carrying him to a luxurious beachfront villa. As they reached the gate, Ethan honked.
Sure, no motorcycle should be that fast—unless you're cheating with talismans.
Dirty, dirty, dirty——
He honked again and let Vinica announce his arrival while he leaned back and pulled out his phone. Time to kill.
Big data eagerly offered up a trending dance video. A gorgeous girl in revealing clothing moved in rhythm, but Ethan wasn't impressed.
"Meh. Gwen and the others dance better."
Dirty, dirty, dirty——
Inside the villa…
[Sir, someone is at the door.]
[Identity confirmed: Mr. Ethan Lee. He has a standing invitation.]
Tony Stark rolled over in bed, still asleep beside a blonde woman wrapped in a white sheet. Jarvis's voice didn't register at first.
Jarvis: [Mr.]
Tony groaned. "Oh—Jarvis! What happened to sleeping in and spending the morning… communicating with beautiful women?"
"Who the hell's at my place this early?"
Jarvis: [Sir, it's 9:43 AM.]
Tony winced. "Still counts as early."
The woman beside him stirred, pulling the sheet up coyly. "Someone visiting already? Must be a lady, huh?"
Her name was Christina—an ambitious journalist from Vanity Fair. She knew Tony well enough to assume that unexpected visitors were either lovers or drama.
But Jarvis quickly corrected her:
[Sir, it's Mr. Ethan Lee. He holds authorization for visitation.]
"Ethan, huh—ohhhh."
Tony yawned. "Jarvis, pull up the front door camera."
A screen lit up on the floor-to-ceiling glass wall. Outside, Vinica sat revving with impatient flair, but Ethan was nowhere in sight.
"…Don't tell me the motorcycle came to visit," Tony muttered.
[Sir, Mr. Lee entered twelve seconds ago. Ms. Potts let him in. They're in the living room. She's currently entertaining him.]
The screen switched to show Ethan chatting with Pepper. They looked perfectly comfortable.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming."
Tony got out of bed and headed to another room to change.
"Tony!" Christina called out, realizing her clothes were missing. Left with no choice, she slipped into one of Tony's oversized shirts over her underwear.
"Ethan Lee…" she murmured.
He wasn't as globally famous as Tony, but he was well-known in the social scene—especially for his hobby of sketching beautiful women. Intrigued, Christina followed.
---
"Tony still asleep?" Ethan asked, accepting the coffee Pepper handed him.
He didn't drink it immediately. "I heard he's a workaholic."
"Sometimes," Pepper replied gracefully. "Last night, he entertained a journalist from Vanity Fair. So… he's sleeping in a bit."
"Oh? Then I suppose he's reluctantly getting up right about now."
Ethan smiled. "Ms. Potts, I think Tony should be grateful to have someone as thoughtful as you around instead of wasting time on one-night flings."
Pepper chuckled, though her smile masked something more bitter.
"I'm just the housekeeper and assistant," she said lightly. "I pick up dry cleaning for the women he brings home… and take out the trash after they leave."
Trash…?
Ethan raised a brow. Clearly, there was some resentment buried beneath that professional tone.
Maybe this visit would stir up a little drama.
"Assistant, huh?"
Ethan grinned. "I've got one of those too. She's pretty, clever, and—most importantly—very clingy with a sharp little tongue."
"Sounds like you're quite the romantic yourself, Mr. Lee," Pepper teased, still holding her polished smile. "I imagine you're good at pleasing women."
Ethan leaned forward just slightly. "Well then, Ms. Potts… have I pleased you yet?"
It wasn't flirting—just a well-timed joke to keep the conversation light.
Pepper was still quite young during this time.
"Of course~ Mr. Lee, you're very generous. I doubt many women would turn you down."
Pepper, too, was only half-joking.
After all, Ethan Lee was both talented and handsome, and she had a favorable impression of him. A little flirtation didn't hurt.
"Mr. Lee, your accomplishments in the art world are impressive. Have you seen Jackson Pollock's latest work?"
She quickly shifted the topic. "It's from his Spring series—one of his representative pieces. What do you think?"
"It's a decent painting, but the price tag is far too high. There's little room for appreciation. I wouldn't recommend buying it," Ethan replied with a pleasant smile.
But inwardly, he was getting a little impatient—
Hiss—
[Tony, why don't you just come downstairs already?]
Ethan could now understand Pepper's frustration.
It really was a challenge to deal with someone like Tony—living life to the extreme in every possible way.
He recalled how, in the comics, Pepper was seduced by Tony's bodyguard Happy… and they even got married in the end.
"Mr. Lee?"
Pepper's voice brought him back. "The coffee's getting cold."
"Ah—thanks for the reminder."
The coffee cup was barely the size of his palm, so Ethan downed it in a single gulp.
And right then—
Tony finally appeared, lazily making his way downstairs.
"Hey, Lee, you like your coffee like that too?"
"Tony, is that Vanity Fair reporter still keeping you busy?"
Ethan set down his cup. "Are you here to learn how to fight from me, or are you just interested in learning some special techniques from her?"
"Lee, you sound like a jealous little girlfriend right now."
Tony plopped onto the sofa and spread his hands. "She can't teach me anything. If anything, I should be teaching her."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "So when exactly do we start training? I'm itching to punch you in the face."
"Tony? Tony?"
A woman's voice called out as another figure entered the room.
"Oh—Tony, sorry!"
Christina, noticing the three of them in the living room, quickly apologized.
"I'm not very familiar with the place. Were you discussing something important? Should I leave you to it?"
"It's fine," Tony said casually. "We're just chatting. Sit for a while before you leave—I've arranged a car for you."
Ethan glanced at Christina, curious to see what kind of woman Tony had been entertaining last night.
She had dyed blonde hair with black roots showing—clearly not her natural color.
She wore nothing but a dark red men's shirt—most likely Tony's.
Noticing Ethan's gaze, Christina deliberately struck a seductive pose and began walking toward him.
As she moved, her black lingerie peeked through the open shirt, clearly on display—perhaps intentionally so.
Her goal was obvious: to redirect attention to herself.
From Tony's words earlier, she gathered that her time here was done. So she shifted her focus to Ethan.
She sat beside him, occasionally biting her finger and putting on an air of cuteness.
Ethan observed her calmly and thought to himself:
Nice figure. She's got some charm.
At first glance, the face seems fine.
But on closer inspection… eh…
Not really my type.