"That works too," he said with a smile. "I happen to be a bit thirsty."
However, Tony shook his head. He leaned against the door of his red sports car, hands in his suit pockets, wearing that "I have other things to do" expression.
"I won't go in," Tony declined, his tone light. "There's a party tonight, and I need to go back and get ready."
Howard glanced at his son, his eyes filled with a hint of disdain.
He knew that Tony's so-called "party" was likely another one of those debauched social gatherings, where a bunch of young rich kids and models hung out, drinking, dancing, and talking about superficial topics.
This made him frown, but in the end, he didn't say anything.
"Suit yourself," Howard said indifferently, not forcing the issue.
The relationship between father and son had always been delicate; too much interference would only make the atmosphere more tense.
Tony shrugged his shoulders, his gaze sweeping between Howard and Mavuika.
He could feel that the relationship between the two was abnormal, which made him even more curious—what kind of relationship did his father have with this mysterious woman?
Mavuika had already followed Howard as he turned and walked toward the Villa, his long golden-red hair fluttering gently in the breeze.
The setting sun outlined his silhouette with a soft halo, making him look somewhat unreal, like a character who had stepped out of a classical oil painting.
Tony stood in place, watching his back, his eyes flickering.
He seemed to live here.
Thinking of Howard's previous attitude toward Mavuika, Tony's brain began to run at high speed, analyzing all the details he had just observed.
Although Howard was trying his best to cover it up, Tony could still tell; it was a posture that mixed respect, politeness, and even a bit of caution, placing himself in a subordinate position.
For example, Howard would unconsciously lean slightly when speaking; for example, his gaze toward Mavuika carried obvious reverence; and for example, when Mavuika expressed an opinion, he would always listen carefully, even if the opinion sounded very casual.
And this was obviously abnormal.
Although the father-son relationship between Tony and Howard had never been good, with frequent arguments and mutual dislike, Tony knew very well what kind of person his father was.
Howard Stark, he was the founder of Stark Industries, the greatest scientist of the twentieth century!
He had experienced World War II, participated in the Manhattan Project, and worked side-by-side with scientific giants like Einstein and Fermi.
He had seen countless big figures, from the President of the United States to the Prime Minister of Britain, from Military generals to business tycoons...
And when facing these people, Howard had always been neither humble nor arrogant.
He had his own pride, his own principles, and would never be servile just because of the other party's status or position.
This was something Tony had known since he was a child; whether at family banquets or important company meetings, his father always maintained that calm confidence.
But now, facing a young girl who looked about his own age, why did Howard have such an unbelievable attitude?
Just because he was pretty? Or because he rode a motorcycle well?
Don't joke... A mocking arc curled at the corner of Tony's mouth.
He knew his father—Howard Stark was never the type to be bewitched by beauty, and as for riding skills... his father appreciated technique and talent, but would never be respectful to someone just because of that.
There was clearly a secret in all this that he didn't know yet.
Tony's brows furrowed slightly.
He leaned against the car door, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the roof of the car.
Could that person have a very special identity?
This was the most reasonable speculation.
But the problem was, Howard was already one of the few people standing at the very top of this World.
Wealth, status, influence, knowledge... He had almost everything.
On this Earth, what kind of identity could be special enough to make Howard Stark have to treat someone with such caution?
A member of royalty? An heir to some secret family? Or...
"Could it really be the Old man's illegitimate daughter?" An outrageous thought flashed through Tony's mind again.
But the next second, he quickly shook his head, casting this guess to the back of his mind.
The Old man couldn't possibly do such a thing, Tony denied in his heart.
He understood his father's character; perhaps stubborn, perhaps strict, perhaps not good at expressing emotions, but in terms of loyalty and principles, Howard Stark was impeccable.
Toward his mother, Maria, his father had always been affectionate and devoted; this was something Tony had seen since he was a child.
And even if it really was an illegitimate daughter, it was impossible to bring him around so openly, and even have him live with his mother.
Maria's tolerance and generosity had limits; she would absolutely not be able to accept something of this magnitude.
Tony thought for a while, but still didn't come up with any answer.
Mavuika was like a puzzle, a puzzle pieced together from various contradictory fragments.
A young appearance but with composure beyond his age, an easygoing personality that could make his father respectful...
"Interesting," Tony said softly, a glimmer of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
He liked solving puzzles, liked challenges, and liked exploring the unknown.
And Mavuika was clearly a subject worthy of in-depth study.
He turned and returned to his car, closed the door, and the sports car's engine let out a low roar.
Tony glanced at the Villa through the car window; the building in the setting sun appeared quiet and mysterious.
He could see warm light shining from the living room windows, and could vaguely see figures moving inside.
"We will meet again, Ms. Mavuika." Tony's mouth curled into a smile, that smile carrying the confidence and curiosity unique to a young man.
He had a premonition that this mysterious person would bring some... interesting changes to his life.
The sports car slowly drove away from the Villa, the tires making a slight friction sound on the stone road.
Tony watched the building get smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror, finally disappearing into the tree shadows.
On both sides of the road, the scenery flew by outside the window; the sky at dusk presented a gradient from orange-red to deep blue, and a few early-bright stars had already begun to twinkle.
Then he stepped on the accelerator, and the sports car accelerated on the gradually darkening road, like a red meteor streaking across the twilight.
After returning to the Villa, Howard sat on the sofa in the living room for a while.
Maria brought over black tea and snacks, and the three of them chatted briefly about the car race just now; of course, Howard and Mavuika tacitly omitted those dangerous details, only calling it a "joyride."
Although Maria was a bit puzzled as to why they had to drive so fast on a joyride, seeing that her husband and Mavuika didn't want to talk more about it, she didn't press for answers.
After finishing the tea, Howard looked at the clock on the wall.
Although it was already approaching evening, he still decided to make a trip to S.H.I.E.L.D.
"I need to head out," Howard stood up and straightened his suit jacket. "I'm going to the agency to see what new developments there are today."