After the meal, Sharon and Maria Hill sat slouched on the couch, their bellies full and round, too lazy to move.

"So, Sharon, I wasn't lying, right? My brother's cooking is the best in our division!" Maria Hill boasted proudly.

"Mhm! It was amazing!" Sharon nodded enthusiastically, even swallowing another mouthful of saliva as she recalled the taste.

Maria flashed her familiar sly grin. "So, do you want to eat his cooking more often?"

Rowan, who was cleaning up the dishes, rolled his eyes when he heard that.

Sharon glanced at Rowan and blushed slightly.

"Um… is that okay?"

"Of course it is. If you become his CEO, coming over for meals will be your God-given right," Maria said matter-of-factly.

"Well… alright!" Sharon looked toward Rowan, who was rinsing dishes with his sleeves rolled up. After only a moment's hesitation, she nodded and accepted Maria's offer.

"You're saying yes?" Maria's face lit up with joy.

"But… won't your aunt be upset?" she asked, a flicker of concern in her tone.

Maria knew that Sharon's aunt was Peggy Carter, one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s founding members.

That was part of why she had always had high hopes for Sharon.

"She won't. Aunt Peggy respects my choices. To be honest, she didn't even want me joining S.H.I.E.L.D. in the first place," Sharon replied.

She had only recently joined the agency and didn't feel a strong sense of belonging yet. With Rowan's invention of Kroluminum having massive commercial potential, and with him offering her the CEO position, leaving S.H.I.E.L.D. was an easy decision.

"That's a relief," Maria said, finally relaxing.

When Rowan finished cleaning and walked out of the kitchen, Maria greeted him with excitement.

"Rowan! Sharon agreed to be your CEO!"

"Oh yeah?" Rowan smiled, looking at Sharon.

"Mhm." Sharon nodded shyly, lowering her gaze.

She was feeling a bit bashful and puzzled. She'd always been confident in front of others, but for some reason, Rowan made her nervous.

And despite being two years younger, Rowan came across as far more composed and mature.

"Thank you, Sharon. Welcome aboard as the CEO of Krolum Industries."

Rowan stepped forward, extending his hand with a warm smile.

"No, I should be thanking you… for trusting me with this," Sharon replied, flustered as she shook his hand.

"Why isn't anyone thanking me? I'm the one who put in the most effort here!" Maria interjected with a smirk.

Rowan was speechless.

Maria had clearly picked up some of his personality quirks. Behind the scenes, she'd become a lot more playful completely different from her composed demeanor at work.

"Sharon, handle your S.H.I.E.L.D. exit procedures tomorrow morning. Then in the afternoon, come with me to an industrial expo. It'll be Krolum Industries' first public debut," Rowan said as he walked her to the door.

"Got it."

Sharon was a bit surprised by how fast things were moving, but she nodded without hesitation.

The next day, Sharon submitted her resignation request to Nick Fury.

Rowan had spent the morning training in the Swallowed Star world and returned by noon.

By 2 p.m., he was standing in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main lobby, waiting for Sharon.

She approached him slowly, dressed in a sleek grey-blue pantsuit.

Sharon looked stunning. With her fair skin and statuesque 5'7" height, plus heels, she stood out even more.

Her light makeup enhanced her features, giving her a polished yet youthful elegance.

"Sharon," Rowan waved.

Sharon broke into a radiant smile and walked over quickly.

Just as Rowan was about to lead her to the exit, there was a loud BOOM!

Not far from them, a section of "wall" collapsed with a crash.

Two fully armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents came tumbling out from behind it.

Then, a tall, powerfully built man in a grey T-shirt around thirty years old leapt through the wreckage.

The sudden chaos drew everyone's attention in the lobby.

Rowan and Sharon both tensed.

This was S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Who would dare cause trouble here?

The blond man frowned at the growing crowd, clearly uncomfortable and anxious.

Without a second thought, he made a break for the main entrance.

Rowan's expression sharpened. He and Sharon were directly in the man's path.

His eyes flicked to the collapsed wall. It wasn't a real structure just tin and drywall fashioned to look like an old hospital room from decades ago.

Rowan's mind clicked.

Of course. This was the moment Captain America had awakened from the ice.

There was no doubt the muscular blond man was none other than Steve Rogers.

By now, Steve had gained full momentum, barreling past several startled employees in his attempt to escape this unfamiliar and unsettling environment.

And he was heading straight for Rowan.

Instinctively, Steve reached out to shove Rowan aside.

It wasn't a light push either. If Rowan didn't dodge or block, he'd be thrown to the ground maybe not hurt, but definitely humiliated.

Rowan's eyes grew cold as he stared at the incoming hand.

"Rowan, move!" Sharon shouted anxiously.

But Rowan didn't budge.

Just as Steve's hand was about to make contact, Rowan shifted to the side and smoothly avoided it.

In one fluid motion, he grabbed Steve's arm, pivoted his hips, and executed a perfect shoulder throw.

Steve's eyes widened in shock.

He hadn't expected someone to react so quickly, let alone throw him so cleanly and with such strength!

Before he could fully process it, his body was airborne and slammed hard into the ground.

Boom!

At that moment, Nick Fury arrived with a team of black-clad agents and saw it all.

"Rowan, restrain him!" Fury barked.

Without hesitation, Rowan pinned Steve to the ground, pressing a knee into his back and applying a textbook rear choke hold.

Steve panicked as dozens of agents surrounded him.

He tensed, muscles bulging, and tried to break free with sheer force.

Rowan immediately felt the pressure. Steve's strength was incredible he nearly escaped.

But Rowan channeled all his power and barely held him down.

Steve was stunned.

He had used eighty percent of his strength and still couldn't shake this young man.

Just as he was about to go all out, the agents' rifles snapped into place, all aimed squarely at him.

Realizing resistance was pointless, Steve stopped struggling.

Rowan released his chokehold and got to his feet, brushing off his clothes.

Fury gave Rowan a surprised look.

He had seen the entire thing Rowan flipping Steve Rogers and holding him down.

That was Captain America, after all.

Since when had Rowan become this formidable?

But Fury knew this wasn't the time to ask questions.

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