Marvel and Beyond

Anna was flabbergasted by Max's remark. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, she wondered if she'd misheard him…maybe her ears were playing tricks on her, distorting the absurdity of what she'd just heard.

How could someone like the Knights, someone she believed truly valued their family legacy commit such an act? Not just anyone, but their own new-generation leader was considering this.

"Wh- how could you…" she stammered, unable to form a coherent response. Her mind spun in dizzying circles, struggling to process his declaration.

Max smirked at her reaction, leaning back in his chair with an air of ease. He chuckled softly and said, "What's the problem with this? Sure, KTech was built by my dad, but it was never something the Knights couldn't let go of."

"It was just a startup he created with great aspirations. Maybe it succeeded to some extent, given its current value."

His eyes drifted toward the ceiling, as though recalling a distant memory, before returning to Anna with a thoughtful gaze. "After some deep contemplation, I realized that clinging to this company, desperately holding onto it might actually block the path to my future."

He smiled faintly and asked, "Don't you think so too, Anna?"

As he spoke, Anna's initial disbelief began to shift into something more contemplative. She listened intently, her mind running rapid calculations.

Slowly, she began to acknowledge his point. Selling KTech could be a strategic move for the Knights' future but only if Max had a solid plan behind it.

The company still held significant value, for now because Tony Stark's name was currently associated with it.

However, selling such a valuable asset without a clear direction would be reckless, bordering on foolish. It could invite scrutiny, even mockery, especially considering the Knights were its original founders.

Anna swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She licked her lips slightly before asking, "What's your plan, Max? I won't support anything that risks everything we've built or goes against our principles."

"Pfft… haha."

Max laughed at her unexpected seriousness, patting the desk as he wiped away a tear of amusement. "Do you really think I'd do anything illegal or irresponsible? Come on, Anna. Don't worry, I've got a good plan. A very good plan, if I say so myself."

Leaning toward her, his tone grew earnest, his eyes steady. "But first, I need your help. I want to get rid of these shares and secure a good deal before the window of opportunity slams shut."

He met her gaze with unwavering determination. "I need your support right now."

Anna looked into his eyes and felt the full weight of his resolve. His determination was palpable—infectious, even. As an ambitious and hardworking woman, she could sense that Max wasn't speaking lightly.

He had a plan or at the very least, the unshakable mentality to see it through to the end.

He had already made up his mind. Now, it was up to her whether she would join him or not.

After a long pause of contemplation, she nodded and asked, "So, what should I do?"

A smile tugged at the corner of Max's lips as he replied, "First, sell the shares as stealthily and swiftly as possible."

"Such large transactions would be noticed the moment we start," Anna interrupted, her tone sharp with practicality, snapping back into strategist mode.

Max nodded in agreement. "Exactly. That's why we need to sell the complete stake to a major investor or corporation without the media catching wind of it. Once we finalize the deal, the buyer can disclose the details however they want. Until then, everything stays under wraps."

Anna frowned thoughtfully. "But who could possibly buy such a large stake without the news leaking into the market? We can't trust just anyone. The first buyer has to be the right one to keep everything airtight until the contract is signed."

"That's why I've already got someone in mind," Max said confidently, rubbing his chin, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

Her brows furrowed deeper at his sheer certainty. "Who?"

Max's gaze shifted meaningfully toward the computer sitting on the desk. Following his line of sight, Anna turned to look at the screen.

Her eyes landed on the glowing brand logo.

Her breath caught. 

"Apple?" she exclaimed, disbelief written all over her face. 

Then her expression turned puzzled, skeptical. "But why would they buy it? From what I remember, KTech doesn't offer anything particularly valuable to them."

Max chuckled at her skepticism but smiled inwardly.

'She wouldn't believe me even if I told her Apple's about to flip the entire tech world on its head,' he mused. 'But I've seen it before—the touchscreen revolution, the App Store, the wave that changes everything. The iPhone is coming. And KTech could exploit this wave.'

This was one of the golden opportunities Max had devised after piecing together fragmented memories and bits of information from his past life.

From what he had observed, this Marvel world mirrored his previous one in surprising detail—with only a few extraordinary variables added to the mix. Despite the presence of geniuses like Tony Stark, the tech world hadn't leapt ahead overnight.

When he noticed the Apple logo on the computer, it had triggered a cascade of memories. The upcoming, game-changing invention: the iPhone. The touchscreen smartphone was poised to disrupt every norm and dominate the market for the next decade.

Max's eyes glinted with a calculating sharpness as he turned back to Anna. "Let's use Tony Stark's name. Push a fake narrative—say that Tony had shared some vision with other shareholders, but made it clear he didn't want the Knights involved anymore. That's why I've been sidelined."

"Use whatever tactics you think best. Lure them in, it's your area of expertise in the financial world. But I need the money in my account as soon as humanly possible."

At first, Anna thought Max was being overly confident—almost arrogant and for a brief second, she regretted even entertaining this plan.

But as he continued, the logic behind his words began to make more sense. He wasn't just bluffing. If Apple had any genuine interest—especially with Tony Stark's name attached—it was actually feasible.

What she didn't know was that Apple would most certainly be interested.

If Tony Stark had even a whisper of future plans linked to KTech, owning shares in the company would offer Apple a unique edge. 

Since KTech specialized in circuits and microelectronics—a field Apple was gearing up to dominate, there was strategic overlap.

Max had chosen his mark wisely. Apple had the resources, the motivation, and most importantly, the secrecy to buy without alerting the world.

They could be the perfect buyer. The only ones capable of swiftly removing this weight from his shoulders before anyone realized what they were giving up.

….

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