The plane was rather a quick ride over to Monaco, and despite not wanting to go. I was determined to have a good time. The first day I spent out on the beach, despite dad's nagging that he didn't want me to go unaccompanied. Though Pepper convinced him I would be fine so I was able to go down by the beach and sit on the shore, getting a tan. I could have done that in Cali but the paparazzi always paroled down by the shore. And, yea there were photographers but they didn't do a lot of questions and they left me alone for the most part.

Reaching the hotel after I went to the beach I grabbed my bag from the closet of my room and I took out all my things laying them on the silk bed. Sitting out on the deck I was alone for most of the time. Pacing my room, surfing the internet, looking at my emails, I would respond to them later of course. The new hotel was very nice, decorated like an older hotel, telling me they had redone it all. Intricate faded paint work which balanced the cream colored furniture. Even though we came to Monaco every year dad never liked staying in the same hotel, that's why Pepper was the one to pick a new one each time. I loved finding each ones cute quirks they had, ever since dad and I were held hostage because of Obadiah dad was on edge with us staying in the same place.

After a restless nights sleep on the silk sheets I got up at an earlier time knowing there would be quite a lot of photographers and reporters at the race, I wanted to put in some extra time into my appearance. Plus I would be rubbing shoulders with a bunch of blonde bimbos who would inherit daddy's money. Yea I would as well, but at least I would also be working with my father, instead of relying on him. Other than those ladies there would be rich older couples who were nice to talk to, though instead of drinking actual drinks they would be drinking tea like it was scotch. I would rather be standing in the stands screaming out at the racers with everyone else, but now that I was like a china doll dad wasn't gonna let that happen. Hopefully this Agent Natalie Rushman would hold her end of our arrangement.

Standing in front of a body mirror I took a deep breath sighing to myself. I had brought two outfits I could wear at the event today; a fancy dress or a pair of my favorite jeans. Sadly I did know that there was gonna be press so I grabbed the dress and sat it on the bed, leaving to go and take a shower. After my shower I got out into my room and slipped into the chosen, appropriate dress. It was a strapless deep red, to match the Iron man suit, as the media loved me in red. The waist beaded made it tight enough to show off my curves but not to be inappropriate. I put on my makeup and made sure my nails were still as nice because after the beach I went and got them done to pass the time. I slipped my feet into a pair of black and red heels with spikes on the heels, grabbing a black clutch I gave myself a nod of approval in the . I joined Pepper and dad in his room for breakfast. Pepper complimented me on my dress, so I knew I'd chosen right. I returned the compliment on her dress which made dad ask why he wasn't receiving any about his clothes. So then we both made exaggerated remarks about his wonderful fashion sense, he kissed my cheek and I felt a bit better about us being here.

After breakfast we jumped into the Rolls Royce chauffeured by Happy and began driving through the streets of Monaco, accompanied by two policemen on motorbikes. I sat on the rear facing seat in the car giving Pepper and dad time to chat about another thing that needed to be dealt with at home. Dad groaned and said something about this being a small vacation, it was then that I studied his face. Seeing the bags under his eyes, they seemed to be getting darker each day, causing the paleness of his skin to grow more intense with each passing day. Everything for sure was not fine with him and I would have to ask about it when I got the chance to. What could be affecting him that bad to the point where his health was facing consequences because of it? It couldn't be anything that happened recently because I had been noticing changes on an off for two months at least.

"Can I help you Jaedyn?" I blinked, dad was looking at me with a grin plastered on his face. I snickered thinking of slapping him until he told me what was going on with him, but I know that wouldn't work. We're both too stubborn to give up so fast. I shrugged in response to his question. It wasn't the time to ask because there were screams of people that interrupted my thoughts, looking out the bulletproof windows I saw the thousands of people lining the streets, stuffed behind barricades. I wished I could be them, normal. I wouldn't be them ever, for I was the daughter of Tony Stark, Iron Man. And I was never to have a normal life, it was sad really. If I could walk out to the store and come back without being asked for a picture I was lucky. Slowly Happy stopped the car in front of the Hôtel de Paris and I took a deep breath looking to dad. He gave me a quick smirk before stepping out of the car when the door was opened by a man in a suit. I never really got why people had to have their doors opened, I have arms. I can open my own door. Dad held his hand down and helped Pepper out of the car giving me a quick smile. Lastly dad helped me out, when my feet hit the carpet I was ambushed with so many flashes. People seemed to be screaming for the sake of cheering. Dad had his hands around both of our waists and I wanted to elbow him to say, let me go. But I played a long, being the obedient good daughter I am. Dad putting up peace signs causing me to smile, I was having a nice time.

There was a little girl on her dad's shoulder who caught my eyes, she had a picture of me and dad, it was an old magazine cover. Dad had me on his lap at Stark industries in the middle of a conference meeting, and Pepper had decided that week that the company was gonna invite a few photographers into the building. I remember that day as if it was yesterday, I got to see all of the industry that day. The tag line for the magazine, Like father, Like daughter. I smiled and when dad noticed that I was stopped looking to the girl, he gave me a quick wink before going in with Pepper, but I had noticed Happy stop with me. He stood a few feet from me to give me some space. I walked over to the girl, she had gasped as I had stopped in front of her.

"Can I see that?" I asked her kindly, grabbing the marker when she held them both out to me. "What's your name?"

"Isabella, but my friends call me Bella," Her father gave me a smile showing how grateful he was for me to stop. "You can call me Bella if you want to."

"Well Bella," I began and signed her picture. "My names Jaedyn, my friends call me Jae. You know this was taken when I was around your age." I smiled again, but if faded my mind going back to that time. When I wasn't Iron Man's daughter, just Tony Stark's daughter.

"Jae, could I maybe possibly get a picture?" She asked, and the way she hid behind the cover photo made me smile. I nodded and Happy came over to us when I motioned him over. I grabbed my phone and her camera, Happy had been through all this with Tony, so he was use to it. But when I motioned for him to come over his eyes were wider in surprise.

"That's Harold Hogan, we just call him Happy though," He smiled over to the two of us and I looked to the father. "May I?" I asked holding my arms up to the girl, the father nodded and handed her to me, over the metal fence. Sure it wasn't protocol, but I'm a Stark, we don't follow the protocol. I picked her up and adjusted her on my hip before I felt her arms go around my neck. I kissed her cheek and she smiled glee filled. That's when Happy took the photo on both my phone and her camera.

"Thank you Jae!" She yelled and took her camera back from Happy. "Thank you Mr. Happy!" I chuckled when she yelled his name, I easily lifted the girl back over the railing and wove bye to her as Happy had told me that it was time to go. Taking my phone back from Happy I looked at the photo, a nice one. Though there was a guy in the background who I would have to crop out later, he was looking straight at the camera an almost scary look on his face.

"Bye Bella!" I yelled to her before I went inside the nice air conditioned hotel. I saw Tony and Pepper, then something that made my mouth go wide. Natalie. She was here, in Monaco, with us. Of course he'd hire the woman who I had basically blackmailed. Why would someone who could speak French, Italian, Russian, Latin and who modeled in Tokyo suddenly start working in the legal department of Stark Industries? No one in legal, in fact no one in the whole company, had a background like that. Modelling to legal? If only dad knew what I knew, even though it would probably just create more harm than good. Maybe it was because I was so young when Pepper started with dad or because Pepper is just such an amazing individual but I knew that I would never be close to dad's new PA, not to mention she was an undercover agent for Shield.

"You look fantastic." Dad said, trailing after Natalie. The look on Pepper's face as she picked her drink up and followed them said it all. I stared at the back of Natalie's head as she spoke to dad about a dinner. I suddenly remembered every movie Pepper and I watched when I was a kid, the stepmother, nanny, evil woman had been driven off by the kid. I chuckled to myself thinking of how if I was still a kid I would try them. But I wasn't so I had to put up with her. She could body slam a full grown man, I'd hate to see what she could do to me.

I sighed shaking my head and made my way over to the bar, there were many girls there but I was by far the youngest out of them all. And that drew in many stares. Even though we were in a country that had a drinking age of Eighteen, I was a year younger, so I was stuck with no alcoholic beverages. I kept my face still as I stared ahead waiting for the bartender to take my order, if I could I would order something slightly alcoholic just to lighten my nerves. I wanted to go home, but that wouldn't help anything as Natalie would follow, no place was safe now.

"By the way, I didn't mean to spring this on you," Dad began, as he and Pepper both squeezed in beside me and ordered a different drink. "Green is not your best color..."

"Oh please." Pepper groaned, and just when I thought this day couldn't get any worse I see Hammer, Justin Hammer.

"Anthony is that you?!" I watched dad's face change instantly from cheeky to annoyed in a nano second.

"My least favorite person on Earth," He said just as Hammer came up behind his and clapped him on the back. "Justin Hammer."

"How you doing?" Justin asked with a stupid grin on his face. Dad locked eyes with Pepper, clearly communicating his desire for help. Pepper subtly shook her head with a tight lipped smile. Before dad could turn those eyes on me, I spun around to face the bar and order my coke. "You're not the only rich guy here with a fancy car," I heard Hammer say with a laugh that didn't quiet conceal the hostility in his tone. "You know Christine Everhart from Vanity Fair?" Fantastic, not one but two girls that dad had either had a one night stand with or planned on having one with. I rested my head on Peppers shoulder and she pat my head, sympathetic.

"You guys know each other?" Justin questioned. I grabbed my chilled glass of coke from the counter and prayed the sugar from this would give me enough energy to make it through the day, dad had refused me coffee during the trip so this was my replacement. I turned to Everhart and saw her walk towards us, dressed in a tight turquoise dress with a smile on her lips.

"Yes," Pepper smile showed that while she was less than happy with this reunion, she was clearly enjoying watching dad squirm.

"Yes, roughly," Was dad's reply. Christine's eyes briefly flickered over to me before quickly looking away. No doubt she was remembering our first encounter where she was dressed in nothing but my fathers shirt. I returned to her a quick roll of my eyes and sighed heavily listening back in to whatever nonsense that Hammer was dishing us.

"BTW, big story," Hammer said as he waved a finger towards Pepper, "The new CEO of Stark Industries. Congratulations." Christine laid on her thickest smile as she looked to Pepper.

"I know, I know. My editor will kill me if I don't grab a quote for our Powerful Women issue," Christine said smiling. "Can I?" I could see Pepper weighing her options and thinking about the pros and cons with doing her interview with Everhart.

"She's actually doing a big spread on me for Vanity Fair. I thought I'd throw her a bone, you know," Hammer added and Pepper managed to look interested in his news.

"Right. Well, she did quite a... spread on Tony last year," I bit the inside of my lip as I watched Pepper's double entendre register with Christine. Her face became tense and her smile strained as she tried to keep her composure.

"And she wrote a story as well." Dad spoke lowly, a grin on his lips.

"It was very impressive." Sipping my coke, I had to smile as I watched dad and Pepper unite. It was always fun to watch someone being subtly insulted and not being able to call them out for it. If I was not being photographed every now and then I would have laughed but I had to remain impartial. And the look on Hammer's face as he registered their meaning was priceless. Christine's eyes were wide in anger but she took the small compliment anyway.

"Thank you." Everhart faked a smile glancing to them both.

"I'm gonna go wash," Pepper was clearly over this little meeting and desperate to escape. Dad's eyes widened as he whispered don't leave me. But Pepper was already weaving her way through the thin crowd before dad had even finished. I wanted to escape to the deck outside but dad gave me a look saying, Leave and I will disown you. So I remained and watched as Hammer and dad put on fake smiles as their picture is taken. I had yet to respond to People magazine with a date, but I wouldn't want them to feel like they missed out the opportunity to take a picture of me. I giggled when I saw dad slide on his sunglasses, to hide his discontent with Hammer pulling him closer. Everyone knew they hated each other, so I didn't understand why they displayed a fake friendship. As they got their picture taken, Christine took the time to get a quote.

"Is it the first time you've seen each other since the senate?"

"Ah, since he got his contract revoked," Dad replied. Dad began walking away while Christine and Hammer quickly followed. I heard Hammer quickly say "actually it's on hold," as he trailed behind. I wished it was revoked and not just on hold, he deserved to be revoked. He didn't even come close to Stark Industries when it came to our weapon manufacturing section. Though it was shut down, there were still people talking about how fantastic it was when it was still active.

"So Jaedyn," Justin said my name stopping me from leaving. Dad had looked back to me, and I flashed him a help look. But he just shrugged and abandoned me to check his phone. Really? Something on your phone is more important than me about to get harassed?

"Justin?" I questioned, what could he gain by talking to me?

"I wanted to applaud you about what went down at the meeting with the senate," I crossed my arms over my chest giving him a questioning glare. "It took a lot of courage to step up to those men."

"Uhh, thanks," I flashed a smile. Odd, that he was complementing me.

"I saw what your reaction was when Senate Stern said that Anthony could lose custody, that must have took a toll," I huffed a sharp breath trying to find a way to escape. "Being threatened to become a ward of the state for a year." He made a tsk noise before continue. "I wouldn't be able to go through that. Oh, the news also so showed you speeding out of there in a Audi R8. Not very good for that whole situation with your father being a fit parent."

"Look, Justin," I took a step towards him. "My father, Anthony, isn't gonna let that happen. He wouldn't let anything happen to us, and as for the Audi R8, I wanted to go home." He put his hands up before taking a sip of his drink, I rolled my eyes. "Good luck with your contract being revoked, that never happened for us. And the Senate thought they chose the best option for their military contractor. Maybe they should think again, you know. For the sake of your company, I hope the situation with the video doesn't get worse." I turned on my heels flashing him a quick Stark smirk before making my way to the table that Pepper was seated at, one in the corner, with a great view of the race.

"Hey Pepper," I slid into the seat opposite Pepper. "Dad?"

"In the bathroom." She said calmly, leaning closer to her I almost laughed repeating what I had heard.

"Did you hear Hammer got his contract revoked after the senate?" A smile tugged at the corners of Pepper's mouth as she nodded. No matter how many times Hammer tried, nothing could change the fact that Stark Industries would be better. Howard Stark, worked on the nuclear bomb. Anthony Stark, Iron Man. Me, what am I? "He also tried to belittle me with the threat of dad losing custody of me,."

"That man," Pepper huffed.

"I handled it, the way a Stark would, hit his pride."

As time ticked by I was beginning to wonder where dad was, it was only minutes until the race would start, and if he wouldn't hurry up he would miss it. I had pulled my phone when it buzzed, my Twitter ringing. Tony Stark to race in the Circuit de Monaco? I had followed all information when the name Stark appeared but this, this had to be false. When I closed the app I had dialed dad, only to hear Pepper verbally gasp from across the table.

"Pepper?" I asked looking over to her, she didn't respond. Following her gaze I stopped to the television, Dad in a blue racing suit. Preparing to race a Formula One car. "Oh. My. God."