Marvel's master of cosmic magic-Chapter 597

"You all really..."

A flicker of red light pulsed in Wanda’s palm, then vanished just as quickly. She forced the anger down, smoothed it into a thin smile, and said evenly, "That’s not something you need to worry about."

She turned to leave the private room, only to have her path blocked by a man in a flashy patterned suit.

Unlike the others, he didn’t laugh or sneer. Instead, he glanced toward the rain streaking down the windows and spoke with rehearsed politeness.

"Wanda, it’s pouring outside. You won’t get a taxi easily. I can drive you home."

"No," she said immediately.

She knew him well enough. Back in school, he’d been the loudest voice in the crowd, the kind of guy who thrived on attention and made sure she never forgot she was different. This wasn’t kindness. It was an invitation with strings attached. She might be naïve, but she wasn’t stupid.

"You always turn down goodwill like this," he continued, lowering his voice as if offering advice. "That’s why you never really fit in. People call you a freak because you don’t try to change. If you want to get rid of that label, you need to learn how to blend in. Why don’t you come to my place? I’m very good at teaching people how to get along."

He reached out and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, smiling as though he expected gratitude.

The vein at Wanda’s temple throbbed.

She wanted to lash out. Just once. To make them regret every word, every look. The power inside her responded instantly, restless and eager.

But she stopped herself.

If anything happened, the fallout would land on her family. Her mother had already carried too much on her own. The man who had helped raise them had died not long after her little sister was born. Her brother drifted through life like a storm, stealing, running, never settling. Her sister was in her rebellious phase, expenses piling up by the month.

If Wanda lost her job, everything would collapse back onto her mother’s shoulders.

So she endured it.

She always did.

She glanced toward Haley, seated further inside. Haley avoided her eyes, suddenly fascinated by the table. One of the few people Wanda had ever considered a friend, and now it was painfully clear why she’d insisted Wanda come tonight. Without Wanda, Haley would have been the easiest target in the room.

Above the restaurant, unseen, Rowan Mercer watched and let out a quiet, humorless laugh.

"They really don’t know when to stop," he muttered.

When he hadn’t found Wanda at her school, he’d tracked her directly. From above, he’d seen everything.

Wanda’s power wasn’t just mutation. It was something deeper, older. Chaos magic didn’t obey neat rules. Left unchecked, it bent reality itself. In some worlds, a single sentence from her had rewritten history.

Right now, the only thing keeping that power from spilling out was Wanda herself.

Rowan smiled faintly. "Perfect timing."

He vanished.

The door to the private room opened, and Rowan stepped inside as if he belonged there. His clothes shifted in an instant into a tailored suit that wouldn’t have looked out of place next to a billionaire inventor’s wardrobe. Calm, confident, and perfectly timed.

"Sorry I’m late," he said, walking straight to Wanda and gently taking her hand. "I told you it was going to rain. You didn’t want me to pick you up because you were worried it’d make your classmates uncomfortable."

He glanced around the room with an easy smile. "But really, they don’t seem like the petty type."

Wanda stared at him, stunned.

Before she could speak, Rowan turned to the man in the patterned suit and extended his hand.

"Nice to meet you. I’m Rowan," he said smoothly. "Wanda’s boyfriend."

Wanda almost protested, then caught the name.

Rowan.

Her brother had mentioned it on the phone.

Understanding clicked into place.

The man hesitated, then took Rowan’s hand. Up close, his expression shifted, calculation replacing confidence.

"Bob," he said quickly. "I’m her classmate."

He’d seen enough to know when someone was out of his league. The watch alone cost more than his car.

The rest of the room went quiet, faces cycling through disbelief, envy, and resentment.

Then Bob screamed.

He yanked his hand back too fast, stumbled, and crashed into the table behind him. Glassware and plates flipped into the air, raining down with cruel precision onto the heads and shoulders of everyone seated there.

Rowan withdrew his hand, looking mildly apologetic. "Sorry. Been working out lately. Guess I didn’t control my grip."

He turned back to Wanda, smiling warmly. "Come on. Your brother’s waiting for us."

Wanda looked at the chaos behind her, then burst into laughter. She squeezed Rowan’s hand and pulled him toward the door.

"Thank you," she said softly.

For the first time that night, she meant it without reservation.