Barry sat in his basement, staring at his phone. It had been two weeks since he had saved the woman in the wheelchair, and his life had been flipped upside down.

  At first, things seemed normal—aside from going viral on social media. He had continued working, attending meetings over video calls and carefully managing his public image. He had done his best to ignore the speculation online, but that didn’t stop the whispers at the firm.

  And then Heather had figured it out.

  Heather was sharp. She had always been ambitious, always looking for an edge. When the video of the “Steel Man” stopping a truck went viral, she had studied it carefully. The way he moved, his posture, the way he adjusted his tie—it was all too familiar.

  Barry had never considered himself close to her. She was a talented lawyer, but she played the game differently than he did. Where Barry focused on winning cases through skill and preparation, Heather thrived on office politics and maneuvering her way into power.

  So when she figured out his secret, she didn’t go to him.

  She went straight to the partners.

  The Boardroom Showdown

  Barry sat across from the firm’s senior partners in the boardroom. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with unspoken words. Hendricks, the managing partner, folded his hands on the table, his face unreadable.

  “Barry,” he began, his voice calm but firm, “we need to talk about your… situation.”

  Barry leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Situation?”

  Hendricks sighed, rubbing his temples. “The video. The incident with the truck.”

  One of the other partners, a woman named Evelyn Price, adjusted her glasses. “Heather came to us with her concerns,” she said. “She believes—correctly, it seems—that you are the man in that video.”

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  Barry didn’t deny it. There was no point.

  “And what exactly is the problem?” he asked.

  Hendricks frowned. “The problem, Barry, is that the world is changing. Supers are all over the news. Some are being praised, but others… well, not all of them are heroes.”

  Price nodded. “People are afraid, Barry. Some of our biggest clients have already expressed concerns about being associated with anyone who might be… unpredictable.”

  Barry clenched his jaw. “Unpredictable?”

  Hendricks sighed again. “Look, we don’t doubt your abilities as a lawyer. You’ve been one of our top performers for years. But we have to think about the firm’s reputation. If it gets out that we have a super working here, it could drive away clients.”

  Barry exhaled slowly, staring at them. “So what are you saying?”

  Evelyn Price pushed a folder toward him. “We’re letting you go.”

  Barry looked at the folder. Severance papers. A generous package, all things considered—six months’ pay, a confidentiality agreement, and a polite letter stating that he had left the firm on his own terms.

  His fingers tensed, the leather gloves he wore creaking under the pressure.

  “This is bullshit,” he said flatly.

  Hendricks didn’t deny it. “It’s business.”

  Barry let out a bitter laugh. “I’ve made this firm millions. I’ve won cases no one else could. And you’re throwing me out because I stopped a woman from being killed?”

  Evelyn Price looked away, but Hendricks met his gaze evenly. “It’s not personal, Barry. But the firm has to protect itself.”

  Barry pushed his chair back, standing up. “You know,” he said, voice tight, “I always thought this firm was better than that.”

  Hendricks sighed. “Take the severance, Barry. It’s the best deal you’re going to get.”

  Barry didn’t argue. He took the folder, turned, and walked out.

  The Fallout

  Two weeks passed. Barry stayed low, focusing on regaining control of his life.

  The internet still buzzed about the “Steel Man,” but no one had connected him to Barry Lawson, the lawyer. He had considered going public, but Mary had convinced him to wait. The world wasn’t ready yet.

  Then he got the news.

  Heather had taken his position at the firm.

  Barry sat in his basement, staring at the message on his phone. It was from an old colleague.

  Heather got promoted. She took your office. She’s even handling your biggest clients now.

  Barry clenched his jaw. He should have seen it coming. Heather hadn’t just exposed him to the partners—she had used his downfall as a stepping stone.

  Mary, sitting across from him, took a sip of her wine. “Well, that’s some cold-blooded corporate politics,” she said.

  Barry exhaled sharply. “Yeah.”

  Sarah, Mary’s daughter, smirked. “So what are you gonna do about it?”

  Barry thought about it.

  Then he smiled.

  “Something better.”

  Because if the world wanted a Steel Man… maybe it was time for Barry to stop hiding.