from Marvel Comics
During her youth, Maria dated industrialist Obadiah Stane, although she wasn't happy with their relationship. While staying in Monaco during a flight scale, she slip past her bodyguards into a casino, and deliberately lost large sums of money at baccart. The owner of the casino, Howard Stark, noticed Maria being forcefully escorted by her bodyguards and tried to stop her. He tracked her down and visited her at their hotel room. Stark charmed her and together they beat up her bodyguards, driving off and formally introducing themselves to each other.
Marvel Comics
