Attack on Vanessa Marianna

Previous	Duel at Pier 81
Next	Infiltration into Melvin Potter's Workshop
Date	Early 2015
Location	Van Lunt Building, New York City, New York
Result	Several people died from Madame Gao's poison.
Planned by	Madame Gao Leland Owlsley
Executed by	Madame Gao Leland Owlsley
_target	Vanessa Marianna
Casualties	Several guests

The poisonings at the benefit were just to make it look like someone was trying to get at you. But you were never the _target."
"Vanessa?Leland Owlsley and Wilson Fisk

The Attack on Vanessa Marianna was a failed attempt by Madame Gao and Leland Owlsley to assassinate Vanessa Marianna and bring Wilson Fisk back into shape.

Background

Do you blame us? Just look at what's happened since you took up with her. You've been distracted, emotional, erratic.Leland Owlsley to Wilson Fisk

Wilson Fisk on a date with Vanessa Marianna

Planning to rebuild Hell's Kitchen, Wilson Fisk established alliances with numerous figures in New York City's criminal underworld, such as Madame Gao and Leland Owlsley. Fisk's own Union Allied Construction was used as a money laundering front for the money earned by Gao's Steel Serpent trafficking, while Owlsley was running the group's finances. However, Fisk became romantically involved with Vanessa Marianna and his associates felt like he was becoming somewhat distant from their operation. When Anatoly Ranskahov accidentally ruined their date and embarassed him in front of Marianna, Fisk murdered him and decieded to trample the entire Russian Mafia, considering them a liability.

Fisk then orchestrated a massive attack on Vladimir Ranskahov, killing all of them, although Fisk's associates were displeased that he made such a call without consulting with them. Gao spoke to Fisk personally, critisizing his recent decisions and advised him to get a hold of himself, otherwise she would have to deal with Owlsley and Nobu Yoshioka directly. Later on, Fisk made a decision to step out of the shadows and become a public figure to get his Better Tomorrow Initiative up and running, although Gao was still concerned that Fisk was more focused on Marianna than on their business. She later got in touch with Owlsley and both of them concluded that considering Fisk's decisions and inability to properly handled the Masked Man, his relationships with Marianna became a major problem.

Attack

Vanessa Marianna drinks the poisoned champagne

Is she dead?"
"No, but three of the others who drank whatever that was have passed.Leland Owlsley and James Wesley

When Wilson Fisk orgnaized a fundraiser event at Van Lunt Building for his Better Tomorrow Initiative, Madame Gao and Leland Owlsley made a deicison to get rid of Vanessa Marianna, thinking that with her out of the picture, Fisk could get back into business properly. While Fisk was making his speech, Gao added her signature poison to the champagne, with only Owlsley being privy to it so they would not raise suspicions. Marianna was given a glass and she took a sip, while Owlsley only held a glass and did not drink anything, passing as a potential victim.

Soon after, some guests that drank the champagne started collapsing with a foam in their mouths, being affected by the poison. Fisk ordered James Wesley to bring in the car so he and Marianna could leave, but to his utter horror, he witnessed Marianna getting poisoned as well. Fisk personally brought an unconscious Marianna to the nearest Metro-General Hospital, where she was put an under emergency care. Meanwhile, some of the other guests that drank the champagne had succumed to the poison and died.

Aftermath

Vanessa Marianna recovers from the poisoning

I'll make them suffer for what they have done."
"I expect nothing less.Wilson Fisk and Vanessa Marianna

While Vanessa Marianna was administrated to Metro-General Hospital, Wilson Fisk had James Wesley to contact Rosenberg, who could help with stabilizing her condition. Leland Owlsley spoke to Wesley about a distraught Fisk, saying that he is in no state to run their business, while also claiming that whoever planned the poisoning was _targeting Fisk. Wesley wondered if Madame Gao could be behind it, but Owlsley dismissed that and instead suggested that Nobu Yoshioka's organization could have wanted a revenge for their leader. Eventually, Marianna woke up from her coma and Fisk considered relocating her somewhere safe, afraid that she might be _targeted because of him, but Marianna insisted to stay with him.

Wilson Fisk confronts Leland Owlsley

Later on, following Wesley's death, Fisk personally looked over the financial records and noticed some irregularities that he decided to bring up with Owlsley. While discussing the construction plans and the destruction of the Steel Serpent production, Fisk pointed out the irregularities, but Owlsley insisted that he was simply moving the funds, so the authorities could not trace them. However, Fisk noticed that he was getting more and more nervous, and Owlsley realized that Fisk was onto him and came clean. He denied any involvement with Wesley's death but confessed that he and Gao conspired to kill Marianna, hoping that Fisk could run the business properly with her out of the picture.

Fisk was furious at the revelation, but Owlsley calmly informed him that their partnership is now over, and he will be departing with the half of his assets. Owlsley informed Fisk that he had been hiding Carl Hoffman after he killed Christian Blake and ordered his men to bring Hoffman to the FBI for testimony if something happens to him. Fisk refused to leave it be and attacked Owlsley, killing him on the spot, and ordered his men to search the whole city and kill Hoffman, so he would not be indicted. The NYPD officers on Fisk's payroll were able to track Hoffman down, right as Owlsley's men were preparing to get him out of the hideout. However, their attempt to kill him was thwarted due to the Masked Man's interference, who forced Hoffman to go the authorities and testify against Fisk.