In Umbrella's private lounge, Sean took out a bottle of Scotch whiskey from the well-stocked liquor cabinet and poured two glasses, placing them on the table...
Harry loosened his tie and leaned back on the sofa without reservation. His face was etched with frustration and irritation, the young heir to the Osborn family business clearly hadn't come to Umbrella today for official business like corporate collaboration. Instead, he was here specifically to vent his grievances to his friend.
"What's wrong? Another fight with Mary Jane?" Sean handed Harry the glass, teasing him as he did so.
Since taking over Oscorp, Harry's busy schedule had left him with no time for his girlfriend, which frequently lead to conflicts with Mary Jane. Each time, he'd turn to Sean and Gwen to act as intermediaries.
The young, wealthy Osborn heir downed the cold liquor in one gulp. A burning sensation spread down his throat, the alcohol making his eyes slightly red.
Some of his innermost thoughts spilled out uncontrollably, "I've always considered you a friend, Sean. Like Peter, you're one of the few true friends I have!" Harry's voice grew louder with emotion, "Before I met you, Peter was my only close friend. We've known each other since we were kids... his father used to work for Oscorp as one of my dad's right-hand men..."
"...Peter was often bullied at school because of his introverted personality. Back then, I wasn't well-liked at boarding school either. Maybe because we were both lonely, we became good friends. We shared everything... comics, snacks... I thought our friendship would last forever!"
Hearing Harry repeatedly mention Peter, Sean could roughly guess what had happened. The messy love triangle between Spider-Man, the second Green Goblin, and Mary Jane was truly exasperating.
If it were any other issue, Sean might have been able to offer Harry some clarity. But when it came to matters of the heart, even Sean himself avoided getting too involved. His relationship with Elektra was purely transactional... mutual benefit tangled with desire, with little genuine emotion...
As for the innocent and kind-hearted Miss Stacy, he maintained a carefully ambiguous distance, not daring to accept her pure affection lightly...
At his core, Sean Cyphers (that upright, sunny young man, the humble and gentle genius scientist) was nothing more than a facade.
Peeling back these false layers, the cold, dark aura he exuded was enough to shock and intimidate. Like shadows cast by the sun, people rarely noticed that the radiant, dazzling sun could also project profound darkness.
"Inexperienced first love is enchanting, but love that withstands trials is priceless," Sean offered a maxim, patting Harry's shoulder, he continued, "You should let Mary Jane make her own choice between you and Peter... Besides, now isn't the time to wallow in personal matters... especially not for you..."
"...Harry, you're the helmsman of the Oscorp ship, managing a vast corporate empire. You're no longer a child sheltered under your father's wing. If becoming a Casanova could stabilize the teetering Oscorp Industries or make Worthington retract its fangs, then by all means, mourn your lost love with all your heart. But right now, you don't have that luxury!"
Sean's gentle voice carried a hint of sternness as he handed Harry another glass, "Love isn't a necessity in life, Harry. A failed relationship can make a man grow up fast. Stop obsessing over the mess between Mary Jane and Peter. Your vision shouldn't be stuck at this level."
Harry stared at the ceiling, "I understand everything you're saying, Sean. But I can't solve any of these problems... whether it's Worthington's predatory gaze, or the complicated feelings between Mary Jane and Peter..."
Deep down, he admired Sean greatly. Unlike himself who was born with a silver spoon, his friend had risen from obscurity in New York to become a celebrated genius, rarely relying on external help.
Much like his father, who built Oscorp from scratch, Sean had achieved enviable status and wealth purely through personal effort and talent...
"Personal matters are for you to figure out on your own. But as for how to deal with Worthington... I do have some ideas." Sean swirled his glass, the ice clinking softly against the crystal.
Watching the slightly intoxicated Harry, he said quietly, "Didn't you mention before that General Thaddeus Ross was interested in Oscorp's human enhancement program? And even considered replicating last century's super-soldier serum?"
Slumping on the sofa, Harry looked exhausted, worn down by corporate bureaucracy and emotional turmoil, "That was it... He was 'just' interested. The human enhancement project was a failure... it had insurmountable side effects. It turned people into beasts filled with aggression and bloodlust. The military would never accept such flawed products."
Harry had tried to emulate his father... commanding, decisive, inspiring trust, manipulating financial storms with a wave of his hand.
But just as he'd pulled Oscorp back from the brink of collapse, Worthington, that predator, had set its sights on them. Coupled with the emotional blow, the young Osborn heir couldn't help but feel disheartened...
"Umbrella is willing to take over this failed project. The military has never given up on super-soldier research for an entire century. Captain America's appearance accelerated the end of World War II... he single-handedly changed the course of the war! That's why those generals are so obsessed with super-soldiers. They want an invincible army!"
Sean gripped Harry's shoulder, his deep eyes burning with intensity like blazing fire, "If Oscorp hands over all the data on the human enhancement project to Umbrella, perhaps I can complete what was left unfinished. That would give us leverage in negotiations with General Ross. Worthington would no longer be a threat at that point..."
"But..." The excess alcohol made Harry's head swim.
He hesitated at his friend's proposal, "This project nearly bankrupted Oscorp. Even after my father poured enormous resources into it, all we got were flawed products. It didn't create another Captain America... instead, it gave birth to the Green Goblin... We shouldn't restart this project."
"Everything has two sides. Just like the human enhancement project could spawn monsters like the Green Goblin, but it could also create war heroes like Captain America. Worthington is a monopoly in the pharmaceutical industry. If Oscorp wants to launch ALZ-112, it's an unavoidable adversary. Unless you're willing to surrender most of your profits and submit to Worthington's will, letting Oscorp become part of its vast empire!"
Sean paused briefly, before continuing, "There's only room for one apex predator in any industry. Do you want to kneel at Worthington's feet?" his piercing gaze made the young CEO flinch.
At this moment, Sean bore no resemblance to his usual sunny, easygoing demeanor. Instead, he exuded a chilling, dark aura that inspired fear.
"Of course not! Oscorp has never played second fiddle!" The strange feeling passed as quickly as it came.
Seeing the faint mockery in Sean's smile, Harry's fighting spirit flared. "Never," he declared firmly.
Satisfied with the answer, Sean nodded, "Then let's knock Worthington off its throne as industry leader!"