After escaping the swarm of enthusiastic reporters, Sean and Harry settled into the lounge area on the second floor...
Gwen, now promoted to lab assistant, thoughtfully brought them coffee before excusing herself with a stack of files in her arms.
"Enviable," Harry whistled teasingly.
Sean ignored the playful jab from the Oscorp heir, taking a sip of the bitter coffee...
Umbrella had officially taken its first step. Now, it was time to see how this newly risen lab would establish itself in New York and climb to the top of the global scientific community.
"You broke up with Mary Jane?" Sean leaned back on the sofa.
The red-haired woman who had once captivated both the young Osborn and Spider-Man had ultimately chosen Peter.
Perhaps young girls initially dreamed of the glamorous high society, but once they stepped into it, they realized it wasn't for them. The kind and dependable Peter was undoubtedly Mary Jane's best destiny.
"I'll wish them well," Harry said with an air of indifference, waving his hand as if it meant nothing.
Lately, the young and wealthy heir had been appearing in tabloids almost as frequently as Tony Stark... wild parties, yacht escapades, late-night street races… A flurry of negative press painted him as a playboy who had inherited Stark's hedonism but none of his genius...
"The board isn't happy. You're Oscorp's helmsman, Harry... you can't keep disappearing like this," Sean said, leaning closer with a tone of earnest advice.
For now, Harry was his best ally, and Umbrella's growth still relied on Oscorp's support. Sean didn't want to see him spiral further.
Tony might indulge in pleasure, but he never neglected his inventions. If Stark ever went a week without gossip headlines, it usually meant he was holed up in his lab, buried in machinery.
"Hah, they've never been satisfied with me," Harry scoffed, "Ever since my father died, they've been scheming to take Oscorp from me, to kick me off the board. If it weren't for the Metis Serum, they'd have already carved up the company and sold it to Wall Street bankers!"
He looked at Sean sincerely, "I really owe you and Dr. Connors. Without you, I wouldn't have saved Oscorp."
Sean merely shrugged, glancing through the window at the distant hills and forests. He sipped his coffee, savoring the rich aroma. Life was like this cup... bitter at first, then fragrant and full-bodied.
Defeat one opponent after another, overcome every obstacle, and eventually, he would stand atop the world's pyramid.
"Prove them wrong, Harry. Show them Harry Osborn isn't just some spoiled heir... that he's capable of greatness," Sean said, his eyes burning with conviction, "Like Dr. Connors and I did, let the results speak. The world worships success. Achieve something extraordinary, and they'll forget your past mistakes. Some might even spin it into a redemption story."
Harry hesitated, his self-doubt creeping in, "I don't have a head for business, let alone genius-level intellect..."
Sean chuckled, cutting him off. The Oscorp heir's lack of confidence was glaring... perhaps a result of Norman's neglect, or a lifetime of never measuring up.
"You're the general, not the foot soldier. Your job is to lead the war to topple Worthington from its throne. I guarantee, once you do, no one will dare call Harry Osborn incompetent again. They'll shamelessly praise you, pretending they never doubted you."
His words seemed to inject Harry with newfound determination. The gloom lifted from his face, replaced by the fervor of a soldier ready for battle.
As he picked up his cup, drinking the now-lukewarm coffee, a thought struck him, "Gwen mentioned you've taken an interest in stocks?"
Sean nodded. He'd hired a few sharp brokers to short Stark Industries' shares, just a side hustle for some extra cash.
"No one thinks Stark Industries, a military-industrial giant, will crash like Oscorp did!"
Harry frowned at that. Even if he wasn't well-versed in finance, he knew Stark Industries was untouchable. Not even Oscorp's full weight could shake that behemoth, "How much did you put in?"
"Eighty million." Sean wasn't naive enough to think he could cripple Stark Industries. But hurting a rival while turning a profit? Why not?
Seeing his friend's unwavering confidence, Harry hesitated before whispering, "You've got insider info?"
In his experience, Sean never gambled unless victory was certain. New York's so-called genius only played to win.
"Throw in some yourself. It might buy you the latest Lamborghini," Sean replied cryptically...
After a moment's thought, Harry decided to trust him. Sean had defied odds too many times to doubt now.
Harry's gaze suddenly flickered to a figure in the hallway, "Huh, he joined Umbrella too?"
"You know Dr. Octavius?" Sean followed his gaze to the stout, mild-mannered man in a brown overcoat chatting with Dr. Connors.
After multiple invitations from Connors, the future Doctor Octopus had finally joined Umbrella, leading his own R&D team on a new energy project.
"He approached Oscorp before and pitched some 'artificial sun' energy project. R&D shot it down. Too much investment, too little guaranteed return."
Harry wasn't impressed. Cheap, efficient energy? For a company pivoting away from its core industries, it held little appeal. The massive upfront costs scared off most investors.
"You really think energy is the future?" Harry couldn't grasp his friend's foresight. It was like Sean always knew what came next.
Sean shook his head, gazing at the sunlight streaming through the window.
"I just want to build myself a sun..."