The next morning at Osborn Manor.
"Tonight, we'll be showcasing Norman Osborn's intriguing journey. Anyone familiar with the financial news knows the name Norman Osborn."
Norman Osborn sat at the dining table as a TV program about the Osborn Group played in the background. However, his focus was elsewhere. A newspaper lay open on the table in front of him, filled with articles about Spider-Man.
The TV host's voice continued:
"He brought significant changes to the field of bioengineering, leading to enormous profits and establishing his company as one of the best in the world."
As he skimmed through the paper, Harry entered the room. After enduring a cold night at the Cross Church, Harry had finally been rescued.
"What did the doctor say, Harry?" Norman asked, setting down the newspaper and turning his attention to his son.
"I'm fine. The doctor said it's just a skin injury, and there's a risk of catching a cold later, but for now, I'm alright," Harry replied as he sat down at the dining table and picked up a knife.
He squeezed a large piece of toast into a ball, breaking the egg yolk, which mixed with the maple syrup on his plate. But instead of eating, he set the knife down and looked up at his father.
"Dad, did you see the news about Spider-Man?"
"Yes," Norman replied, picking up the remote to turn off the TV. "But that's not where your focus should be, Harry. You should be concentrating on your studies and other important matters."
Harry took a deep breath and pressed further, "What do you mean by 'other'? Should I focus on our cleaning robot turning into a killer robot?"
"What?" Norman's expression darkened.
"I'm saying that the robot fighting the Vulture was our cleaning robot," Harry said, disregarding his father's authority for the first time. "The Vulture accused you of stealing his work. He kidnapped me and wanted you to apologize. But you chose to send a robot instead of simply apologizing, which could have resolved everything."
Norman's jaw clenched tightly. "Are you saying I made a mistake?"
"I just think no one should die because of us," Harry insisted.
"You're naive, Harry," Norman said coldly, his voice growing harsher. "Do you think a cornered beast will simply give up? I've told you countless times, if you want to succeed, you need to let go of unnecessary compassion. Whether people live or die has no bearing on you. If you don't distance yourself, you'll get hurt."
Harry pushed his plate aside, staring at his father with a mixture of disbelief and sadness. He couldn't believe his father could be so cold.
"No, Dad, I'm not like that. I don't want to become like you."
"Do you think everyone is genuinely kind?" Norman shot back, his gaze hardening. "Go look at the people on the streets—farmers, immigrants, truck drivers, suburban yuppies. They might attend church, donate a dollar or two, smile at everyone, and pretend to be upstanding citizens."
"But do you know what they do behind closed doors? They lie, cheat, and exploit others' sympathy for their own gain."
Norman's face filled with disappointment as he stood up. "If you hold on to that mindset, Harry, you won't find success. You'll only be hurt, especially by those you think you can trust."
Harry's frustration boiled over, and he retorted, "Is success to you being a famous entrepreneur and having a top-ranked company?"
"That's not what I want! It's nothing but a burden to me."
Breathing heavily, Harry continued, "No matter which school I attend, I'm always the rich kid. Some people try to get close to me, but it's only for my money. And I know it's not really mine."
"More often, people ridicule me for being a spoiled rich kid. They never treat me like a true friend. I've been to countless schools, and my only real friends are Peter and Gwen."
Norman's expression grew darker as Harry's words hit him.
"Harry, do you think everything I've given you is a burden?" he asked coldly.
"No, I'm grateful, Dad. But I can't be the person you want me to be," Harry replied. "And I definitely don't want to be like you."
Norman Osborn's eyes narrowed. "Running away from reality won't change anything. You're an Osborn, and you can't escape that."
Harry took a deep breath and replied, "I'm not running away. I won't run away like Mom did."
"What did you just say?" Norman's expression turned severe at the mention of Harry's mother.
"I said, my mother chose to escape," Harry continued, his voice steady. "In her last days, she numbed herself with Scotch for six years. I remember her always drinking because she knew you were wrong, but she couldn't stop you."
"Enough!" Norman roared, and in a fit of anger, he slapped Harry.
*Smack!*
---
Meanwhile, Gwen angrily slammed her locker shut in the school hallway that morning, her face flushed with frustration. The corridors buzzed with students preparing for the day.
Despite feeling unwell, Gwen had forced herself to come to school. After all, she couldn't use her secret as an excuse to skip class.
"Why are you so upset?" a familiar voice asked from behind her.
Turning around, Gwen saw Peter standing there.
"This is ridiculous! Don't they know who saved the entire subway yesterday?" she exclaimed, shoving a newspaper into Peter's hands. "Look at this headline."
Peter glanced at the paper, reading the bold headline: "Spider-Man: Dangerous Thug!"
His gaze shifted to the name of the publication—*The Daily Bugle*, notorious for its relentless criticism of Spider-Man.
Peter pondered the headline. Had he managed to change the original course of events?
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