Chapter 40 - 40: Taking Over Oscorp

The shocking events at Norman Osborn's residence were finally discovered the next day—by none other than his son, Harry Osborn. As Harry stepped into the mansion, the sight before him instantly sobered him up. His drowsiness evaporated. His pupils dilated. The entire living room bore the scars of a massive explosion. The sheer devastation was enough to send chills down his spine. And then, there was the weapons cache nearby—a sight that left him completely stunned and disoriented. "What the hell…?" "Where's my father?!" Harry's voice trembled as he rushed forward. At the very center of the blast zone, something burned beyond recognition lay on the ground. He bent down, picking up a charred mask. His heart pounded. The patterns on the mask… they were identical to the Green Goblin's as shown on last night's news. Then, his mind connected the dots—the arsenal in the house, the horrific explosion, and now this mask. There was no denying it. His father… was the Green Goblin. And last night, he must have been killed in battle. The explosion before him was nothing more than the final remnants of a fight to the death. Harry's hands tightened into fists, his knuckles turning white. His breathing grew heavy and ragged. His eyes turned red with fury. He had only one thought— I will avenge my father! The next morning, news of Norman Osborn's death spread like wildfire across the United States. "This can't be real…" "A gas explosion? Just like that?" "Oh my god…" "Without Norman Osborn at the helm, Oscorp's future is in serious jeopardy." "Several major corporations are already planning to buy out Oscorp!" The storm of public opinion was already brewing. For some time now, Oscorp had been losing ground due to relentless competition from Mason Industries. Oscorp specialized in bioengineering. However, its technology was inferior compared to Mason Industries' cutting-edge biotechnology. As a result, Oscorp's financial standing had weakened significantly. Now, with Norman Osborn dead, the company's stock price plummeted by more than 50% overnight. Inside Oscorp's boardroom, a heated discussion was underway. "We've already received several astronomical offers from companies looking to buy into Oscorp." "I believe this is a golden opportunity for us shareholders." "If we don't sell our shares now, all we'll be left with is a pile of worthless paper!" Harry Osborn slammed the table and stood up, his voice trembling with rage. "You can't just sell off my father's legacy like this!" His eyes burned with resentment. These so-called shareholders… When Oscorp was at its peak, they sucked up to his father, practically groveling at his feet. And now? Now that trouble had struck, they were scrambling to abandon ship like a pack of greedy vultures. But Harry's outburst was completely ignored. The shareholders continued their heated discussions, focused solely on how to get the highest price for their stocks. Then, Harry caught something in their conversation— A name. Mason. His heart sank. …. "Enough! Shut the hell up!" Harry exploded with fury. But a balding shareholder simply smirked. "Mr. Osborn, you don't have the authority to make decisions here." "Yes, you inherited your father's shares, but you only hold 30% of the company." "We, however, collectively own 40%, and that means we decide Oscorp's future." A glint of greed flashed in the man's eyes. "And as it happens, a very generous buyer has made us an irresistible offer." "In fact…" He glanced at his watch. "He should be arriving any moment now." At that exact moment— BAM! The boardroom doors burst open. A group of people entered with an air of dominance. At the center of the group, like a king arriving to claim his throne— Was Gene Mason. The moment he stepped in, the shareholders' attitudes made a 180-degree turn. Just seconds ago, they were sneering at Harry Osborn. Now? Now they were bowing their heads like obedient lapdogs before Gene Mason. "Mr. Mason! Welcome!" "Mr. Mason, may I ask about your plans for Oscorp after the acquisition?" "Mr. Mason, could you reveal the purchase price?" "Mr. Mason, will you be renaming the company?" The press swarmed outside, snapping photos, but security guards kept them at bay. Gene Mason strode confidently to the head of the table. And then, in a tone that left no room for negotiation, he made his move— "Two billion dollars." "I'm offering two billion dollars to acquire all of Oscorp's assets—including research data, infrastructure, and key personnel." The shareholders sucked in their breaths. Two billion? Oscorp was once worth a staggering 80 billion dollars at its peak. And now, Mason was offering 1/40th of that value. "Mr. Mason, this price is far too low…" a shareholder hesitated. "The Oscorp Tower alone is worth more than two billion—" Gene stood up abruptly. "Then go find someone else willing to pay two billion." And with that, he turned on his heel and started for the door. "W-Wait! Mr. Mason, please!" The shareholders panicked. Like desperate dogs, they scrambled to cling to his coat. "W-We accept your offer!" "2 billion is more than generous!" Gene paused, then smirked. "No. I've changed my mind." "1.9 billion." Sweat poured down their faces. They knew they had no leverage. A quick calculation told them that even at this price, they'd still each walk away with more than 10 million dollars. "D-Deal! One-point-nine billion it is!" "NO! I WON'T ALLOW THIS!" Harry Osborn couldn't take it anymore. His father's entire empire, his legacy, was being sold off like scrap metal! A shareholder scoffed. "Listen, kid. You should be grateful." "Go enjoy your trust fund like a proper rich brat." "Stay out of grown-up business." Another sneered. Sёarᴄh the Nôvel(F)ire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Honestly, Mr. Mason is being extremely generous." "You should be thanking him, not whining." A chorus of mockery followed. Harry clenched his fists so hard they bled. He turned to Gene Mason, his last hope. "Mr. Mason, you're not really going through with this… are you?" Gene's response shattered that hope completely. "Mr. Osborn…" Gene said calmly. "Business is business." "If you can come up with 1.9 billion dollars, I'll hand Oscorp over to you." -------------- T/N: Access Advance Chapters on my P@treon: [email protected]/MPHFics