"Wait, wait! Finn, Finn.." Peter was just about to take the opportunity to smooth over the relationship between the Osborn brothers, but he didn't expect Finn to start acting again as if a switch had been flipped. Peter's heart skipped a beat, he hurriedly grabbed Finn's hand, pulling him toward the exit of the control room, terrified that Finn might say something hurtful or biting.
Andrew also hurriedly caught up.
What are you so worried about? Haven't you always known about the relationship between Harry and me?" Finn, who was being led along, looked at Peter with a puzzled expression and asked, "It's not something that can be changed just by a press conference.
"You know, as long as you want to change—" Peter said urgently.
"I don't want to change." Finn shook his head calmly.
"Finn, everything you did today is very important to Harry." Peter looked at Finn seriously.
Finn frowned, lost in thought.
According to the persona he had envisioned, he had indeed done many unnecessary things today.
But, it was already done.
In that situation, even if he were to do it all over again, Finn would likely make the same choice.
Finn turned his thoughts over in his head and quickly found a new "rational" explanation for his behavior.
A greedy and ambitious younger brother, seizing this highly publicized press conference to shine, would only become more self-important and more desperate to take his place. He would engage in even more intense power struggles with his older brother, eventually fighting until he has nothing left, his reputation ruined.
—This plotline is clearly not much different from the previous setting!
I'm not doing it for him; I'm doing it for myself." Finn's belated ambition regarding the Misery Value Plan began to escalate once again. "You know, if I had listened to Harry, I would have done as he said and canceled the press conference immediately.
But I didn't.
Finn quickly finalized his persona after his enrichment.
I see the greatest opportunity laid out before me, an opportunity to prove that I am equal to Harry Osborn. Everything I do is to satisfy my own desires. I am using Harry's resources to pave my own way; I need this global stage to prove myself, to prove that I am equally qualified to stand at the pinnacle of the Osborn Group.
What I want is to be able to replace Harry Osborn in the future and become the true ruler of the Osborn Group.
"Finn, that's not your true intention at all!" Peter couldn't help but argue, his voice filled with helplessness.
Finn froze, looking up to meet Peter's gaze; these indeed were not his true feelings, but—
You can't hear my thoughts again.
In this moment, Peter felt an unspeakable sense of helplessness as he met Finn's stubborn eyes. But at this moment, Peter also experienced a very special feeling.
—Why was it him, of all people, who could hear Finn's inner thoughts?
Peter felt there must be a special reason.
Andrew stood to the side, nearly at a loss, like a wooden statue, not knowing how to speak up and break the deadlock between Finn and Peter.
Finn, were you happy the moment you stood at the press conference?" Peter did not dwell on the previous topic, but instead changed the subject, asking softly, "Everything you did before, it was all for this moment, wasn't it?
Yes," Finn admitted candidly, then added, "But I'm not doing this for Harry.
"I don't want you to do all this for Harry." Peter's thoughts also became calm and clear as he nodded seriously.
"?" Finn had never imagined Peter would say such things; he had thought Peter would.. hope he would stand firmly by Harry's side.
Peter looked at the shock in the young man's eyes and sighed softly in his heart. He didn't know what he would have to do to make Finn truly realize—
He was no longer the "insignificant character who wouldn't matter even if he disappeared" that he had imagined, nor was he the "assistant hiding behind the Host's back, unseen by anyone" that he once was.
It seemed as if everything the former Finn did was for the sake of others.
You are the protagonist of the stage," Peter said, staring intently at Finn. "You are also the protagonist of this world.
This has absolutely nothing to do with Harry Osborn.
You don't need to shine for him, you certainly don't need to.. deliberately bury yourself for him.
Finn stood there dazed, his gaze fixed directly on Peter's face.
The overloaded information instantly breached his cognitive defenses, causing him to fall into a brief state of total shutdown.
After all, no one ever says to a system—
You are.. the protagonist of this world.
Peter looked at Finn, who remained speechless and stiff all over, the small, soft ache in his heart surged even more violently. He said nothing more, but could only resist the urge to reach out with both hands and gently pull the young man into his embrace.
This hug was warm, solid, possessed a reassuring strength, steadily enveloping Finn's tense body.
Finn's fingertips curled instinctively, even his breathing skipped a beat.
He could feel the heat from Peter with incredible clarity, as if it were even hotter than the human body temperature of 37°C. He could even feel the steady vibration emanating from the other's chest, a scorching warmth he had never experienced before, seeping bit by bit through their pressed skin into his.. into the shell that now also possessed a heart, feeling both strange and wonderful.
Peter suddenly really wanted to ask Finn.
Have you ever had a birthday before?
—Has anyone ever celebrated your birth, or felt that your existence was truly important?
You did an amazing job today.
Peter's voice, filled with a smile, fell gently into Finn's ear, carrying an encouraging warmth.
Peter could say such words of praise to Finn countless times.
“I know you didn't prepare all of this, but you were prepared long ago, weren't you?”
“An opportunity like this.. you've been waiting for it a hundred times already.”
Finn's pupils suddenly constricted, at this moment, he could barely utter a single word.
Happy birthday, Finn.
Look at the world from the center.
You shine because you are yourself, it has nothing to do with anyone else.
Chapter 38: Major Decision
“What's wrong with you?”
The moment Noah saw Finn, he practically lunged forward to grab him, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement—
Such a huge thing, you didn't tell me a single word about it!
“To think you've caused such a massive commotion while remaining completely silent!”
This was no exaggeration.
At this moment, the internet was being completely flooded by the name "Finn Osborn."
Just not long ago, at the Osborn Group press conference, the Young Master Osborn—who had always been seen by the outside world as a mere playboy who only knew how to drink and have fun at parties, hiding under the halo of his brother, the CEO of the group—
With a subversive and stunning debut, he made the entire world remember him.
The video of the press conference instantly surged to peak views, causing the stock price of the Osborn Group to skyrocket as well.
And what was being shared crazily across the entire internet was the brief five-second clip from the end of the press conference.
The blazing spotlights were all focused on him, yet they could not suppress the young man's own brilliance.
Finn stood in the center of the stage, his light gray slim-fit vest outlining sharp, upright shoulder lines, with his white shirt collar slightly open underneath; amidst his natural nobility, there was also a hint of nonchalant swagger.
In those bright green eyes, there was the unique, high-spirited vigor of youth, shining like gemstones shattered by starlight—open, honest, confident.
Without a single word of redundant official jargon, the young man celebrating his twentieth birthday merely gave a slight nod. He then swept his fingers sharply across his forehead in a crisp, dashing salute. The corners of his lips curled into a smile so confident it was almost overwhelming, his voice, carried through the microphone, reached every corner of the venue and traveled through the internet into the ears of countless people—
[I am Finn Osborn.]
See you in the new era.
In just five seconds, the intense shock it caused was enough to make the entire internet boil over.
As for Finn, the person at the center of it all, the messages on his Moments were overwhelming. They were filled with teasing and amazement from his friends, all questioning how he could keep such a secret and why he chose to pull off such a world-shaking stunt on his own birthday.
Of course I was afraid I'd mess it up, that's why I didn't tell you in advance." Finn had already prepared his excuse long before meeting Noah, his eyes now held a hint of deliberate smugness. "This was all part of my plan from the start. If I do mess it up, the Osborn Group loses face anyway, being a perfectionist, Harry will surely be driven mad by me!
"If I pull this off, I'll be able to prove it to Harry.. I'm not inferior to him in any way!" Finn certainly knew that he had never said a single good word about Harry in front of Noah and the others, had even been constantly making a fuss about wanting to fight Harry.
He couldn't have been shouting about uniting his friends to "crusade" against Harry, only to end up defecting himself in the end, could he? There was no way for him to explain that!
You didn't see Harry's shocked expression!" Finn straightened his back, putting on a smug look. "He always said I only knew how to spend money, throw parties, indulge in pleasure; he cursed me for being incompetent and overambitious, never once imagining that I could actually pull off something this massive. I've finally let out a breath I've been holding for so long!
Oh? Really?" Noah stood with his arms crossed, looking at him with a skeptical expression, his eyebrows raised. "Then do you remember what you said at the press conference?
Finn felt a sudden sense of guilt, his gaze involuntarily drifted elsewhere.
“You said your brother was the most hardworking, most self-disciplined, most intelligent person you had ever met.” Noah spoke slowly, his tone far from pleasant, as he began to force Finn's memory. “You even said that you were family, with nothing between you.”
Finn's expression froze, he simply didn't dare to meet Noah's gloomy gaze.
“Why is it that you don't seem to have praised me like that before?” Noah stared intently at Finn. “Is it because I've spent too much time playing with you, so in your eyes, I'm not as hardworking as Harry? That I'm not as excellent as him?”
How could that be? Those are just empty words." A familiar sense of pressure instantly enveloped Finn; his back stiffened as he sat up straight, looking incredibly nervous. "You are more hardworking, more self-disciplined, smarter than Harry.
Noah gave a light snort.
You know how important this press conference is to the Osborn Group. The reason I've been competing with Harry for shares in the Osborn Group is also for my own personal interests." Although Finn felt a bit guilty, fortunately, he had already discussed a strategy with System PP beforehand, so his current justification was quite reasonable. "I know people in the Group look down on me as well. This is a great opportunity to show everyone that I'm not just some useless playboy. Besides, by helping Harry out like this, wouldn't it also.. place me on the moral high ground? Moreover, since I've done Harry such a huge favor in front of the whole world, will he still dare to disparage and mock me so recklessly in the future? These are all chips in my game against him.
"Of course, this is only the beginning," Finn said convincingly.
Noah glanced at Finn, who was trying his best to remain calm, said nothing more, merely gesturing for him to go and change into the carefully prepared birthday outfit first. Only after Finn hurriedly and flusteredly followed Noah's assistant into the fitting room did Noah turn his gaze toward the silent Andrew.
Now it was Andrew's turn to feel his heart skip a beat.
"Was he prepared in advance?" Noah asked bluntly.
Andrew neither nodded nor shook his head; of course, he had already coordinated his story with Finn before he arrived.
"Just give the camera to me, I'll watch it myself." Noah suddenly felt that having a cameraman following Finn around wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
The images on the screen were clearly displayed before his eyes.
Before the press conference, Finn acted as if nothing was wrong, finding a comfortable corner backstage to draw memes. Because Harry had failed to show up on time, Finn went to the private room to call him. Andrew did not go inside, the content of their conversation remained unclear, but when Finn emerged from the private room, he clearly looked much less relaxed.
Immediately afterward, Finn directly approached the manager of the Brand Promotion Department and offered a massive amount of extra money to have him take the stage in place of Harry.
“Who is this man?” Noah Hart asked, pointing at Marcus in the video.
.. He is Mr. Harry Osborn's opponent." After thinking for a moment, Andrew spoke truthfully, "He likely wants to take advantage of this press conference to join forces with Young Master Finn to do something against Mr. Harry.
Noah saw the look of determination in Marcus's eyes in the video and knew that he thought Finn would become his pawn to sanction Harry Osborn. The atmosphere at the scene became tense and anxious, those who were supposed to announce the cancellation of the press conference by the Brand Promotion Department were all controlled by Marcus. In the end, having no other choice, Finn took to the stage of the press conference himself.