Three days after burying Norman Osborn, Harry sat in his father's leather chair, staring at financial reports that might as well have been written in Sanskrit. Spreadsheets, quarterly projections, and market analyses covered the massive desk in the Oscorp executive office. His head throbbed from information overload.
"What the actual hell," he muttered, rubbing his temples.
Harry's memories provided some business knowledge, but not nearly enough. The original Harry had been more interested in partying than profit margins, attending board meetings with a hangover and letting his father handle the real decisions. Now those decisions fell to him, and he was drowning.
A soft knock interrupted his misery.
"Come in," he called, straightening in the chair and trying to look like he knew what he was doing.
Felicia Hardy entered, carrying a stack of folders. Not Black Cat yet, just Norman's executive assistant, though her silver-blonde hair and sharp green eyes hinted at the persona she would eventually adopt. Another character who shouldn't exist in the Raimi universe, yet here she was.
"The board has called an emergency meeting for tomorrow morning," she said, placing the folders on his desk. "I've prepared briefing materials on the agenda items."
Harry picked up the top folder. "Did they say what this is about?"
"Officially? Addressing leadership transition after Mr. Osborn's passing." Felicia's professional mask slipped for a moment. "Unofficially, several members are pushing to have you removed as interim CEO."
"And how do you know that?" Harry asked, studying her face.
A slight smile curved her lips. "I make it my business to know things, Mr. Osborn. Especially things people don't want me to know."
Harry leaned back, reassessing her. In most comics, Felicia was depicted as brilliant and cunning, not just a cat burglar in spandex. If she was already demonstrating those traits, she could be a valuable ally.
"Tell me what you know, Ms. Hardy."
For the next hour, Felicia outlined the factions forming within the board. Balkan Enterprises, a rival tech company, had been quietly buying Oscorp shares through shell companies. Three board members were secretly in their pocket. Two others were positioning themselves as potential CEOs. Only a handful remained loyal to the Osborn legacy.
"They think you're an easy target," Felicia concluded. "Young, inexperienced, more interested in your trust fund than the company."
The assessment stung, even though it wasn't really about him. "And what do you think, Ms. Hardy?"
Felicia met his gaze unflinchingly. "I think they're underestimating you. I've watched you this week. You're different since your father died. More focused."
If she only knew how different.
"Why are you telling me this?" he asked.
"Your father valued loyalty. He rewarded it generously." Her expression remained neutral, but the implication was clear. Felicia Hardy looked after Felicia Hardy's interests.
"I see." Harry tapped the folders thoughtfully. "I'll need everything you can find on the board members. Personal information, financial records, voting histories on company initiatives. And I need it before the meeting tomorrow."
"Already compiled." Felicia produced a USB drive from her pocket. "Will there be anything else, Mr. Osborn?"
Harry studied her for a moment. "Yes. From now on, you report directly to me, not to the board. Your salary is doubled, effective immediately."
Surprise flickered across her face before her professional mask returned. "Thank you, sir. I'll have those reports updated by morning."
After she left, Harry plugged in the USB drive and dove into the files. Financial data, personal information, and private communications painted a clear picture of the coup being arranged. They planned to declare him unfit to lead, citing his youth and lack of experience. A vote of no confidence would remove him from the CEO position, after which they'd install a puppet while Balkan Enterprises continued accumulating shares for an eventual takeover.
Harry worked through the night, fueled by coffee and desperation. He called in legal counsel, financial advisors, and PR specialists, all people who had been loyal to Norman. He reviewed company bylaws, stock options, and contractual obligations. By dawn, he had a plan.
It wasn't a great plan. But it was the only one he had.
The boardroom fell silent as Harry entered at exactly 9:00 AM. Twelve men and women in expensive suits watched him with expressions ranging from sympathy to barely concealed anticipation. Felicia sat in the corner, ostensibly taking minutes but really there as his eyes and ears.
"Good morning," Harry said, taking his place at the head of the table. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice."
Jameson Balkan, CEO of Balkan Enterprises and newest Oscorp board member, spoke first. "Harry, we've called this meeting out of concern for the company's future. With Norman's tragic passing, leadership continuity is our primary concern."
Harry nodded, letting him continue his rehearsed speech about "fresh leadership" and "steady hands." He watched the other board members, noting who nodded along and who remained neutral.
When Balkan finished, Harry smiled thinly. "That was very well put, Jameson. And I agree completely."
Surprise rippled through the room.
"You do?" Balkan asked, suspicious.
"Absolutely. Oscorp needs strong leadership during this transition." Harry opened his laptop. "Which is why I've spent the last week reviewing our corporate structure and identifying areas for improvement."
He pressed a button, and the wall screen lit up with organizational charts and financial projections.
"As you can see, several divisions are underperforming, particularly Advanced Weapons Research and Genetic Engineering, both pet projects of certain board members." He nodded toward three men who shifted uncomfortably. "Meanwhile, our Sustainable Energy and Medical Technologies divisions show remarkable growth potential but have been consistently underfunded."
Harry clicked through slides showing market analysis and competitor comparisons. He was bullshitting with supreme confidence, pulling from business knowledge he'd absorbed in his previous life and details from Harry's memories of overhearing Norman's business calls.
"Therefore, I'm proposing a strategic restructuring, effective immediately. Division heads will report directly to me until performance metrics improve. Board oversight will be limited to quarterly reviews rather than direct management."
Balkan's face darkened. "You can't unilaterally change established procedures."
"Actually, he can," Felicia spoke up, distributing documents. "According to Oscorp's articles of incorporation, the CEO has broad authority to reorganize operational structures during periods of transition or crisis."
A clause Norman had inserted years ago to protect his power, now working in Harry's favor.
"This is highly irregular," protested Mendel, another Balkan ally.
"No more irregular than three board members secretly accepting consulting fees from a direct competitor while serving on our board," Harry replied casually. "Which would be a clear violation of their fiduciary duty."
The room temperature seemed to drop ten degrees.
"That's a serious accusation," Balkan said stiffly.
"It is." Harry slid folders to the three men in question. "Inside you'll find copies of bank transfers, meeting records, and email exchanges that substantiate these violations. You'll also find resignation letters, already drafted for your convenience."
He turned to the rest of the board. "I've prepared similar packages for anyone else whose loyalty to Oscorp comes into question. I suggest you consider carefully where your interests truly lie."
A stunned silence fell over the room. Harry's heart hammered in his chest, but he maintained a calm exterior. This was a massive gamble. If they called his bluff or challenged the evidence Felicia had compiled, he could lose everything before he'd even started.
After what felt like eternity, Worthington, the eldest board member and a contemporary of Norman's, cleared his throat.
"I believe Mr. Osborn has made his position clear. Perhaps we should table the leadership discussion and focus on the restructuring proposal."
One by one, the board members nodded agreement, unwilling to risk exposure. The three implicated members quietly took their resignation letters and left the room.
For the next two hours, Harry led a discussion of company priorities, listening more than speaking, asking pointed questions that revealed his growing grasp of Oscorp's operations. By meeting's end, he'd secured tentative support for his leadership, at least for the immediate future.
As the board filed out, Balkan lingered.
"Impressive performance," he said, voice low. "You're more like Norman than I realized."
"Thank you," Harry replied, though it wasn't really a compliment.
"This isn't over, you know. You've won the first round, nothing more."
Harry smiled. "I look forward to the game, Jameson. My father taught me to play for keeps."
After everyone left, Harry collapsed into a chair, adrenaline crash hitting him hard. He'd pulled it off, somehow. Channeled Norman's ruthlessness and corporate cunning, combined with his own knowledge and Felicia's intelligence gathering.
He didn't feel triumphant, though. He felt exhausted and slightly sick. The man he'd been before would never have threatened people with exposure or manipulated a boardroom. But that man didn't exist here, and Harry Osborn needed to survive.
Felicia entered with a cup of coffee, placing it before him without a word.
"How did I do?" he asked, suddenly needing reassurance.
"Like you've been doing it all your life," she replied. "Though you might want to ease up on the ice-cold businessman act. It's effective but unsustainable."
Harry laughed, the tension breaking. "Noted. What's next on today's crisis agenda?"
"R&D needs approvals for fourth-quarter budgets, HR has exec compensation packages for review, and legal wants to discuss patent applications." Felicia checked her tablet. "Also, Peter Parker called. He's worried about you."
Peter. Right. His supposed best friend who he'd been avoiding since the funeral.
"Tell R&D and HR I'll review their materials tonight. Schedule legal for tomorrow." He stood, straightening his tie. "And call Peter back. Tell him I'm free for dinner."
As Felicia left, Harry stared out the window at the Manhattan skyline. Somewhere out there, Peter was swinging between buildings as Spider-Man. Somewhere, other heroes and villains were beginning their journeys. And here he was, playing corporate chess in Norman Osborn's office, pretending to be someone he wasn't.
Fake it till you make it, indeed. But what exactly was he trying to make? CEO of Oscorp? The next Green Goblin? Or something entirely new?
For now, he'd settle for surviving each day without anyone discovering he was an impostor. The rest he'd figure out as he went along.