Rhea had never been jealous of anyone except Anastasia. This feeling, however, was a childhood yearning for attention, stemming from a perceived favoritism towards Anastasia by her parents. This fostered a sense of dissatisfaction and unfairness. Yet, she was no longer that little girl; she was an independent, confident woman.
Rhea considered herself strong, capable, even a prodigy. She anticipated significant career achievements and envisioned impressing the world with her knowledge. This experiment's repeated failure, therefore, was deeply frustrating. Since the organization insisted on including Lily, Rhea had subconsciously hoped for Lily's failure. Everyone encountered obstacles; Lily, she reasoned, should be no exception. Reality, however, delivered a harsh blow, shattering her self-perception of exceptionalism.
Another setback. The truth was undeniable: Lily had succeeded.
Rhea observed Lily's neutral, almost unhappy expression as she calmly approached, hand on her hip, glancing at the computer. "Oh, I guess it is," Lily said.
"What do you mean, 'you guess it is'?!" Rhea exploded. "Lily Christian, drop the act! It's a fluke! Why are you so proud?"
Rhea's anger stemmed from her own imagined triumph. Had she succeeded, she would have proclaimed it to the world, emphasizing her achievement. Lily's calm demeanor, however, fueled Rhea's resentment. Why is she so pretentious? To Rhea, Lily's success seemed effortless, a stark contrast to the arduous efforts of others.
Initially thrilled by the experiment's success, Rhea sneered at Lily's attitude. "You don't have to be so proud. No one has succeeded before. Even if the data shows success, who guarantees stability? You can't consider this truly successful yet." Rhea's anger masked the monumental achievement; the potential for instability remained unknown, but for now, it was a success.
Lily, however, simply nodded. "You're right."
Rhea, suspecting feigned calm, pressed on. "I'm saying it's not a success until it's seen through to the end!"
Lily, calm and thoughtful, turned to Rhea. "I said you're right."
Her agreement ignited further fury in Rhea.