"You've worked hard," Mike nodded, acknowledging her for the first time. He despised Rhea; she was vicious, scheming, and utterly without boundaries. Her heart was as black as coal. Yet, he conceded, she had worked incredibly hard.

He'd witnessed her dedication firsthand. Regardless of his own hours, she was always in the lab, experimenting day and night. She was constantly reading or researching. He'd never encountered a woman so driven.

"Then why is God so unfair?!" she exclaimed, slamming her hands on the table. "I worked so hard but failed, while Lily casually…"

"Hard work is nothing in the face of a prodigy," Mike said.

"Huh?!" Rhea looked up, startled.

Mike sighed. "You're hardworking and talented, but a gap exists between gifted individuals. Effort can lessen it, but sheer talent often outweighs hard work."

He'd learned this the hard way. He'd toiled relentlessly in business, enduring hardship better than most, believing his talent fueled his growth. Yet, he'd repeatedly hit insurmountable bottlenecks, nearly regressing to his starting point. Then he met Alexander. A few words from Alexander resolved his confusion, propelling him forward. He soon realized Alexander's intellect far surpassed his own. Alexander's vision was innate, not something Mike could acquire through effort. Alexander's success was on a scale Mike could never reach.

Rhea, he saw, was in his former position. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't match Lily.

"Talent…" Unlike before, Rhea didn't rage. She stared blankly at her hands, self-doubt flickering for the first time. She'd always considered herself gifted, yet this experiment had exposed her limitations. She was smarter than average, perhaps, but compared to a prodigy, she was vastly outmatched.

"Come on. Let's go find the boss," Mike said.

Rhea remained slumped on the table. Mike started to leave, then heard a cold sneer.

"Why are we looking for the boss? How long will you keep up this act? You should know where he is!"

"Huh?"

"You kidnapped the boss."

"You should watch your—"

Rhea, still facing the desk, turned her head. A darkened smile played on her lips as she interrupted. "Drop the act! The boss is physically disabled; he can't leave. Plus, we're always here. How could an outsider break in unnoticed? We checked the surveillance; no one else was around except you."