"Experiments?" James froze for a moment, then flew into a rage. "You experimented on my mother?!"
"What do you know!"
His sister Victoria abruptly set down her wineglass. Glass struck the tabletop with a piercing sound.
Victoria sprang to her feet, an unnatural flush spreading across her face as she said furiously, "Mother volunteered! So did Father, and me! We all joined willingly!"
James shouted in disbelief, "You say Mother volunteered—then why didn't I know? Why did no one ever tell me?!"
"Ha! Who doesn't crave immortality and eternal youth? Only an idiot like you would turn a blind eye to the truth of this world!"
Victoria's chest heaved rapidly as she looked down at her younger brother with contempt and said:
"James, if you weren't so naive, weak, self-indulgent, and irresponsible... you would have joined our plan long ago!"
"Mother really spoiled you rotten! You hid beneath our wings, enjoying the finest resources, yet you were never willing to shoulder any responsibility!"
"Do you think it's easy to keep this family going, to preserve everything we have now?"
Victoria was so agitated she nearly jabbed a finger into James's nose. With resentment that had built up for years, she snarled:
"Father is nearly eighty and still works until late every night! Jonathan and I work overtime every day, running ourselves ragged dealing with rivals watching us like hawks!"
"And you? You paint whatever you please, drink yourself senseless, indulge yourself, and fool around with women of unknown origins! And you still have the nerve to lecture us!"
She practically screamed as the deepest secret slipped from her lips:
"Because you're so stupid and useless, Father can't afford to grow old and weak! That's why we've always supported the Prometheus Project!"
"Victoria!" her husband Jonathan shouted sharply, trying to stop