[ Charity Hall, Star City ]
At this time, in the secret room, Moira and Malcolm were having a conversation which was not intense but by no means dull.
"Malcolm, you actually want Thea to participate in the operation of the company? You're getting more and more crazy. She's still a child—she should be finishing high school! She deserves a happy life, not one where she's thrown into a boardroom to spar with corporate sharks!" Moira Queen protested in a low, tense voice.
"Listen to me, okay? You don't object to the fact that Thea is the only heir to Queen Consolidated, right? Do you think your indulgence is helping her? Look at the Oliver you raised! A playboy, dissolute, and completely lacking in responsibility. That was your greatest failure!" Malcolm shot back, his tone biting.
Moira arched a mocking brow. "And the Tommy you raised isn't exactly a paragon of virtue either."
Malcolm—looked momentarily embarrassed. This was a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. Oliver and Tommy had practically written the playbook on reckless hedonism. Expelled from multiple schools—Oliver from four, Tommy from three—they never went back to finish. The two competed fiercely in everything from parties and women to skating, racking up wins and losses with no clear victor.
After reflecting briefly on his own questionable parenting methods, Malcolm sighed and waved it off.
"Okay, let's put this argument aside for now. Thea will eventually have to take over everything—you don't disagree with that, do you?"
"Of course not. I love Thea—she's my daughter," Moira replied sincerely.
Malcolm's tone softened, but there was a deep solemnity to his words. "She's my daughter too."
That statement hung heavily between them. They turned toward the floor-to-ceiling window and looked down into the grand hall, where Tommy, Thea, Laurel, and the others chatted amiably.
"You didn't tell Tommy the truth, did you? Why are they still spending time together like that?" Moira's voice was uneasy, tinged with maternal worry.
Malcolm winced. He hadn't seen Tommy since the funeral. How was he supposed to break the news? Text him? "Hey son, plot twist—you have a sister now, and you've been in an unwitting romantic subplot. Come back for the full backstory."
He wasn't sure when his son's admiration had faded into the current chilly neutrality between them. These days, Tommy only seemed to need him as a bank account.
"I haven't had the chance yet. I was going to—"
Moira cut him off, eyes wide with alarm. "You're insane! Don't you realize what could happen if they keep getting closer?"
Of course Malcolm knew. He was in full-blown panic mode. Moira might be Thea's mother, but she wasn't connected to Tommy—she had only a fraction of the say here. These two were both his children. He owned half the stake in this twisted family saga. What if Thea, hurt or vengeful, chose chaos over reason? Everyone makes mistakes at that age.
With his current nerves and paranoia, Malcolm was teetering on the edge himself. His overactive imagination was fueled by sleepless nights. He'd even started assigning bodyguards to monitor Thea 24/7. But that wasn't sustainable.
Tommy wasn't speaking to him. That made it impossible to explain things. And what was he supposed to do—dawn his black gear, grab his bow, and kidnap his own son for a sit-down?
The convoluted situation made Malcolm visibly weary, but he pressed on. "My parenting was a disaster, but we're both still alive. Young people's mistakes can still be corrected. I'm going to let Tommy work at Merlyn Global, and you'll place Thea in Queen Consolidated. Let's see what they're made of. If Thea proves herself, you could even let her inherit Merlyn Global."
Moira's eyes gleamed. She wasn't immune to the allure of opportunity. The moment she heard Thea might inherit another company, all thoughts of high school prom and carefree teenage years went out the window.
Though she had helped raise Tommy, her allegiance was firmly with Thea. After a moment's thought, she nodded. "Fine. I'll talk to Thea."
"No support from us. They have to figure it out on their own," Malcolm warned.
Moira nodded again, though unease rippled through her. Neither child had shown much promise so far. Thea was obedient and quiet, living a routine life between home and school. Tommy, meanwhile, had mastered the art of spending but lacked any skill in earning.
Malcolm also couldn't help but worry about his son's business skills—or lack thereof. Maybe keeping Thea busy wasn't such a bad idea after all. Queen Consolidated might not be enough to occupy her fully. Maybe he'd have to find her something for the evenings, too.
...
[ Queen Mansion, Star City ]
"What? Mom, you want me to start working at Queen Consolidated tomorrow? I'm only fifteen!" Thea Queen exclaimed, wide-eyed.
She had daydreamed about inheriting the company, sure—but not this soon. Aren't there child labor laws? I don't know anything! I'm a freshman! Even if Tony Stark showed up at Stark Industries at her age, he'd also be stumped.
Moira had her doubts, too. She knew it was premature—but she'd already agreed. Compared to Tommy, her daughter had a better shot at inheriting both companies. And, of course, she couldn't tell Thea about the secret competition she and Malcolm were cooking up.
Choosing her words carefully, she said, "Thea, you've grown up. One day, this company will be yours—entirely. Whether it's for your father, or your brother, or yourself, you have to embrace this responsibility. Don't run from it. This is your destiny."
In American dramas, whenever someone said "this is your destiny," you just knew a long, dramatic arc was incoming. Like a prophecy in a Japanese manga—once spoken, you couldn't run from it.
Thea hesitated. "But… what exactly am I supposed to do at the company?" Her tone carried that teenage blend of suspicion and hope. Her look basically says. Fine, I'll do it, but please don't make me fetch coffee.
Moira was wondering the same thing. What role could she give her daughter at this age without creating a PR nightmare? The Queen family already dominated headlines. The media frenzy following Robert and Oliver's deaths had barely quieted. Putting a teenage girl in a leadership role? That'd be handing rival outlets front-page gold.
But she couldn't admit any of that. Thea might seize the excuse and walk away for good.
Instead, Moira gave her best poker face. "You'll know your role soon enough. I'll have my secretary bring you a briefing packet. Start learning about the company's structure. Tomorrow, I'll introduce you to the senior executives."
To Be Continued...
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[POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS]