Secret Agreement

In the secluded room, Moira and Malcolm were engaged in a conversation that, while not heated, was certainly not mundane.

"Malcolm, you actually want Thea to be involved in running the company? You're becoming more and more insane. She's still a child. She should continue her high school studies! She should have a fulfilling life, not get involved in the cutthroat world of business!" Moira protested in a low voice.

"Listen to me, okay? Currently, Thea is the sole heir of Queen Industries. You don't oppose this, right? Do you think your indulgence is helping her? Look at the way you raised Oliver! Promiscuous, irresponsible—that's your biggest failure!" Malcolm accused sternly.

At his words, Moira gave a mocking smile. "Your education didn't do wonders for Tommy either!"

This remark left Malcolm feeling a bit embarrassed. This wasn't just a case of the pot calling the kettle black. Both Oliver and Tommy were playboys among playboys, holding the top spots on the list of debauchery for years. Oliver had been expelled from four colleges, and Tommy from three. Since then, neither of them have returned to college. They competed fiercely in parties, women, and even skating, with no clear winner emerging over the years.

Upon reflecting on their parenting methods, they decided to put aside the question of who was the worse educator.

"Alright, let's set that aside for now. You'll eventually need Thea to take over everything. You don't oppose this, do you?"

"Of course not! I love Thea, she's my child!" Moira exclaimed.

"She's my child too," Malcolm said solemnly.

After saying this, both of them felt a bit somber. They walked to the French windows and happened to see Tommy, Thea, and Laurel talking in the hall.

"You didn't tell Tommy about that matter? Why are they still hanging out together?" Moira asked, glaring at the three of them.

Malcolm felt a bit awkward. Since the funeral, he hadn't seen his son. What could he say? Send him a text message? "Hey, your old man has arranged a talented sister for you because you're a loser?" He couldn't figure out how to broach the subject. Their father-son relationship had deteriorated from admiration to neutrality. Tommy only demanded one thing from him—to be a good ATM.

"I haven't had a chance to tell him. I'm planning..."

He didn't finish his sentence before Moira interrupted, "You're crazy! What do you think will happen if they continue like this?"

Malcolm was anxious. How could he not know? You're just Thea's mother, you have no connection to Tommy. You only have a quarter of the say here. But they're both my children, and I have half the say. What if Thea does something out of revenge or a desire to destroy everything? Everyone has come from a certain age, and given Malcolm's current state of madness, he could imagine himself doing even more extreme things if he were in her shoes. These wild thoughts kept the big boss awake at night! He could only instruct his subordinates to work in shifts, monitoring round the clock. But this wasn't a long-term solution!

Moreover, Tommy wasn't even talking to him now. He had no chance to explain everything. He couldn't just wear black clothes, carry a bow and arrow, and tie his son up to tell him stories from long ago, could he?

The complex interpersonal relationships made Malcolm feel a bit down, but he continued to explain his intentions. "My education has been a failure, but both of us are still alive. Young people's mistakes can still be corrected. I plan to have Tommy start working at Merlyn Global, and you can have Thea enter Queen Consolidated. Let's see what these two young people can achieve. If Thea performs well, she can also inherit Merlyn Global."

Hmm? Moira's eyes lit up at this. Women always had a bit of a bargain-hunting mentality. Hearing that her daughter had a chance to inherit Merlyn Global, she immediately abandoned the idea of Thea's happy high school life and fulfilling future. Although Tommy was also someone she had watched grow up, Moira decided to make this happen for her daughter's future.

After some consideration, Moira said decisively, "Alright, I promise you. I'll go back and talk to Thea."

Malcolm reiterated, "We can't provide assistance. Let's see what they're capable of on their own."

Moira nodded in agreement, but inwardly, they both felt a bit uneasy. Neither of these children had shown any remarkable talents. Thea had always been a well-behaved girl, leading a mundane life between home and school with nothing notable. As for Tommy, he was adept at spending money, but his ability to earn it was laughable.

At the same time, Malcolm felt that his son was currently unable to communicate normally. To prevent any major incidents, blocking off one end with his daughter was also a solution. However, the affairs of Queen Consolidated were still too few, and he could only control the daytime activities. What about at night? Perhaps he should find something for her to do!

(Scene Break)

"What? Mom, you want me to start working at Queen Industries tomorrow? But I'm only 15 years old!" Thea exclaimed. Although she had aspirations to inherit Queen Industries, she didn't expect to take on the role so soon! Is there child labor law in this country? Besides, she doesn't know anything. What can she do as a freshman in high school? Even if Tony Stark came over, he'd be stumped.

Returning home, Moira also felt that this idea wasn't too good. However, she had already agreed, and compared to Tommy, she felt her daughter had a better chance of success. Of course, she couldn't tell her daughter about this bet. She carefully considered her words and said, "Thea, you've grown up. This company will be yours in the future, and it can only be yours. Whether it's for your father or your brother in heaven, you must take on this responsibility as soon as possible. Don't evade it. This is your destiny."

In American TV shows, whenever someone mentioned "destiny," it was always followed by a long list of speeches, much like the idea of fate in Japanese anime. This word implied that one couldn't refuse. Thea hesitated and asked, "What am I supposed to do at the company?" Implicitly, she meant she was still young and couldn't handle everything at once, but as her mother, Moira should give her a good job.

Actually, Moira was also thinking about it. Being so young and not even graduating high school, what could she do? Although Queen Industries was a family business, there were outside shareholders. However, the family held the majority of shares. Placing a high school student in a leadership position was clearly handing ammunition to competitors and the media. With her husband and son having just died, the news had been rolling for days before finally calming down a bit. If she made headlines again, the Queen family would be famous throughout the United States.

These concerns couldn't be shared with her daughter. If she told her the truth, based on her understanding of Thea's past behavior, she would definitely refuse outright. Moira could only use a delaying tactic and come up with an excuse later.

Moira replied sternly, "You'll find out about your arrangement soon. Later, I'll have my secretary show you some information about the company. You should have a rough understanding of the company. Tomorrow, I'll take you to meet a few executives."