Chapter 3: Revealing the truth

Tommy has been living a pretty hectic life lately. During the day, he accompanies Thea on her runs around the city, and at night, he dedicates himself to intense workouts with Laurel. Bars and clubs simply can't keep up with his pace.

Laurel may have gotten involved with her brother while Oliver was dating her, and perhaps, out of revenge, she quickly got close to Tommy without thinking much about the consequences.

Among outsiders, there isn't such a rule about friends not cheating on their wives. Just look at Walter, the loyal older brother and radical companion of the Arrow in the original story. Sister-in-law? She almost made her own nephew call her "mom"! The Green Arrow of that time didn't even realize anything was wrong and still cheered for his comrade. So, although Tommy mourned the death of his friend, he didn't feel much guilt about getting involved with his widow. Besides, Laurel had an inexhaustible energy, almost like a wild bird of black, which left him exhausted. After a few intense days, Tommy even lost weight.

Thea probably understood what was going on, but she was deeply unconcerned about the idea of someone clinging to their deceased friend's wife while crying in front of his picture. So, seeing that Tommy was wearing himself out, she dragged him to every corner of Starling City, making sure Malcolm was aware—after all, eyes and ears were everywhere.

Today, Thea had changed her usual business attire for a sleeveless vest. The heat was getting more intense, and showing her arms was perfectly acceptable.

She looked down at her chest and sighed in relief. They were still relatively discreet, and even if they grew a little more in the future, it shouldn't cause any major problems. At least they wouldn't prevent her from training martial arts in comfort. It would be a different matter if they were huge; in that case, she might have to reconsider her plans.

Thump, thump, thump!

Someone knocked on the door. Without thinking, Thea opened it, but to her surprise, she found a middle-aged man standing at the entrance.

— "Thea, it seems you're recovering well!" — Despite his serious tone, the man smiled.

Finally, the big boss showed up!

Thea had been tired of keeping up with Tommy's pace for the past few days, but there hadn't been any suspicions until now. Sometimes, she even wondered if Malcolm was lurking around her house without her noticing.

She had rehearsed this moment many times. With a calm tone, she greeted him:

— "Uncle Merlyn, good morning."

The greeting was as expected, considering the relationship between the two families. Malcolm didn't say much, just smiled and nodded. Thea then stepped aside, allowing him to enter.

The plan they had been working on for several days was finally going into action today. Pretending to watch TV, Thea glanced at her mother as she came through the door and quickly grabbed a cup of tea. She didn't know the true level of martial skills in this world, nor exactly how advanced Malcolm's training with the Ninja Master was. To avoid drawing attention, she took off her shoes and silently followed her steps.

"Moira, you look stunning," Malcolm said, clearly in a good mood. He hadn't shown any signs of happiness since his wife's death, so such an unprompted compliment was a rare feat.

"Mr. Merlyn, what do you want?" Moira said, keeping her tone firm. Whenever the two of them talked, they usually met at the top of the hill. Open visits like these were unusual.

Malcolm gave a discreet laugh and poured himself a glass of wine.

"You know, Moira, besides my wife, you're one of the few women who still make me feel adequate. I originally planned to marry you, but… Haha, I just discovered something very interesting!"

Moira ignored the mention of marriage and fixed her eyes on him.

"What are you talking about? Our agreement has already been concluded. You can't interfere in my life anymore!"

— "What do you think of Tommy and Thea? Isn't this an interesting coincidence? You have only one daughter, and I have only one son. Nothing is stopping us! The Merlyn Group and Queen Corporation could strengthen their ties even further."

Outside, Thea immediately realized that Malcolm didn't know the truth.

Moira had never told him. As expected, beautiful women knew how to deceive others. This made her mother a true expert in deception. In the end, it was always the men who fell into these traps—not even the most cunning ones escaped.

Malcolm's proposal made Moira shiver. Her tone became even firmer:

— "No. Absolutely not!"

To be honest, this intense reaction took Malcolm by surprise. Since he had become a feared leader, no one had dared to address him in such a tone. Except for the Ninja Master, who almost wet his pants in fear, no one had ever dared to confront him this way. If he had had his bow and arrow in hand, he might have already fired.

Moira realized she had raised her voice but maintained her posture.

"No, I do not agree."

"My offer cannot be refused, Moira Queen," Malcolm said, narrowing his eyes.

Outside the door, Thea smiled and raised her teacup. This is a classic soap opera scene! When the truth was revealed, it would be the perfect moment to drop the cup on the floor! She wondered if foreigners also had this kind of drama in their productions. Too bad the floor was wooden—the sound effect wouldn't be as dramatic—but she hoped Malcolm would hear the impact and feel a chill down his spine.

— "I… I can explain…" — Moira hesitated, watching Malcolm's eyes widen. Nervously, she took a sip of wine, unsure of how to continue.

Malcolm noticed something strange. As someone who had survived the Ninja Master's pit, he had a keen ability to detect subtle signs. Sensing the tension in the air, he took a step back and sat down, waiting for the explanation.

Moira thought for a moment. Only two people knew this secret. After her husband's death, it had become a burden she carried alone. Now, by revealing the truth, that weight would be shared.

Taking a deep breath, she finally said:

— "Thea… is your daughter."

After saying these words, she closed her eyes and sank into the couch, as if she had just freed herself from a crushing burden.

Thea, outside, couldn't see Malcolm's expression. However, she feared that he would be so shocked that he would momentarily lose his hearing. Still, it was too late to turn back now. Following her plan, she dropped the teacup on the floor.

Plop.

Unfortunately, the wooden floor muffled the impact. Damn, that wasn't as dramatic as I hoped!

Malcolm, however, reacted instantly. Even though he was stunned, his reflexes trained by the League of Assassins kicked in. In the blink of an eye, he ran to the door and threw it open, coming face to face with Thea.

The calculating master, always so calm, was momentarily speechless. He blinked a few times, staring at the girl with an expression of pure disbelief.

Thea, in turn, kept her face impassive, but inside… Oh, how she wanted to take a picture of that moment.