Chapter 6: Dinner

I didn't realize I was being watched by another beloved villain boss. The era was known for dealing with her inner traumas. She spent three uneventful days at home, seemingly cheerful on the surface.

She got the context of the world from the computer in her room. In the United States, there was no Iron Man or S.H.I.E.L.D., only Superman, while Batman had the Sky Eye Club. This realization gave Thea a headache. This was, of course, a DC universe. She wasn't very familiar with the situation here—she only knew that there were countless parallel dimensions. The confusing structure of Earth-1, Earth-2, and Earth-52 made no sense to her. Central City, next to Star City, was practically flooded with speedsters. You could throw a brick and hit three visitors from parallel universes. The DC writers really had their work cut out for them.

Sighing, she had no intention of saving the world. She would just be a pretty, quiet woman. She would simply watch the heroes save the world from the outside. If the sky fell, Superman would still be standing, right? If even Superman couldn't handle it, then the Flash would simply reset the timeline again. Either way, it wasn't up to her to stop the world from destroying itself. She remained calm, accepting this reality.

— "Thea, come have dinner with me," Moira said with a sad expression.

Seeing the gentle look in her mother's eyes, Thea felt a pang of sadness. For the past three days, Moira had been trying constantly to explain herself, hoping for forgiveness. After some effort, their relationship had begun to mend—or so Moira believed.

After being stuck at home for three days, Thea was restless. This was the perfect opportunity to get out and see the so-called benefits of having Malcolm as a father. In the original story, Malcolm was consumed with grief after Tommy's death. But in this world, Tommy was alive and well. Laurel was still struggling with her weight loss efforts, but at least she was still around. Malcolm wouldn't put his heart and soul into taking care of her, but maybe he would at least show some concern.

To reassure Moira, Thea decided to abandon her usual neutral clothing. She opted for a long dress that reached her feet. High heels were out of the question—after trying them on, she could barely walk. In the end, she bought flats. Fortunately, her long legs would ensure she looked slim and elegant no matter what shape she wore.

Mother and daughter attended a local charity gala, a fairly common event. Moira introduced Thea to various wealthy executives on a regular basis. Thea was unsure of what direction she wanted her future to take, but having money was always better than not having it. Even when Oliver returned, he probably wouldn't care about the family business. In his heart, he probably saw his family as part of the evil he had to fight. Taking over Queen Consolidated was a major undertaking, considering that the company's weapons R&D department was almost on par with Wayne Enterprises. After all, the Atom suit was developed after Queen Consolidated's weapons division was acquired.

Whether out of ambition or necessity, power is power. She had already lost everything from her previous life—didn't she deserve at least some compensation in the form of a multi-billion dollar company? Would the universe object to that?

After Moira's introductions, Thea greeted each person attentively, displaying good manners and poise. In the future, she might even become Oliver's assistant when he runs for mayor. Her skills were strong enough to handle that.

As she looked out over the crowd, she couldn't help but wonder about the people involved in Oliver's book. That infamous notebook was fascinating. Technically, it belonged to Robert Queen, Oliver and Thea's adoptive father. It was supposed to be unique, but strangely, Moira had a similar list as well. In Season 5, Prometheus seemed to have one as well.

Even more bizarrely, the size, specifications, and cover design of each book were identical, all featuring the Star City subway map. Had Malcolm ordered a batch from Red Star Printing and distributed them as corporate planners?

As she pondered these details, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

—"Thea, you haven't been out in two days. I heard you were sick?"

Only one person could possibly fulfill such an inappropriate form: Tommy. He wasn't exactly a stranger, but more of an older brother. He didn't care much for the formalities of the party, casually dressed in an unbuttoned white shirt and no tie. Laurel, however, was in full evening attire, clutching a purse and wearing a necklace on her arm.

Watching the two interact so intimately, Thea had a realization. If Tommy had no interest in her, at least their friendship remained intact. But did that mean Malcolm hadn't told her the truth? Or was Tommy avoiding the house, choosing to stick close to Laurel instead?

Thea wanted to grab him by the collar and scream, "Big brother, you're overthinking it! I was just acting, don't you get it?!"

But of course, she couldn't say that. What kind of expression should she make now? Since she knew the truth, should she act remorseful? Show sympathy for the affection Tommy was offering? Sadness? Frustration?

Her mind raced. Tommy, meanwhile, watched her nervously, worried that she might have an emotional breakdown.

Fortunately, someone sensible was nearby. Laurel had grown up with Tommy and Oliver, and their relationships had always been complicated. They had wavered between different affections, but Thea was the only consistent younger sister. No matter who Laurel chose, she would always be family. It was an odd dynamic.

Sensing the awkwardness, Laurel pulled Thea into a warm hug, helping to break the tension. The two exchanged casual, meaningless conversation, bringing some semblance of normalcy back into the moment.

As for Oliver's supposed true love, the future Black Canary and Arrow's designated lead, Thea had her doubts. Oliver claimed to love Laurel so much that he carried around a single photo of her for five years. But during those five years, he slept with nearly every woman he met. Was that really the way to express true love?

And Laurel? It had taken Tommy five years to win her over, but as soon as Oliver returned, she wavered. One moment, she was with Tommy; the next, she was in bed with Oliver. The irony of it all was that Tommy, left outside the window, could only watch in heartbreak as their friendship burned with jealousy and foundered.

Oliver's infamous charm had once again upset the balance of the universe. Thea decided not to get involved. If she had the chance to save Tommy at a crucial moment, she would. But otherwise, she was perfectly content to let their confusing love triangle play out. Arrow needed to last at least eighteen seasons, after all!

Wouldn't it be even more fun if Laurel's sister joined the mix? A four-way love war? Maybe then Oliver would be so overwhelmed that he would give up and settle down with Tommy!

How outrageous!

With these ridiculous thoughts in mind, Thea smiled politely, greeted Tommy and Laurel, then graciously excused herself for a break.