Chapter 7 Secret Covenant

In the secret room, at that moment, Moira and Malcolm had a conversation that wasn't intense, but it was never clear.

"Malcolm, do you really want Thea to be a part of the company's operations? You're crazy. She's still a child. She should finish high school! She deserves a happy life, not one filled with corporate intrigues!" Moira protested in a low voice.

"Listen to me. Don't you object to Queen Enterprises having Thea as its sole heir? Do you think your indulgence is helping? Look at the Oliver you raised! No sense of responsibility—that's where you failed the most!" Malcolm accused her harshly.

At hearing these words, Moira smiled. "The Tommy you mentioned isn't much better!"

This comment made Malcolm a little embarrassed. It wasn't a simple comparison; you should know that Oliver and Tommy were the playboys among playboys. They were at the top of the troublemaker list every year. After being expelled from four schools, Tommy attended three, and the two never set foot in a school again after that! The life of parties, women, and fierce competition in every aspect was their way of life. For years, they were each other's victories and defeats.

Moira reflected on her own parenting style and decided to set aside the question of who raised them worse.

"Well, putting that aside, you're going to need Thea to take over sooner or later. Are you opposed to that?"

"Of course not! I love Thea, she's my daughter!"

Malcolm said firmly, "She's my daughter too."

After these words, the two became a little irritated and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, just in time to see Tommy and Laurel talking in the hallway.

"You didn't tell Tommy about this? Why are they still mingling?" Moira asked, watching the intimate conversation between the three, looking stunned.

Malcolm thought to himself, "I haven't seen my son since the funeral. What should I say? Send him a message? 'Every protagonist has a younger sister. To keep you from losing at the starting line, I have a more talented sister!' If you want to know more, you can come back for an interview?"

His relationship with his son had changed from intense attachment to its current neutrality. Now, his son only expected an ATM from him.

"I didn't get a chance to explain... I'm going to..."

He was interrupted by Moira before he could finish speaking. "You're crazy! You don't know what will happen if they keep developing like this!"

Malcolm was anxious. How could he not know? You're just Thea's mother and you have no real connection to Tommy. You only have a quarter of the say here. These two are children and own half of your shares. What if Thea does something out of revenge or destroys everything? How old are they, anyway? With Malcolm's current mindset, his thoughts were racing, and all sorts of scenarios were making the big boss yearn for a good night's sleep. He could only order three subordinates to watch over them 24 hours a day, but that wouldn't be a long-term solution.

"Tommy won't talk to me anymore, and I have no chance to explain anything. Should I wear black clothes with a bow and arrow to tie my son up and make him listen to my stories from long ago?"

The complexity of relationships made Malcolm depressed, but he continued to explain his intentions. "My upbringing was a failure, but we're both still alive. A young man's mistakes can be corrected. I intend to send Tommy to Merlyn soon. When the group starts working, you'll also allow Thea to join Queen Consolidated. Let's see what the two young people can accomplish. If Thea does well, you can let her inherit the Merlyn Group."

Moira was surprised, and her eyes lit up. It was true, women were motivated by small favors. The idea that her daughter might inherit the Merlyn Group made her quickly abandon the thought of a happy high school life.

Although Tommy had watched himself grow up, Moira decided to focus on her daughter's future.

After thinking it over, she said cheerfully, "Okay, fine, I promise. I'll talk to Thea."

Malcolm added, "We can't help it, it depends on their abilities."

Moira nodded approvingly. In fact, they were both a little guilty because they didn't see any great talents in their children. Thea had been a good girl until then, living a simple routine of school and home, with no special characteristics. Tommy spent money like a master, but his ability to generate money was just laughable.

At the same time, Malcolm was also frustrated because his son no longer communicated with him. To avoid serious incidents, blocking his daughter's side was also an option. There were still many billion-dollar matters at Queen Consolidated, and he could only control the day. As for the night? Maybe he should find something for her!

. . . .

"What? Mom, you want me to work at Queen Consolidated tomorrow? I'm only 15!" Thea was shocked. Although she wanted to inherit Queen Consolidated, she never imagined she would start working there so soon! "Your country has child labor laws! And I don't know anything about it—what can I do after finishing my first year of high school? Do I have to blindly follow Tony Stark now?"

When Moira got home, she felt that the idea wasn't very good, but she still agreed. She believed her daughter had a much better chance of success compared to Tommy. It was like comparing an athlete trained with the best materials to one who had to run barefoot. Thea was ready, while Tommy still had many obstacles to overcome. Of course, Moira couldn't say this directly to her daughter. She thought for a moment 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 run away from it. This is your destiny."

"In American TV dramas, when someone says 'this is your destiny,' it is usually followed by big, heavy words. It's like a chain that cannot be broken. When this phrase is said, it means you cannot refuse. Thea hesitated and asked, 'What should I do in the company?' The implication was that she couldn't handle all of this at once, but as a mother, why would Moira give her such a huge responsibility, right?"

In fact, Moira was also wondering what her daughter could do. For someone so young, without a diploma and not yet finished high school, how could she contribute to the company? Although Queen Consolidated was a family business, it still had shares held by third parties. The company had a supermajority on its side, but putting a high school student in a leadership position was clearly providing ammunition for the competing media. Negative news stories were coming out every day, although they had lessened in the last two days. Had the media noticed? Queen Consolidated had become a well-known name in the US.

These concerns couldn't be shared with her daughter. If Moira were to tell the truth, based on what she knew about Thea, she would probably give up altogether.

Moira said seriously, "You will understand when the time comes. I will ask the secretary to show you the company information. You need to understand the company. Tomorrow, I will take you to a meeting with the executives."