[ Conference Room, Queen Consolidated HQ, Star City ]
Entering the conference room, Thea saw more than a dozen people already seated. The central chair remained empty, but at the head of the left row sat Walter Steele, a dignified gentleman she'd briefly met at the funeral. In the future, he would marry Moira and become Thea Queen's stepfather.
Thea didn't know if the concept of a man marrying into a woman's household held the same weight in this world as it did her previous world, but one thing was certain—Walter would soon be living in the Queen Mansion alongside Moira and herself.
It might seem odd to describe a man like him as "gentle as jade," but that was exactly how Walter felt—composed, graceful, and warm. He offered Thea a kind, encouraging smile, as though welcoming a younger family member.
Though this was her family's company, Thea hadn't yet formally inherited anything. She was here to observe and learn—not act like the owner. Responding to Walter's kindness with equal civility, she gave a polite nod. "Mr. Steele, nice to meet you."
"Please, call me Walter. Welcome to the company," he replied, visibly touched by her courteous demeanor. In his experience, Thea had always been distant with everyone except Robert. Interactions like this were usually reserved for private family moments.
Moira Queen, standing nearby, radiated quiet joy. Her daughter was speaking to her boyfriend—no drama, no sulking, no outbursts. After days of walking on eggshells, this simple exchange felt like a small miracle. She had even been avoiding Walter lately, worried Thea might stumble upon something awkward and be sent into an emotional tailspin.
After all, Thea was just fifteen, still reeling from the deaths of her father and brother. Telling her that she might soon have a new stepfather was the kind of bombshell that could shatter any fragile heart. Moira thought grimly that if she were in her daughter's shoes, she'd probably need a bed in Arkham Asylum next door.
Yet here was Thea, poised and composed.
Walter began introducing everyone in the room. Administrative head. Financial advisor. Departmental leads. As the names rolled out, Thea realized that Walter was still the Vice President. She remembered him taking over as President in the original timeline, with Moira managing the finances. Had she remembered wrong, or had her transmigration already started to cause shifts?
Shortly after, Thea received her first official assignment: Assistant to the President—her mother.
In the original timeline, Moira and Walter had quickly advanced from coworkers to marriage, their relationship evolving in record time. Once their union was solidified, the board had approved Walter as President.
Now, with Moira devoting her time to Thea after knowing that Malcolm is her real father, the romantic trajectory had stalled. Moira wasn't going to let her daughter start a new chapter by introducing her daughter to her new boyfriend. Their family tree already looked more like a bramble bush.
To be honest, she had no interest in the president position, but for the sake of her daughter, she had no choice but to do it.
So, with resignation and a strong sense of maternal duty, Moira had taken the helm as President to guide Thea herself.
The meeting that followed was, quite frankly, boring. One department wanted a budget increase. Another needed layoffs. Necessary but mundane matters.
Moira kept glancing at her daughter, half-expecting Thea to yawn or fidget. Instead, she found Thea sitting upright, attentively listening and scribbling notes. A wave of warmth filled her chest. Her daughter had grown up. She looked more and more like her every moment passing.
The meeting dragged on for an hour before Moira wrapped it up with a textbook corporate send-off. "This was a successful and productive session. Let's continue striving to shine for Queen Consolidated."
Just as the team began relaxing, a middle-aged man with a rodent-like face smiled and turned to Thea.
"Miss Queen, this is your first meeting with us. What do you think?"
Ah, here we go, Thea thought. Obvious bait.
This guy was either at odds with her mother or had a bone to pick with the Queen family in general. She was being cornered into a classic trap—speak up and get labeled arrogant, or stay quiet and be seen as weak.
With polite detachment, she replied, "Mr. Andre, I'm new here and still learning about the company. I wouldn't presume to offer advice yet. You must be joking."
The rat-faced man chuckled, masking his persistence. "It's alright, just speak casually. We're all your father's old friends. No one here will laugh."
Yeah right. He'd already framed her response as a joke before she even said a word. Thea's smile remained, but her mind was racing.
She flipped her notes open. Andre. Director of Weapons Development Department. Just the man I've been wanting to scrutinize.
Her father Robert had a blind spot for people. Keeping someone like this around for three years was proof enough. Thea couldn't let the department that might hold her future plans be mismanaged.
"Mr. Andre, I don't have suggestions yet, but I do have a question I'd love your help with."
"Please, go ahead."
"In your report, you recommended increasing funding for weapons R&D. I noticed that for the past three years, your department's budget has grown steadily—by 20% annually. That seems oddly consistent. Any particular reason?"
Andre relaxed slightly. "There's a scientific basis. The 20% is coincidental. I've explained it to the Vice President."
Walter nodded in agreement.
Thea pressed on, calm and unwavering. "You've led the department for three years. But the R&D output tells a different story—nineteen projects in 2004, twelve in 2005, and seventeen in 2006. Does our technical talent fluctuate that much?"
Andre hesitated but replied, "Yes, that's the nature of research—ups and downs."
Thea smiled faintly. "Understandable. But then why does your current funding request include the G-12 anti-gravity suit—a project filed back in 2005—as part of new development needs? Shouldn't this have already been funded and completed?"
Andre's face stiffened.
The room fell silent.
Moira Queen raised an eyebrow. Walter leaned slightly forward.
Thea, calm and steady, stared down a man three times her age with nothing but logic, numbers, and grace.
Let the boardroom games begin.
To Be Continued...
---xxx---
[POWER STONES AND REVIEWS PLS]