GOTHAM: BEYOND EVIL || Damienette

38 - Jacqueline Walker

"Mr. Queen? A-are you crying?"

I frowned. Okay, what the hell is going on? Oliver Queen knew my mother, amazing. So why does it feel so sad? And why is everyone looking at me in pity? Oliver hurriedly wiped away his tears.

"Marinette, were you born in Gotham?" asked Oliver, calming down. "Yes. My mom told me she moved here right before she was pregnant." I say. Okay, maybe there is nothing wrong. Maybe they just want to know more about me since they can't find anything in my database.

The room seemed to get even colder.

"Marinette, if you could meet your father, would you forgive him?" asked Felicity, her voice barely above a whisper. She and Oliver shared a glance.

"Well, I wish I could hate him for everything." I start, making Oliver look at me sadly. "But, I can't blame him. After all, he just might be the reason I learned to take care of myself." I say, smiling softly.

"But why are you asking me all this?" I ask, confused.

"Before I answer, let me ask you one last question." says Oliver. "Do you know where your mom used to live before she came to Gotham?" he asked.

"She used to live in Star City, why-"

No way.

My mom used to live in Star City. Oliver Queen lives in Star City. My mom shifted here 20 years ago, at the same time a huge scandal broke out about Oliver Queen and a woman who had brought down a huge collaboration.

The scandal was so huge, that even I heard about it back in Paris, even though it had happened years before I was born. I pull out my phone in a hurry, searching up the same article.

'...the woman, a doctor who had worked with Mr. Queen on a case previously, is said to have seduced him and gotten access to the information on the Queen-Wayne collaboration, which she had intentionally leaked.

Protests rose from the citizen's side as they relived the happenings of the last Queen-Wayne collaboration- joint attacks from Joker and Deathstroke, joined by the Dark Archer.

"A collaboration between two industry giants will only lead to criminal catastrophes." Jones Armworld says, reviewing the case....'

'...while the woman seems to have fled from the media and the police. Sources [Namely: Oliver Queen] say that the woman had reportedly disappeared a few hours before the news hit the media, only confirming the case that it was all planned by...'

This is impossible.

This can't be happening.

"M-mr. Queen. Are you my father?"

The room goes completely silent. Oliver just smiles painfully, while Thea and Felicity look shocked at the verbal confirmation. It took me a while to process this. Alya and the others were completely shaken.

"Where were you all these years?" I whispered, my voice barely steady.

"I'm sorry Marinette." he replies, making me angry. "So, where were you?" I hissed, trying to keep calm. "Mari-" he starts as I stare him down. Oliver sighs, continuing.

"That collaboration never ended up happening." Oliver said, exchanging glances with Bruce. "It wasn't your mom that leaked the information; I knew that much. She hadn't ever come to my office, saying that it would gain attention."

"But after the article broke out, with photo shopped photos and fake evidence, she couldn't deny anything. So Jacqueline and I decided to part ways. After that, I never saw her again. The only thing I knew was that she had moved to Gotham."