The Queen They Buried

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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The pain of her body giving out still haunted her when a sharp, familiar voice sliced through the fog. “Aubree, you’re a total letdown!”

Aubree Miller’s vision cleared, and there was Emery, her fourth brother, shooting her a look that could kill.

Her heart skipped. ‘Am I… back? Five years ago, the day Carmen got named heir? The day my whole world crashed?’

That day, Carmen played them all. She set Aubree up, making everyone think she was so jealous of Carmen’s inheritance. that she’d pushed her down the stairs to get rid of her.

Right on cue, her second brother, Daxton, swooped in like a hero, saving Carmen from anything worse than a fright.

Emery showed up next, not even listening to her side, demanding she own up.

Aubree swore she was innocent-she even made a desperate vow-but they thought she was just dodging blame.

In the end, they made her apologize in front of everyone and beg Carmen’s forgiveness. To “fix” Carmen’s scare, her parents gave Aubree’s share of the family money to her.

In one day, Aubree became Rithol City’s biggest joke.

And that was only the beginning.

Carmen, with her sugary smile, would say, “I wish I was as pretty as Aubree.” Next thing they knew, Aubree’s face was scarred from a random “allergy.”

She couldn’t look better than Carmen-it’d make her feel bad-so Aubree had to be ruined.

Aubree’s art was her everything, but Carmen wanted to “be that good too.” So, every painting Aubree poured her soul into got Carmen’s name on it.

Aubree? Branded a faker and kicked out of school, her teachers’ disappointed glares cutting deep.

It didn’t stop there. Carmen’s weak heart meant she couldn’t move much, so to keep things “fair,” Aubree was starved, forced to waste away beside her.

Weak, hungry, and crushed, she still got disowned and thrown out like garbage.

a bridge, her

Carmen like she was fragile, his face all

brothers who’d found her, promising to make up for lost years, swearing

grabbed her wrist, yanking her toward

“Say sorry!” he barked.

sting in her wrist snapped her

Emery, the brother just two years older, the one who used to

were

said, flashing a sweet smile like she was brushing it off. “I mean, I’m a Wilson

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Chapter 1

kind, but they left plenty

He jabbed a finger in Aubree’s face. “If I’d known you’d turn out this

cold. “That is it,

Carmen, they’d rather

she wished the Wilsons had never found her

yanking her hand free as pain shot through her wrist. Her voice came out rough. “Y’all

all

didn’t need to say more-her silence hit harder

He’d hoped she’d own her

what’s happened to you?” he

like a ray of sunshine trying

“You want it straight? You’re pissed Carmen’s getting a cut of the family money. You think she’s stealing your share, so you shoved

Mom and Dad from losing it. And when you showed up? She tiptoed around

smirk. ‘Huh, news to me

“My bad,” she muttered.

what they thought-she was done expecting her family to care. No more falling for that

looking pained. “Aubree,

Her real screw-up was

smug glint-she wanted all the family’s love

off, all innocent. “Aubree, relax. You

Carmen close, his heart melting. ‘That’s so you, Carmen-always keeping it classy, even when you’re

feel bad,” he whispered to her. “You deserve this.” He shot Aubree a cold look. “At least you’ve got

off, Carmen in his arms, throwing Aubree a final disgusted