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 body shutting down,

moment. She saw Daxton cradling Carmen like she was fragile, his face all worry.

to make up for lost years, swearing she was

done waiting. He grabbed her wrist,

“Say sorry!” he barked.

her wrist snapped her

one who used to get her, who’d look

eyes were just cold and

sweet smile like she was brushing it off. “I mean,

1/3

Chapter 1

Aubree’s mad.” Her words sounded kind, but they left plenty of room

you’d turn out this rotten, I’d have told Mom and Dad to leave

“That is it,

ever crossed Carmen, they’d rather she was

Wilsons had never found her

yanking her hand free as pain shot through her wrist. Her voice came

softened, all

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

shook his head, disappointed. He’d hoped she’d

happened to you?”

her coming back to the Wilsons-tough, sweet, 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

us together. Kept Mom and Dad from losing it. And when you showed up? She tiptoed around you so you wouldn’t feel

news to me that Carmen

“My bad,” she muttered.

was done expecting her family to care. No more

looking pained.

Her real screw-up was coming

a smug glint-she wanted all the family’s love

off, all innocent. “Aubree, relax. You said

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 some

his arms,