The Queen They Buried

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Aubree woke up to the sharp sting of hospital disinfectant in her nose. The ceiling lights flickered, blurry for a second, before her head cleared.

‘A hospital? Seriously?’ she thought.

“Aubree, thank God you’re awake!” a voice sounded.

She turned and saw Emery, grinning like he’d just won the lottery. Her eyes drifted past him to Ronald, standing stiffly nearby. Over by the door, Daxton had his arm around Carmen, who kept peeking at her.

A sour thought hit her. ‘Bet they’re bummed I’m okay!

Aubree didn’t say a word. Emery’s smile dimmed for a moment, but he quickly slapped on a soft, comforting one.

That smile? She’d only seen it aimed at Carmen the past couple of years.

‘What is this? Pity because I ended up in a hospital bed? Pass,’ she thought bitterly.

Aubree swatted away Emery’s hand as he reached for her and propped herself up. “If you’re here to make me say sorry to Carmen, save it. Ain’t happening.”

Emery blinked, his forehead creasing. ‘What’s her deal?’

Daxton jumped in, all hot and bothered. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ronald stayed quiet, but his eyes screamed he wasn’t happy.

“Just what I said,” Aubree rasped, her throat scratchy.

(+20)

Her ghostly pale face shut Daxton up for a second. Emery, always the good cop, chimed in gently. “We checked the cameras while you were out. Carmen tripped on her own. Me and Dax got heated and jumped to conclusions.”

“Carmen freaked out and thought you pushed her,” he added. “It’s just a big mix-up. Dad’s not gonna cut you out of the inheritance or anything.”

Ronald nodded. “It’s nothing big, a mistake. Drop it. Rest up. We’re taking Carmen home to recover.”

Aubree bit back a laugh. Carmen took a tumble, and they were quick to point fingers, no evidence required. When the truth spilled out? Just a clumsy slip-up.

Now they were acting like handing her what was rightfully hers was some grand gesture.

Not today,’

shouldn’t Carmen say sorry to me?” Aubree asked, eyes

red. “What’s your problem? Carmen was so worried, she stayed here, no

his sleeve, looking all sad and fragile.

“Enough, Aubree,” he snapped, a warning in

“Aubree, you just woke up. Take it easy,

on?’ Aubree nearly

so mad she

quick to rip

her wanting

playing nice but still

to make things right but never

Aubree dreamed her family would swoop in and take her home from the orphanage. They did,

tiptoed around like a stray

list of bad habits, blowing

so he tried to control her life like he was

was sure she’d stolen Carmen’s spot the second she showed up, always giving her the cold

his perfect life. At first, she was like a shiny new toy to

only one who’d ever been kind, but Carmen’s sneaky tricks slowly turned him

orphanage was

took a deep breath. ‘Why keep this family

glancing at Daxton with big, innocent eyes. “Aubree needs rest. Let’s leave her be. Hey, Daxton, tell the

her a side-eye. ‘Seafood pasta?’

master at playing the saint, charming the

through this before, she might’ve bought the act, maybe even thanked

Wilson fortune and all the

was

let this go, but mess with Carmen again, and

“Won’t be

!

hospital room had everything. She grabbed a pen and paper from the

peeked over, saw the first words, and went

finished, and shoved the paper at Ronald. “I’ve never been a

twisting with shock, then rage. “You

ever. “You never gave

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Chapter 4

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