The Queen They Buried

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,’

Carmen say sorry to me?” Aubree asked,

jaw dropped, face red. “What’s your problem? Carmen was so worried, she stayed here,

said, tugging his sleeve, looking all sad and fragile.

stare cold. “Enough, Aubree,” he

jumped in. “Aubree, you just woke up. Take it easy, okay?

on?’ Aubree nearly lost

was so mad

eyed them all-Daxton, quick to rip her

wanting an apology was

Emery, playing nice but

Aubree a fake-sorry look, promising to make things right but never

she was fifteen, Aubree dreamed her family would swoop in and take her home from the orphanage. They did, but all her pain since

like a stray dog, sneaking peeks at the

the orphanage with a laundry list of bad habits, blowing every tiny mistake way

of his screw-ups, so he tried to control her

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

a stain on his perfect life. At first, she was like a shiny new toy to him, but once the fun wore off, she was just dirt on his shiny star status, not fit to

Carmen’s sneaky tricks slowly turned

that orphanage was her biggest

breath. ‘Why keep this family around for

innocent eyes. “Aubree needs rest. Let’s leave her be. Hey, Daxton, tell

gave her a side-eye. ‘Seafood pasta?’ She was allergic, and Carmen

saint, charming the whole Wilson family when they felt

through this before, she might’ve bought

Wilson fortune and all the love

patting Carmen’s head like she was a

Aubree, his face like ice. “I’ll let this go, but mess with

didn’t blink. “Won’t be

!

a pen and paper from

over, saw the first words, and went pale. “Aubree, what

“I’ve

at it, his face twisting with shock, then rage. “You gone crazy, Aubree? You wanna

what I’m doing,” Aubree said, calm as ever. “You never gave me the Wilson name. I was never one

2/3

Chapter 4