The Queen They Buried

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Aubree was done with the Wilsons. No way was she sticking around their swanky mansion anymore.

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She took a cab back to their place-empty, quiet as a graveyard. In her room, she dragged an old, beat-up suitcase from the corner and stuffed it with everything she’d brought from the orphanage.

Under her bed, she found a bank card.

One grand sat on that card, a goodbye gift from some guy named “Mr. Quinn” when she left the orphanage. She’d told him she didn’t need his help, but he never asked for it back. Now, that money was her way out.

Aubree swapped her Wilson clothes for an old orphanage outfit. Good thing years of barely eating kept her small enough to fit.

With a bitter chuckle, she grabbed her suitcase and headed out, running smack into Wendy Carter, the housekeeper.

Wendy’s gut twisted. “That suitcase? Aubree is bolting?’

ID and luggage in hand, Aubree caught a bus to Rithol City’s rough edges. The city was pricey as hell-only the sketchy suburbs had rentals she could afford. Three hundred bucks got her a tiny room.

Small, but it had the basics. Cozy, even.

Back at the Wilson house, the mood was worlds apart.

Carmen swept in like a queen, her usual posse hyping her up.

Wendy hesitated, then spilled. “Mr. Wilson, Aubree came by. Grabbed a bag and split. Hasn’t been back.”

“What?!” Mr. Wilson’s face went red, his mind racing. ‘Is she serious?’

Daxton smirked, arms crossed. “Oh, please. First, she ‘cuts us off,’ now she’s pulling this runaway stunt? Thinks we’ll beg her to come back? Lame. Bet she’s back in three days, crying.”

“She’ll regret this,” Ronald snapped. “When she drags her sorry butt back, I’ll deal with her.”

Carmen played sweet, batting her eyes. “Should we look for her? What if she’s in trouble?”

concern made the Wilsons roll their eyes at Aubree

tightened, worry clouding his eyes. ‘No

new place, Aubree was settling in. She grabbed some cheap sheets, made the bed, and felt a spark

like the Wilsons’ palace, but it was hers. No more

school,

a year away, and senior year would start with

and keep up. She was

Carmen’s heart condition, so they stuck Aubree on a strict diet- tiny meals to keep

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Chapter 5

enough to scrape by, never enough to feel

got those meals? Nope. The staff even blocked her from

stomach-soothing meals for Daxton, who’d skip food for his experiments. She kept his stomach happy while hers

fine now, thanks to her. But

good. If I can stack some cash, I’ve got

at her reflection in the dingy mirror. She was skin and bones-thinner than her orphanage days. Her chin was sharp as a knife, and her

a hustle that won’t tank my grades.” Aubree mumbled, frowning.

Olympics, and pro gaming was the place to be. Betting on a team was like

They rode that wave, turning into an esports dynasty. Later, they cashed in on their star players, jumping into livestreaming

plan? Beat them to it. The internet was always a

in its fall finals. Emery’s Apex Squad was up against GOD’s Fury, a scrappy rookie

a hand injury, and they were hunting for a

This was Aubree’s shot.

to team owner?

the idea,

routine was tight: mornings at the market for fresh food to fix her health, nights at the internet café grinding LOL, and

crashed early, ready to crush

clue the school’s online forum was buzzing about

vs. fake heiress” drama-fighting over inheritance-blew up. Bored teens hyped it to

pushing someone down stairs, getting kicked out-the juicier the story, the faster it

was the talk

the bus to school and went straight to her old art class to get