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?”

roll their eyes at Aubree even harder. They told Carmen to chill-Aubree wouldn’t die out

worry clouding his eyes. ‘No cash,

some cheap sheets, made the bed, and felt a spark of something

was nothing like the Wilsons’ palace, but it was hers. No more tiptoeing or stressing about getting

school, money,

senior year would start with a review of old

self-study and keep up.

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

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Chapter 5

enough to scrape by, never enough to feel

got those meals? Nope.

stomach-soothing meals for Daxton, who’d skip food for his

now, thanks to her. But no one cared

can stack some cash, I’ve got the old-school herbal tricks from my old life to get back in

skin and bones-thinner than her orphanage days. Her

won’t tank my grades.” Aubree mumbled, frowning. Then it hit

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

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

them to it. The internet was always a safe

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

GOD’s Fury’s mid-laner was out with a hand injury, and they

This was Aubree’s shot.

the tournament cash and invest it. Player to team owner? Hell yeah,

idea,

routine was tight: mornings at the market for fresh food to fix her health, nights at the

semester started, Aubree crashed early,

the school’s online forum was

wild post about the Wilson family’s “real vs. fake heiress” drama-fighting over inheritance-blew up.

stairs, getting kicked out-the juicier the story,

was the talk

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