The Queen They Buried

07:10 Mon, 7 Jul VG.

Mon, 7 Jul

Chapter 43

Chapter 43

The private room was bathed in dim, suggestive lighting, the echoes of men’s lewd laughter

Matilda slumped onto the floor, clutching a bottle in one hand while her other hand weakly pipped the glass coffee tabla, Serweral empty hotties lay scattered around her, on the table and at her side.

Her oversized T-shirt was being yanked down over her shoulder by a groping hand, exposing most of her smooth, rounded shoulder, yet she remained completely oblivious in her drunken Mupor.

Her head, which had been hanging limply, finally reacted to the sound of the door being kicked open. She turned stiffly, almost robotically, to look in that. direction, struggling even to open her eyes.

Her usually bright eyes were new glazed over and unfocused, a clear sign she was no longer in her right mind.

On the sofa facing the door lounged a burly man with a horizontal scar across his face, clearly in his fies, exuding an intimidating presence. At his fant knelt a battered man, sobbing and sniveling, his face streaked with tears and snot.

With tears streaming down his face, Drake pleaded, “Harlan, please! You can’t do this. I’ve already given you 300 thousand dollars. Just let my sister go I’m begging you! Please, have mercy on us!”

Harlan Pierce didn’t hesitate. He brutally kicked the man in the head, grinding his boot into the side of his face. With a mocking, predatory gaze, he raked his eyes over Aubree and sneered, “So, you figured one girl wasn’t enough to settle your debt, and brought me another one?”

The quick–witted sidekick nearest the door shoved Aubree inside and slammed the door shut behind her. “Looks like Drake finally got a clue Harlan, this chick’s way hotter than the one on the floor,” he sneered.

His final laugh dripped with sinister implication.

Harlan reared with laughter. “Aher I’m done with them, they’re all yours”

Aubree clutched at her collar and took two steps back, her brows furrowing involuntarily. She thought, ‘Damn it, I was way too reckless, barging in like that… Now I’ve landed myself in danger too

Wonly I’d at least ghen Aban a heads–up!

Matilda, still slumped on the floor, finally regained a bit of sobriety. Her eyes narrowed in alarm as she recognized the newcomer. Summoning all her strength, she staggered to her feet and smashed the bottle in her hand over the head of the creep groping her. “If you dare lay a finger on her,” she smarked, “ril fight you to the death!”

“Matilda, are you trying

didn’t want to see his sister get bulled, but crossing Harlan was the last thing

esilently demanding, “What the

steady her, gripping her arm. Their eyes met, Aubroe’s gaze s hell is going on

has gambling debts,” Matilda gritted her teeth and looked away, unable to meet Aubree’s

always kept to herself at school,

this family could hardly be called a safe

late at night with midnight

1/3

– וזו

Chapter 43

somewhat traditional, always favoring their son over their daughter, clinging to him even when he’d berge at her expense. Yet they remembered everything she loved. Her mother would prepare all her favorite dishes at dinner, and little toys or snacks after work, smiling

family. All she could do was try to save herself and drag them out with

even or

at the head of the table, Harlan didin’t even get angry when he saw his sidekick get hit. Instead, he just

a Gre

words dripped with

to settle the debt. 30 thousand dollars a bottle, you’re getting a sweet deall Looks

maliciously. He could tell just by looking that the girl who’d burst in wasn’t carrying anything valuable. Still, he fancied himself a man of

thought, Wait, Matilda just won over 3 million dollars in prize money and still couldn’t pay off all the

could they really have borrowed

a cornered animal, her voice trembling with fury and desperation. “You shameless bastards!” she snarled “My brother only borrowed 1 million from you, and

face darkened. “Don’t play dumb,” he sneered. “You think I’d lend your brother money for nothing!

scar twitched along with his crooked grin, making him look every bit the shameless

when Aubree tugged at the hem

take them head–on,” Aubree warned, tightening

the debt, that’s not so bad. I’ve still got

now is

pocket. “Mr. Pierce, right? If understand correctly, my friend awes you I million dollars,

now. Once it clears, then

we’ll see, not that

the sidekick beside her rattled off the bank account number, she knew better than

the money. As she pocketed her