The Queen They Buried

Chapter 47

The accusations against Aubree grew louder and more relentless

“What a letdown! actually thought our school had a champion,” someone muttered.

Another said, “So a cheating champion still counts, right?”

“I couldn’t believe Aubree would stoop so low at the competition,” a bystander remarked “But now even her own mother in publicly denouncing her character… They shook their head in disdain.

Some sighed in sympathy, while others spat in disgust

One of the onlookers scoffed, “Some people just don’t know how to appreciate the good life they’ve got.”

Another said, “Wasn’t it said on the forums that Aubree got kicked out of the Wilson family for pushing Carmen down the stairs out of jealousy? Then the proved it was actually Carmen who stated it herself, and honestly, I totally believed her back then. But now? Guess where there’s smoke, there’s fire, she’s no saint either.”

If it were just reporters stirring up trouble, people might still have their doubts. But now that even Alice had spoken out against her, suddenly everyone

believed it

If Aubree hadn’t crossed the line, people felt that Alice would not publicly condemn her own daughter like this.

Aubree heard all the scathing comments, and of course, Alice heard them too.

Alice shot Aubree a taunting smile, her eyes full of challenge. She thought, ‘So you refused to help Carmen and even got her expelled from Rithol Art School? You’re so capable that you don’t even need to come home, right? Let’s see how you get yourself out of this mess now

*To em in human, please don’t judge my daughter so harshly Alice said, putting on a magnanimous front. “I believe my Aubree simply made a mistake in the heat of the moment. As long as she’s willing to admit her wrongdoing and retum the trophy that was never rightfully hers, I’m still willing to take her home and guide her properly.”

The crowd erupted in enthusiastic a

applause

Some parents dropping off their kids couldn’t help nodding in agreement, if their own child had done something so disgraceful, a beating would be letting them off easy. She felt that Aubree sure had a great mother.

The planted reporter, seeing how things were unfolding, quickly thrust the microphone forward and said pointedly, “Aubree, since your mother is being so forgiving, why not take this opportunity, with everyone watching, to show your resolve and apologize right here and now? We’ll all bear witness!”

Aubree thought sarcastically, “What a perfect little scheme!

going on, but could

be the Wilson family colluding with someone to smear me online, claiming I cheated in the finals. Then Alice brought in reporters to corner me, and

selfless mother, while fm cast

be swept under the rug.

this chance to keep me under her

microphone to her own mouth. “Me? Apologize?” she scoffed. “Why the hell

I don’t even know how that rumor started. Let me make one thing clear. I won that championship on my own my trophy

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Chapter 47

reporter struggled to reclaim the microphone, but Aubree lightened her grip even further the that the reporter

making the reporter free in fear, all struggle forgotten in

“Or should i apologize for being a

help but laugh bitterly. She thought, ‘Unless I’d actually killed someone, how

do you admit

signed those legal documents. Even if she tried to deny it. Aubree had concrete proot So she chose silence, foing Aubree with an exaggerated look of helpless

to keep

have a moral compasst if that’s how you want to play,

answer, you’re too scared to I have the legal severance agreement right here. You’re no longer m mother. I can have it authenticated in court. I drafted it myself, which means I was

minds in the crowd start connecting

driven out for any wrongdoing. On the contrary. i chose to leave

family were Rithol’s top–tier elite, no one would walk away from

felt that it must be because

of rotten morals and an incorrigible nature. But have you ever

stomach condition? Have you ever truly looked at the scars all over my body? Every single one of them was

to count how many

care whether I was

Aubree shouted, “Never

so–called mother, was nothing but scolding and beatings. You accuse me of having no morals, so tell me, exactly where did go wrong? As a designer, Alice, don’t you understand what plagiarism means to a creator? Net you forced me to ghostwrite for Carmen in so many important competitions, and even enabled her to hire others just to keep herself from being expelled from Rithol Art School. And after all that, you still call

done anything wrong, it’s only because you drove me

a sense of liberation she

experienced before.

met Aubree’s undisguised look of hatred, her words died in her throat, a chill running down