The Queen They Buried

“What are you going to do?” Aubree feigned fear as she was quickly cornered by the five girls.

“What are we going to do?” The leader spat out her cigarette and glared viciously. “If it weren’t for you, my parents wouldn’t plan to send me abroad

No parent would willingly accept a daughter being a murderer. Their families were either ashamed and ready to abandon them, trying to ship them off abroad, or marrying them off as quickly as possible if money was tight.

These five girls had pinned all their misfortunes on Aubree.

“You think you’re so great with your little bronze award? You got all of us into trouble!” Another girl slapped Aubree’s face lightly.

The one with the knife sneered. “You think you’re something, bullying Carmen? Don’t you know she’s under our protection? Had fun at your birthday yesterday, huh? How dare you stole Carmen’s spotlight?”

Another one said, “That fireworks display was really something. How many sugar daddies did you have to sleep with to make it happen?”

A flood of foul and vulgar language poured down on Aubree.

Aubree lowered her head without retorting, her hand behind her back clutching the fruit knife she always carried. The moment was drawing near…

She welcomed their endless taunts. Because the more they said now, the harder it would be to deny it later.

“Enough chit–chat, Taya. Look at her pathetic face. She won’t even squeak if we beat her. Let’s get this over with.” Another girl waved the knife threateningly at Aubree.

Aubree looked terrified. “What… what are you going to do to me?”

“What do you think?” The leader grinned maniacally.

She added, “You love attention, right? We’ll get you on the front page. How about this headline? ‘High school girl assaulted and murdered on her way to school‘? We think it suits you perfectly.”

“Lucky you, we won’t waste time. We’ll only make it hurt for a moment. After you’re dead, we’ll strip off your clothes and then…” Their eyes dropped to Aubree’s private parts, twisted with sadistic delight.

They had chosen this place specifically because it had no surveillance. Every step had been carefully scouted in advance.

Aubree’s heart turned colder. The people before her were nothing but beasts by nature. Calling them inherently evil was more accurate than any other

label.

She had long lost track of how many victims had suffered at the hands of this group. After one of Matilda’s friends jumped off a building, Aubree had overheard them in the bathroom joking and mocking her death without an ounce of remorse or fear.

Aubree looked up with a cold smile. “Well, sounds like you’ve made a thorough and evil plan. But I’m sorry, looks like you won’t get to carry out even the first step.”

provoking her, the leader grabbed the knife from her companion and raised it. “You think I’m bluffing? No one’s saving

blade neared Aubree, a hand suddenly appeared and gripped

scream as her wrist was twisted at an unnatural angle. It popped out of its socket with a sickening

are you?” The others pulled out their weapons, aiming

took them down/swiftly, with

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17:23 Mon

Chapter 70

had heard everything. It was hard to imagine that girls only seventeen or eighteen years

wail of police sirens filled

the flashing lights, the five girls

and played a recording of everything they’d just said. She smiled. “Attempted murder. Ward to guess how many years my lawyer can

faces turned ashen. Worse, they had mentioned Carmen’s name. If she got

At Rithol High School.

several uniformed officers

“Carmen, come with us.”

gaze, Carmen

Carmen was uneasy the entire way.

her, her heart sank.

Carmen thought Taya and the others must

she could even process what

on,

handcuffs, were

this have gone wrong? Did they rat

As long as she didn’t admit anything, no evidence would link her to the

stay calm. Her guardians, Ronald and Alice, had

police explained the case and played the recording. Even Alice, who always spoiled Carmen,

hands trembled. “Carmen, tell Mom the truth. Were you

imagine it. If that recording was real, she didn’t know how

overwhelmed with guilt. That was her daughter too. She disliked Aubree for being vulgar and unrefined. But if Aubree died in that way, Alice wouldn’t

believe me? How could I possibly do something like that

worried about her. Alice

tracks thoroughly. All contact had been through untraceable black–market accounts.

the others mentioned her name, the Wilson family’s lawyers would