The Queen They Buried

Chapter 71

The crisp sound of a slap echoed in the air. Carmen clutched her face, stunned and unable to recover,

Alice yanked Ronald back, distressed. “Ronald, what are you doing?”

No one had expected that slap. The atmosphere among them grew even colder in its aftermath.

Ronald snapped, “What am I doing? She got herself involved in something like this. Shouldn’t she be taught a lesson?”

‘Teach Carmen a lesson? What a novel idea.‘ Aubree sneered inwardly.

In the last timeline, she’d never heard such a thing, and now she had the misfortune of hearing it in this one.

Carmen was fitted with grievance. “Dad, do you think I did this?”

Ronald avoided her gaze. “Even if you didn’t do it, you’re still connected to it. Apologize to Aubree!”

Alice stood torn. No matter how much she disliked Aubree, she was still her daughter by blood. If Aubree were dead, she would still feel sorrow.

But on the other hand, Carmen was the daughter she had spoiled and adored for over a decade.

Clenching her teeth, Alice had to admit this situation was a bit too much. Carmen would just have to endure the scolding.

If Aubree could hear Alice’s thoughts, she’d surely find them laughable. Alice sided with Aubree only because the evidence showed her as the victim. Had something truly happened to Aubree, Alice wouldn’t have shed a single tear. On the contrary, she would’ve hated her for being shame to the Wilson family, even in death.

Aubree had nearly been killed, and yet Carmen was the one feeling wronged. It was utterly ridiculous!

Alice said, “Carmen, just listen to your father.”

Aubree had always minded their favoritism toward Carmen. Now, with Carmen apologizing, Alice thought Aubree would be satisfied.

Ronald’s thinking was similar. He never felt that the Wilson family owed Aubree anything. He simply saw her as petty, throwing a tantrum over Carmen. He thought that by backing her up just this once, she’d finally feel content and come home.

Greed shimmered in his eyes. Even someone like him, who had but his company from nothing, couldn’t help but envy the financial reports from Playzy that the finance department had handed over.

If he could merge Bree Technology into the Wilson Group and ride the momentum of the Playzy project, even surpassing the Turner family wasn’t

impossible.

the more excited he became. He didn’t even notice the sneer in Aubree’s

After all, I wasn’t dead. Carmen was just briefly questioned

you for not

trying to play

her pitiful

died and hadn’t cried once/Carmen, on the other hand, was being questioned normally and yet was

whether

1/3

Mon, 7

Chapter 71

matter is resolved, let’s just

to leave, Ronald

Aubree before,

You just experienced something dangerous out there. Come home with

added, “You’ve always said we favored Carmen, right? Well, this time we’re

matter what, you have our

even a sliver of sincerity, Ronald’s were

Now suddenly he cared.

Go back with you? So you can

helping me. But can you look me in the eye and honestly say you’ve never thought I deserved what happened? That you never blamed

though her tone remained hard. “As a mother, of course I care about Carmen. I

ridiculous when she said that, but she

asked, “You? Worried I’ll

mother? Are you

comered in an alley. I risked myself to save her. But when we got home,

not protecting her well enough.

turned hazy. She had forgotten she

did it out of concern for you. If I didn’t care, why would I punish you and not someone else? It was all

help you.”

Carmen and don’t bully her, you’ll

if it were a great gift. She thought