The Queen They Buried

Chapter 560

Before she got married, Josephine’s family was the perfect example of what a mess looks like. She had a gambling–addicted dad, a little brother who was the golden boy, a mother who played favorites, and her–the daughter who was always left hurt and picking up the pieces.

She was once a straight–A student. Her teachers were sure she’d be the one to make it out of Mistrere and into a good university, but she never got the chance. Her middle school teachers knew all about her family situation and tried to help her stay in school. They even went to her parents, telling them that if she earned a college degree, her value would increase.

That way, when she got married, she could fetch a higher bride price.

But all that effort was wasted. After just one year of high school, her parents somehow got it into their heads that too much schooling would make a girl wild, that she’d get ideas and wouldn’t listen to them anymore. And right around then, there was a girl in the village who was making a huge scene–threatening to do something drastic–because her parents wouldn’t let her keep studying.

Her parents forced her back home and kept her there, and she ended up stuck until her little brother was old enough to start chasing girls.

After that, she was treated like nothing more than goods to be sold–the one who offered the most got to take her, and it didn’t matter who they were. As long as someone could cough up a good bride price, they could marry her.

her life, she couldn’t help but feel like all the luck she ever had got used up

after she married into Ridgehaven Town were honestly the best she’d ever had. Her husband never cared whether she worked or not as he was the one keeping the family afloat anyway. But of course, nothing

away, the village was full of rumors about her. She’d tried to explain that she always had new clothes was because online shops would send her outfits for free in exchange for photos, and that she didn’t need to leave home for work since she could earn money right from

nobody cared to

villagers just needed something to liven up their dull

his biological father was, and saying her husband had been so unfortunate that he had died simply from raising her–it pierced her heart deeply. The taunts reminded her of the pain and the unfairness they had all faced, and it still hurt her to the

when she made up her mind–once she saved enough money and her son was a bit older, she’d take

week ago, that dream ran smack into

needed for her photoshoots arrived, so she headed into town to pick up her packages. That’s when

a real straight arrow. But Josephine knew the truth. Every time she ran into him, he had that same look in his eyes as all

Josephine didn’t think much of him. He was already engaged, and honestly, he