Chapter 4
Aubree woke up to the sharp sting of hospital disinfectant in her nose. The ceiling lights flickered, blurry for a second, before her head cleared.
‘A hospital? Seriously?‘ she thought.
“Aubree, thank God you’re awake!” a voice sounded.
She turned and saw Emery, grinning like he’d just won the lottery. Her e Daxton had his arm around Carmen, who kept peeking at her.
drifted past
him to Ronald, standing stiffly nearby. Over by the door,
A sour thought hit her. ‘Bet they’re bummed I’m okay.
Aubree didn’t say a word. Emery’s smile dimmed for a moment, but he quickly slapped on a soft, comforting one.
That smile? She’d only seen it aimed at Carmen the past couple of years.
“What is this? Pity because I ended up in a hospital bed? Pass, she thought bitterly.
Aubree swatted away Emery’s hand as he reached for her and propped herself up. “If you’re here to make me say sorry to Carmen, save it. Ain’t happening.”
Emery blinked, his forehead creasing. ‘What’s her deal?‘
Daxton jumped in, all hot and bothered. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ronald stayed quiet, but his eyes screamed he wasn’t happy.
“Just what I said,” Aubree rasped, her throat scratchy.
Her ghostly pale face shut Daxton up for a second. Emery, always the good cop, chimed in gently. “We checked the cameras while you were out. Carmen tripped on her own. Me and Dax got heated and jumped to conclusions.”
“Carmen freaked out and thought you pushed her,” he added. “It’s just a big mix–up. Dad’s not gonna cut you out of the inheritance or anything.”
Ronald nodded. “It’s nothing big, a mistake. Drop it. Rest up. We’re taking Carmen home to recover.”
Aubree bit back a laugh. Carmen took a tumble, and they were quick to point fingers, no evidence required. When the truth spilled out? Just a clumsy slip–up.
Now they were acting like handing her what was rightfully hers was some grand gesture.
‘Nope. Not today, she thought.
“So, shouldn’t Carmen say sorry to me?” Aubree asked, eyes narrow.
Daxton’s jaw dropped, face red. “What’s your problem? Carmen was so worried, she stayed here, no sleep, waiting for you!”
“Daxton, chill,” Carmen said, tugging his sleeve, looking all sad and fragile. “It’s my fault. I should apologize.”
Ronald’s lips went tight, his stare cold. “Enough, Aubree,” he snapped, a warning in his tone.
Emery jumped in. “Aubree, you just woke up. Take it easy, okay? Let’s move on.”
‘Move on? Aubree nearly lost it.
Aubree was so mad she almost laughed.
She eyed them all–Daxton, quick to rip her apart, no questions asked,
Ronald, acting like her wanting an apology was drama.
Even Emery, playing nice but still taking sides.
Carmen shot Aubree a fake–sorry look, promising to make things right but never following through.
Before she was fifteen, Aubree dreamed her family would swoop in and take her home from the orphanage. They did, but all her pain since then came straight from them.
With their blatant favoritism, she tiptoed around like a stray dog, sneaking peeks at the happiness others got.
Her parents thought she came from the orphanage with a laundry list of bad habits, blowing every tiny mistake way out of proportion.
11/3
10:25 AM
28
Chapter 4
Her oldest brother Bryan saw her as a reminder of his screw–ups, so he tried to control her life like he was doing her a favor. Push back? Then she was just “ungrateful.”
Daxton was sure she’d stolen Carmen’s spot the second she showed up, always giving her the cold shoulder.
Her third brother Trevor thought she was a nobody, a stain on his perfect life. At first, she was like a shiny new toy to him, but once the fun wore off, she was just dirt on his shiny star status, not fit to be his sister.
Emery was the only one who’d ever been kind, but Carmen’s sneaky tricks slowly turned him against her, too. He started buying the lies.
Maybe leaving that orphanage was her biggest mistake.
She took a deep breath. ‘Why keep this family around for Christmas?‘
“We messed up,” Carmen said, glancing at Daxton with big, innocent eyes. “Aubree needs rest. Let’s leave her be. Hey, Daxton, tell the cook to make her favorite seafood pasta.”
Aubree gave her a side–eye. ‘Seafood pasta?‘ She was allergic, and Carmen knew it.
Carmen was a master at playing the saint, charming the whole Wilson family when they felt bad for her.
If Aubree hadn’t been through this before, she might’ve bought the act, maybe even thanked Carmen for “caring.”
Carmen’s plan was clear: snag the Wilson fortune and all the love that came with it.
Daxton nodded, patting Carmen’s head like she was a damn angel. “You’re too sweet, Carmen.”
Then he turned to Aubree, his face like ice. “I’ll let this go, but mess with Carmen again, and you’re done.”
Aubree didn’t blink. “Won’t be a next time.”
The fancy hospital room had everything. She grabbed a pen and paper from the nightstand and started writing.
Emery peeked over, saw the first words, and went pale. “Aubree, what the hell?”
She ignored him, finished, and shoved the paper at Ronald. “I’ve never been a real Wilson anyway. Let’s make it official.”
Ronald glanced at it, his face twisting with shock, then rage. “You gone crazy, Aubree? You wanna cut me out as your dad?”
“I know what I’m doing,” Aubree said, calm as ever. “You never gave me the Wilson name. I was never one of you.
“You all think I’m a problem. So let’s just end it.”
Ronald crushed the paper in his hand, looking like he might explode. ‘How dare she?‘
Carmen snuck a glance, and when she saw “Family Ties Termination” in big letters, her eyes lit up like she’d won the lottery.
With Aubree gone, the Wilson empire was hers.
Still, she played it up. “Aubree, you’re hurting Dad’s feelings.”
Aubree didn’t even look at her, staring Ronald down. “Sign it, Mr. Wilson.”
Daxton laughed, cold and sharp. “What, you think this stunt’s gonna make us feel sorry for you? You’re just acting like a damn fool.”
Ronald gritted his teeth. “Fine. You want out? You got it!”
As the head of the Wilson family, he was floored that his own daughter had humiliated him.
Fine, she wants to cut ties? I’ll make it quick, he thought to himself.
He snatched the pen, scrawled his signature with a sharp flick, and shot her a cold stare. ‘Let’s see how this ungrateful kid handles life solo.
Aubree grabbed the paper like it was a winning lottery ticket, her voice almost too sincere. “Thanks a ton, Mr. Wilson.”
That “Mr. Wilson‘ stung like a slap. Ronald’s chest tightened, a storm of anger and hurt brewing inside. “If you’re not a Wilson anymore, you’ve got no business in this hospital room,” he snapped.
He thought Aubree was just putting on a show, that if he pushed back, she’d cave.
Nope. Without missing a beat, Aubree ripped the IV from her hand, flung the blanket off, and strutted toward the door.
Ronald’s face turned stormy, his voice booming after her. “You think you’re tough? Don’t come crying back when you crash and burn!”
12/3
AD
