Chapter 23

Magnus from the Honor Class had taken a leave of absence. Normally, a student asking for time off wasn’t a big deal. But when it was the top student in the grade, someone who had never missed a day, and it happened right after he was suspected of cheating on an exam, then it was bound to become gossip.

Right now, Magnus was sitting in a high-end café, both hands wrapped around his coffee cup, nervously and excitedly staring at the girl in front of him.

Magnus asked gently, “Carmen, did you want to talk to me about something?”

Sitting across from Magnus was none other than Carmen.

Being invited out for coffee by the girl he liked, Magnus was so happy it felt like his heart might explode.

There was no way the Wilson family would let Carmen get kicked out of Rithol Art School, so Bryan had temporarily found her a stand-in who was at least reliable and tight-lipped.

Carmen lowered her eyes, and as she thought about how staying at Rithol meant being under someone else’s control, her resentment toward Aubree deepened yet again.

Carmen muttered, ‘If Aubree had just done what she was told, would I be in this mess right now?’

Her eyes flicked from side to side. Then Carmen looked up at Magnus and gave him a bitter smile. “I’ve just been feeling really down lately. I wanted to talk to a friend.”

That word - “friend” - made Magnus grin like an idiot. He instantly grabbed Carmen’s hand. “Carmen, you can tell me anything, anything at all. If there’s anything I can do for you, just say the word.”

Carmen smiled gently and shook her head. “I just needed someone to talk to. You probably know my sister Aubree left the house recently. Everyone in the family seems worried about her. I know it’s not safe for her to be out there all alone, but I can’t help feeling like I’ve been completely overlooked.”

Carmen’s gaze dimmed, her expression filled with sadness.

Magnus’s heart ached just looking at her. He thought, ‘How can Carmen be so kind? Her own things got taken from her, and she’s still worried about the person who hurt her?’

Carmen had always been like this – never showing her full hand, always using every person and opportunity around her to make her obedient “weapons” strike on her behalf.

Just like last time, when Magnus accused Aubree of plagiarism. To people who didn’t know any better, it looked like Carmen had just vented a few things over text.

“Aubree’s not even worth all this worry!” Magnus snapped. “After I misunderstood her and accused her of plagiarism that day, some guy came to me at night and tried to pressure me into saying someone told me to do it. I didn’t cave.”

What Magnus didn’t know was that after he refused to give in and got knocked out by Zachary, all the messages between him and Carmen that had been deleted from his phone were recovered and handed straight to Bowen.

Carmen showed a hint of surprise – she hadn’t expected that.

But inside, Carmen felt a surge of delight. ‘So Aubree left the house and immediately threw herself at some random guy for help? Figures. She’s finally showing her true colors.’

On the surface, Carmen said worriedly, “That’s awful! You don’t think… she’s being used by some man, do you?”

Carmen’s words lit something up in Magnus’s eyes. He’d just figured out how to help her!

Seeing the look on Magnus’s face, Carmen knew he’d gotten the hint. She added immediately, “Sorry, I should head back right now and tell my parents. If Aubree’s really in trouble, we have to do something.”

Magnus stood up quickly. “Carmen, I’ll go with you! I’ll tell your family everything that happened!”

When Carmen brought Magnus back to the Wilson house, only Ronald was home. Just her dad – but that was enough.

Not wasting a second, Carmen dragged Magnus straight into the study. “Dad, I have something important to tell you about Aubree.”

Magnus stepped forward as Carmen nudged him into place and started telling Ronald what had happened, adding all sorts of dramatic details.

In his version, Aubree had slept with some random guy just to get back at Carmen, and then had that man come threaten him to say Carmen had made him do it.

Magnus didn’t say why Aubree would go that far, but Ronald filled in the blanks himself.

Ronald thought, ‘Why else? Obviously because she is twisted and wants them to blame Carmen and feel sorry for her.’

Sure enough, Ronald flew into a rage and smashed a tea set worth thousands right on the spot.

“That disgrace! Does she have no shame at all? She’s actually capable of something like this?” Ronald snapped, his face turning green with fury.

Ronald had always known Aubree had bad habits, but he never imagined she’d go this far just to spite Carmen. Sleeping around to stir up trouble? Absolutely shameful!

Just the thought of one of his daughters doing something like this made Ronald want to beat Aubree half to death. ‘How could I have raised a child like that?’ he muttered.

“Looks like we’ve been way too soft on her at home. The moment she left, she went completely wild.” Ronald’s expression was furious as he paced back and forth in the study.

Ronald continued, “No. Even if I have to send someone to drag her back kicking and screaming, I’m bringing her home today.”

“Carmen, call your brother. Tell him what’s going on and ask him to give me Aubree’s current address,” Ronald said, clenching his teeth.

Carmen was thrilled. ‘With Dad this angry, if Aubree comes back alive, she’ll be half-dead at best. Then I throw in a few extra lies and get Aubree kicked out of Rithol High School. After that, she’ll never get close to Alvin again.’

Her excitement was almost impossible to hide, but Carmen still played the part. “Dad, don’t get so worked up. You have to watch your health. I’ll call Bryan right now. Aubree just made a mistake… maybe just talk to her calmly.”

‘Calmly?’ Ronald scoffed. ‘If I don’t skin her alive this time, I’m not her father.’

Aubree hadn’t done anything wrong. There was no real proof, just a few words from outsiders – and that was enough for Ronald to throw her on the chopping block.

But if it had been Carmen in the same situation? Forget getting mad – Ronald would’ve had the liar beaten half to death for saying anything about his precious daughter.

He’d be angry at the world for daring to slander her.

Bryan was in a meeting at the office when he saw Carmen’s call. He paused the meeting right away and answered.

Hearing what Carmen said, of course Bryan was surprised.

But this time, Bryan wasn’t furious like before. His first reaction was doubt. ‘Would Aubree really do something like that?’

Ronald, though, had completely lost it. He grabbed the phone. “Bryan, hurry up and find out where Aubree is!”

Hearing his father’s tone, Bryan didn’t even hesitate. “I’ll have my assistant check right now. Dad, calm down. I’ll go with you after my meeting and we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“What’s there to figure out? What kind of crap hasn’t that girl pulled by now?” Ronald said confidently. “Didn’t you say she’s been doing pretty well since getting kicked out? Isn’t that proof enough?”

Bryan was starting to waver, but still stayed firm. He replied, “I’ll come with you later, Dad.”

Bryan thought, ‘If Aubree really has done something like that, then yeah, she needs to be taught a lesson.

‘She has to be brought back. Once she’s home, I’ll try to hold Dad back a bit.’

Right after hanging up, Bryan told his assistant to track Aubree down.

Carmen wasn’t done stirring things up. “Dad, if Aubree is really living with that man, wouldn’t it be kind of awkward for her if we just showed up?”

That completely set Ronald off. He shouted, “She’s embarrassed? Did she even know what shame was when she climbed into that old man’s bed?

“I’m not just bringing her back. That bastard she’s with? He won’t get away clean either!”

Ronald’s fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked. Good thing he didn’t have heart problems – at this rate, Aubree was gonna send him to the hospital.

Satisfied her plan was working, Carmen tugged Magnus’s sleeve and said, “Dad, I still have to stop by Daxton’s place later. I’ll take my friend with me. Once you find Aubree, please talk to her nicely. If she’s mad at me for anything, just let her yell a bit. I can take it.”

Carmen wore that soft, brave smile that made her look like the perfect, kind- hearted little angel.

Ronald’s heart instantly softened. ‘Adopting Carmen has been the best decision I ever made. This – this is what a real Wilson daughter looks like,’ he thought.

But the moment he thought about Aubree, Ronald’s eyes darkened again. If he’d known things would end up like this, he would’ve let her die out.