Chapter 330
Carmen stood frozen in place, her cheek still burning from the stinging slap. Her eyes glinted with malice, and her features twisted in fury. If she didn’t need Aubree’s help, she couldn’t possibly have let Aubree humiliate her like this.
Carmen seethed inwardly, thinking, ‘Just you wait, Aubree. Once the art exhibition is over and my reputation is restored, I’ll make you pay with your life!’
Those students were tight-lipped. Even though they failed, they didn’t say who put them up to it. They just said they had a grudge against Aubree and wanted to teach her a lesson.
Since Aubree hadn’t suffered any actual physical harm, Rithol University downplayed the incident, merely requiring the students involved to submit a written reflection, and the matter was quietly put to rest.
The incident itself wasn’t a big deal, but with Aubree’s name attached, it still spread like wildfire.
Those who paid attention to Aubree – the Wilson family and Bowen – learned of the incident immediately. Bowen called to check on her right away, asking if she was hurt.
The moment Carmen stepped into the Wilson family’s residence, Bryan confronted her, “Carmen, did you have anything to do with what happened at Rithol University?”
Footage of the scene had surfaced, and Bryan spotted Carmen in it. He knew Carmen too well. If Carmen weren’t involved, she would never have shown up at Rithol University.
Although Bryan phrased it as a question, his tone left no room for doubt. He was clearly asking what mischief Carmen was brewing this time.
“Bryan,” Carmen asked indignantly, her eyes brimming with tears, “do you really think I’d go out of my way to have Aubree beaten up?”
Bryan rubbed his nose. “Then why were you at Rithol University?”
“I was just delivering something for my mentor to his friend at Rithol University. Is that not allowed now? Or am I supposed to avoid Aubree every time she shows up somewhere?
“Come on, Bryan, be reasonable. If Aubree doesn’t want to come back to the Wilson family, is that really my fault? Was I the one who hurt her?”
Under Carmen’s questioning, Bryan was overwhelmed with guilt. Indeed, deep down, the whole family had shifted the blame onto Carmen. Yet upon reflection, it was Carmen who had always stood up for Aubree and spoken in Aubree’s defense whenever Aubree was being punished.
“On my way there, I overheard someone saying something had happened to Aubree, so I called campus security because I was worried about her. That’s why I was there. I even invited Aubree to my art exhibition and begged her to come home.”
As she spoke, Carmen deliberately tilted her face, revealing the swollen, reddened side where Aubree had struck her.
Bryan instantly put two and two together. Given Aubree’s current animosity toward their family, she must have struck Carmen.
Guilt instantly washed over Bryan. “Carmen, I’m sorry. I was just too worried about Aubree, that’s all.”
Carmen shook her head. “It’s alright, Bryan. I know we’ve wronged Aubree. As long as she’s willing to come back, even if she still hates me, that’s fine.”
Bryan felt that he had misunderstood Carmen. He said, “Carmen, how about I come to your art exhibition and bring you a gift?”
Carmen nodded, a smile spreading across her face. “Thank you, Bryan.”
After Bryan left, Carmen smirked triumphantly. She’d been carefully lying low in the Wilson family, deliberately letting them blame her, then artfully playing the innocent victim, all to make Ronald and the others drown in guilt.
Guilt really was a handy tool. Her standing in the Wilson family still wasn’t what it used to be, but at least she was no longer stuck in that powerless, passive state like before.
Humming a tune, Carmen practically floated up the stairs. At the landing, Trevor had been waiting for her for quite some time.
“Oh, Trevor! When did you get back?” Carmen jumped in surprise, panic flashing in her eyes, afraid he’d see through her carefully crafted façade.
Trevor said, “Why are you afraid? I’ve got your back.”
Trevor’s words were a little too pointed, and Carmen looked away.
Trevor was unfazed. “When exactly is your art exhibition? Since you’ve invited Aubree, can we keep her tied down that day?”
“The art exhibition is in three days. And since I’ve invited Aubree, I’m certainly hoping she’ll stay with me right until the very end.”
Trevor nodded, then swiftly messaged his assistant, Joey, with the art exhibition schedule and the news that Aubree would be tied up that day. He instructed Joey to leak this news to Milena.