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 filled 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 a 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 built 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 Ronald thought about it, the more excited he became. He didn’t even notice the sneer in Aubree’s eyes.
“Oh? An apology? Forget it. After all, I wasn’t dead. Carmen was just briefly questioned as a suspect!” Aubree said with exaggerated sarcasm.
She added, “I thank you for not asking me to apologize to her.”
Carmen was still trying to play the victim.
But after Aubree’s words, her pitiful expression suddenly looked ridiculous.
Aubree had nearly died and hadn’t cried once. Carmen, on the other hand, was being questioned normally and yet was tearing up and acting miserable. It came off as over-the-top.
Carmen pouted, now unsure whether to cry or speak.
Aubree said, “Enough. Since the matter is resolved, let’s just be strangers and not interfere in each other’s lives.”
As Aubree turned to leave, Ronald and Alice panicked.
Ronald coveted Aubree’s connections and company. He never cared about Aubree before, but now, he wanted her to be a Wilson forever.
Alice said, “Aubree! You just experienced something dangerous out there. Come home with Mom.”
She added, “You’ve always said we favored Carmen, right? Well, this time we’re on your side. Carmen even apologized! What more do you want?”
Ronald quickly chimed in, “That’s right. We’re family. There’s no need to split hairs. No matter what, you have our blood running through your veins. Your mom and brothers all know they were wrong. Come home with us.”
Aubree had lived two lifetimes. If Alice’s words had even a sliver of sincerity, Ronald’s were nothing but lies.
He didn’t care about her before. Now suddenly he cared. It was only because he saw value in her.
Aubree stepped back. “No. Go back with you? So you can whip me again?”
She continued, “Alice, you say you’re 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 me for dragging Carmen into this?”
Alice looked away, guilty, though her tone remained hard. “As a mother, of course I care about Carmen. I did this all for your own good. I’m worried you’ll get into trouble.”
Aubree didn’t know if Alice felt ridiculous when she said that, but she sure did.
She asked, “You? Worried I’ll get trouble? As a mother? Are you worthy to be a mother?”
Aubree continued, “When I first returned to the Wilson family, Carmen got into trouble with some punks from a neighboring school. She was cornered in an alley. I risked myself to save her. But when we got home, did you scold or punish her for getting into trouble?”
She added, “No. You scolded me instead. You said I was useless for not protecting her well enough. You made me skip dinner and stand in the corner!”
Alice’s gaze turned hazy. She had forgotten she had done that.
Still unwilling to back down, she mumbled, “I did it out of concern for you. If I didn’t care, why would I punish you and not someone else? It was all to help you.”
Alice added, “As long as you get along with Carmen and don’t bully her, you’ll have everything she has in the Wilson family.”
She offered this as if it were a great gift. She thought Aubree just wanted fairness.
Just like Carmen, Aubree should be overjoyed.
However, Alice didn’t realize the condescending tone she used when making promises.
Aubree looked disgusted. “You think I want your cheap love? Or Carmen’s plagiarist reputation? Get lost. All of you.”
She added, “Don’t waste your time on me. If I were strong enough right now, the first thing I’d do is crush the entire Wilson family.”
Alice’s face turned ashen. She didn’t believe Aubree hated them this much. But her tone and her gaze showed no hint of pretense.
Ronald’s face darkened. He never imagined Aubree would truly look down on the Wilson family.
Aubree sneered. Their shocked faces delighted her.
This was only the beginning. She’d make sure they were even more stunned in the future.
The car drove off slowly.
Carmen shrank into a corner, not daring to speak.
The car was filled with Ronald’s oppressive silence.
Alice was fuming too. No matter how indifferent they were toward Aubree before, she was still part of the Wilson family. Wanting to cut ties was a slap to the family’s face.
“She got bold,” Ronald spat angrily.
If the Wilson family couldn’t manipulate Aubree, he would never allow her to become a threat to them either.
He said, “If she really wants nothing to do with the Wilson family, then I’ll make things difficult for her.”
Now that Aubree was getting close to Bowen, if she sided with him, the Turner family could become a hurdle the Wilson family might never overcome.
Carmen’s eyes lit up. She thought Aubree was asking for death. She didn’t even know how to take advantage of a good opportunity.
If Aubree continued to antagonize the Wilson family, her father would eventually take action to deal with her.