Chapter 85
At a café in Golden Industrial Park, Aubree finalized the details of the leased space with the manager and signed the contract.
Tucking away the signed contract, the manager showed not the slightest underestimation toward the young woman. She had achieved in less than a month what many of her peers might never accomplish in their entire careers. She had gone on to become a club owner. As for the online drama, it was none of the manager’s business; the client was the most important thing to him.
He said, “Miss Miller, since the contract is signed and there are no other issues, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Thank you for your help,” Aubree responded with a polite smile.
After seeing the manager out, Aubree glanced down at her silenced phone as another unknown call flashed on the screen. This time, she didn’t hang up.
“Hello?” Aubree answered, her voice calm.
“See that, Aubree? This is what happens when you disobey me!” The call came from Alice, her voice dripping with smug satisfaction.
Aubree set aside her phone and searched for updates. She thought, ‘So much for their supposed brilliance, just the same old scapegoat routine. Who knows these tricks better than I do? In my previous life, I lost count of how many times I was made Carmen’s sacrificial lamb. So, when I decided to expose Carmen as unworthy of her role, it was no surprise that the Wilson family would pull the same predictable move.’
“So, this is what I get for having a thriving life?” Aubree smirked, amusement flickering across her lips.
She glanced at the freshly signed contract. Starting her own club, developing software, and founding a company were things she’d never dared dream of in her previous life, but this time, she’d achieved them all.
Alice never expected Aubree to react like this. Aubree had been kicked out of school, and public opinion online was clearly on Carmen’s side. She felt that Aubree should be sobbing her eyes out and begging to be let off the hook by now.
“Mom, what did Aubree say?” Carmen stood right next to Alice, fidgeting anxiously. Seeing her mother stay silent made her even more anxious.
She’d already been kicked out of Rithol Art School, though she hadn’t even set foot on campus yet. At this point, all she could do was shift everyone’s attention to Aubree. Otherwise, she’d become the laughingstock.
Carmen thought fiercely, “That can’t happen! It’s all Aubree’s fault! She just has to compete with me. Even after leaving the Wilson family, she can’t stay out of trouble, always playing the victim card to win my brothers’ sympathy.”
A barely noticeable smirk flickered across her lips. As long as Bryan and the others saw Aubree for who she really was, things would go back to the way they used to be.
Once this blows over, who’ll even remember the ghostwriting scandal? They’ll just say Aubree set me up out of spite,’ Carmen thought, her plan taking shape.
Carmen urged Alice, eager to know if Aubree was truly in dire straits. Alice, however, mistook her urgency for genuine concern about Aubree’s predicament.
Her eyes softened with maternal warmth, but then her anger surged. “Fine! If you’re going to be this defiant, let’s see what tricks you have left. Even if you end up begging on your knees at my doorstep, I still won’t let you set foot in this house again!”
Aubree held the phone away from her ear and rubbed it. “Just a friendly reminder, Mrs. Wilson, getting angry all the time will give you wrinkles,” she said with a smirk, “Just make sure you’re not the one begging me to come back later.”
With a click, the call ended. Alice’s face twisted in fury as she hurled her phone to the ground, shattering it into pieces.
“That ungrateful brat!” Alice fumed. “How dare she even imagine I’d beg her to come back? Was she out of her mind?”
Carmen raised her voice, frustration clear. “Mom! Weren’t we supposed to coax Aubree back?” Now that Aubree was getting out of control, Carmen couldn’t relax unless she had her where she could see her.
Still fuming, Alice didn’t notice Carmen’s odd reaction. She snapped, “Carmen, from now on, whatever happens to her is no concern of our family. I know you’re kind-hearted, but someone like her doesn’t deserve our concern.”
Seeing Alice’s stormy expression, Carmen swallowed the rest of her words.