Chapter 30

A jagged scar stretched across the left side of Aubree’s belly, cutting across her smooth skin. The deep pink color proved it was an old wound.

“Bryan, do you remember this scar?” she asked quietly.

Bryan froze, like something had wrapped around his throat. “Uh,” he mumbled, mouth slightly open.

He had almost forgotten–it felt like it had happened a lifetime ago.

Bits and pieces came back to him. One summer, the family had taken a trip to the mountains to escape the heat. Aubree had slipped and fallen on a sharp rock while swimming in a creek.

Aubree’s face was cold and distant. “That was last summer. We were on a family trip. Carmen insisted we go swimming, just the two of us, while you weren’t paying attention. I told her we should bring someone along, but she refused. Said it wouldn’t be proper.

“I knew about her heart problem, so I was extra careful. I was afraid you’d all blame me if something went wrong. Then she had a heart attack. While I was dragging her back to shore, you jumped in fully clothed. You shoved me aside and carried her off.

“You all rushed to the hospital and forgot I was even there. By the time someone came back, it was nighttime. I was still lying on the shore, running a fever from an infected wound. If I hadn’t gotten lucky, I might’ve died that day.”

The gash had been deep, with blood everywhere, and the freezing water had only made things worse. Lying there alone, shivering and in pain, she had almost given up.

Bryan’s lips parted, ready to say something–maybe that if she’d watched Carmen more closely, none of it would’ve happened. But he caught himself. That was exactly what the family had told her back then, like it was her fault that she almost died.

Before time turned back, Aubree had already figured out what kind of people the Wilsons really were. She could guess what Bryan was thinking.

She gave a cold laugh. “The hospital said Carmen wasn’t even in danger. She was just anxious. Bryan, you’re sharp when it comes to business–did it never cross your mind that she did it on purpose?”

Bryan stared at her, stunned. Panic started to rise in his chest. She knew. She knew they had let her suffer on purpose.

“No-” he started, trying to explain.

But Aubree didn’t stop. “Emery got the hospital’s report, right? Do you know what it said?”

Bryan remembered–Emery had mentioned something about Aubree’s health–malnutrition and anemia. He lowered his head, his voice dry and rough. “Yeah. I know.”

Aubree said, “I was malnourished because you all didn’t let me eat enough. Daxton thought it was a good idea, and Alice backed him up. And Ronald? He beat me so many times I lost count. I bled every time. That’s just one example.”

The beatings had been constant. Even though Alice cared about appearances and paid for top treatments to cover the scars on Aubree’s back, light pink marks still crisscrossed her skin.

And the scar on her stomach was left on purpose. Alice said Aubree needed to remember her lesson and wouldn’t let anyone fix it.

There had been so many injuries, inside and out, that Aubree couldn’t even remember them all. And yet Bryan still had the nerve to say he’d help her get revenge.

Bryan could tell what was coming next, and his gut had been right.

Aubree’s face was ice–cold as she said, “So how are you gonna make up for everything? Starve Alice and Daxton until they are skin and bones and their organs shut down, huh? Or are you gonna whip Ronald first?”

She paused, then smiled, the kind that made one’s skin crawl. She pointed at her waist. “Or maybe you’ll start by cutting yourself. Do that, and maybe I’ll think about going back with you.”

She stepped out from behind Bowen and slowly walked toward Bryan.

Bryan looked away. He couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes–eyes that used to look at him with so much trust and admiration. Now, they were full of hate. A bitter taste filled his mouth as he wondered when things had gone so wrong.

“Aubree, I…” His voice came out rough, like it hurt to talk. “I just want to take you home.”

“Home?” Aubree let out a cold laugh. “So you guys can keep abusing and treating me like garbage for another three years, huh?”

Bryan froze. His face dropped. That hit him hard. He hadn’t realized Aubree saw the past three years as nothing but abuse.

“Bryan, I remember every scar on my body and every single thing you all did to me,” Aubree said, her tone cold and sarcastic.

She pulled her shirt back down and stared at him. “So, Bryan, what’s your plan? Who are you gonna start with to help me get revenge? Or should we skip all that and let Carmen live through everything I did?”

Even Zachary, who had only heard bits and pieces because of Bowen’s order, was shocked. Aubree was right. It was abuse.

Bowen wasn’t smirking anymore. That disappeared the second Aubree showed the scar.

He had asked Kelvin to dig into Aubree’s experiences over the past three years, but the written reports didn’t come close to showing how bad it really was. Seeing it with his own eyes left him with a dark expression.

He glanced at Bryan, eyes narrowed, suddenly finding the Wilson family a lot more interesting.

Bryan’s chest tightened. He hadn’t realized Aubree remembered everything.

“If you’re not gonna do it, then get out of my way,” Aubree snapped and turned to leave.

Bryan didn’t move. He didn’t even try to stop her. He just stood there, frozen, with no courage left in him.

Bowen gave Bryan a cold glance, his voice low and mocking. “Mr. Wilson, you sure know how to make one suffer.”

His lips curled in a cold smirk. To him, it was almost unbelievable–how Bryan had managed to treat his own sister so cruelly.

Bryan’s heart felt like it was being crushed. As he watched the car drive off, he turned and walked back to his own. Everything felt numb. His chest ached. Before he knew it, tears were falling.

He’d been wrong. So wrong. All those years, he thought he was doing the right thing. He let Carmen treat Aubree like trash, thinking it was best. But he forgot something important–Aubree wasn’t an object. She was a real person, with feelings, with pain.

He could not face the truth. He told himself lies, trying to believe it was all Aubree’s fault.

But the image of that scar kept flashing in his mind.

He remembered when Aubree woke up in the hospital after falling into a coma. The first thing she saw was him. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.

“Bryan, I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to let Carmen out of my sight. I’m sorry. Please don’t leave me. I’ll be good next time, I promise.”

Bryan’s whole body shook. A chill ran through him, sinking into his bones.

He suddenly realized something painful: Aubree probably cared less about him than she did about Emery. He didn’t even know where he got the idea that a few kind words or actions would make her want to come back.

He let out a bitter laugh at himself. Then, as if something clicked, he turned and sped home like a man possessed. He didn’t even hear Carmen call out

Chapter 30

when he walked through the door.

In his room, he searched for the tie Aubree was supposed to have given him. When he found it, he noticed a tiny bump on the back.

He looked closer and saw a few hand–stitched words. “Bryan, may you always be spirited and confident.”

It felt like his heart was being wrung out. He couldn’t even breathe right.

“Bryan, what’s going on?” Carmen, noticing his strange behavior, followed him upstairs. When she saw him holding the tie, laughing and crying all at once, her face turned pale.

Bryan looked up at her, eyes red. “Carmen, did Aubree really steal this tie from you back then?”

Carmen’s face went white. She didn’t have to say a word. The answer was clear.

Bryan closed his eyes, feeling like the biggest fool in the world.