Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 139: Chapter 139

Daxton personally escorted Carmen into the exam hall. "Aubree hasn't been studying for long. Carmen, your scores were solid—you'll surely do better than someone like her who's just looking for a shortcut," he said.
"Mhm!" Carmen looked up at Daxton, her eyes sparkling with admiration and dependence—something Daxton clearly enjoyed.
Carmen was undoubtedly sharp. She had a clear grasp of her situation. At first, she enjoyed the privileges of being the family favorite and acted without restraint. But now that the dynamics had shifted, she no longer knew whose side she needed to be on.
So now, she was putting all her energy into winning over Daxton.
Daxton relished Carmen's admiration. He knew that Ronald had plans to use Carmen in a marriage alliance, but what really got under Daxton's skin was the fact that Carmen had feelings for Alvin.
After a moment's thought, Daxton said, "Carmen, don't stress. Even if your results aren't great, I'd never let them marry you off."
Carmen did not catch the storm of emotion in Daxton's eyes.
She turned and walked into the exam hall.
Aubree sat in silence, the heavy air of the exam room awakening long-forgotten memories.
Her mind drifted to "Mr. Quinn," the mysterious man funding her education. In her mind, "Mr. Quinn" was a stern, successful middle-aged man, the type who rarely smiled. Beyond the regular monthly funds and occasional check-ins about school, they had hardly any interaction.
All Aubree had ever wanted was to make it into college and thank Mr. Quinn in person. He might not expect anything in return, but a sincere thank you—spoken face-to-face—was something Aubree felt he deserved.
Aubree blinked, a trace of uncertainty passing through her eyes. Ever since she returned to the Wilson family, "Mr. Quinn" had vanished without a trace—as if he had disappeared from the face of the earth. Aubree had no idea if she would ever have the chance to meet him again.
The exam papers were soon distributed. Aubree skimmed through the questions and immediately felt at ease.
The first subject was Odionlandian. It was not Aubree's strongest—math and science were her real strengths—but her language skills were not bad either.
Aubree bent over the paper and started writing with focused determination. The essay topic was simple—life.
The word struck something in her. For a second, Aubree froze, a flicker of emotion passing through her eyes. But without even needing to outline her thoughts, Aubree started writing.
Aubree finished her paper with time to spare, reviewed her answers twice, and only left the exam hall when the final bell rang, joining the stream of students filing out.
Aubree instinctively scanned the crowd of eager parents waiting at the school gates, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bowen.
"Aubree!" Bowen was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the people Aubree did not want to see made their presence known.
Ronald stood not far away with Bryan, waving at her. Behind them, a long black Lincoln limousine gleamed under the sun, drawing attention like a magnet.
Aubree could not help but frown. 'Ugh, so annoying!' she thought.
Reporters were still gathered outside the exam venue, and Ronald and Bryan's luxurious outfits paired with a flashy car instantly turned heads.
Aubree thought, 'Do they really have to be so ostentatious? When Bowen had dropped me off in the morning, the most over-the-top thing he'd done was hang a ridiculous banner. The car he drove, at least, had been perfectly modest.'
Aubree glanced at the two, then averted her gaze and was about to leave when Carmen's crisp voice, laced with feigned surprise, called out, "Dad, Bryan, are you guys here to pick me up?"
Carmen had spotted them the second they called Aubree's name.
Deep in Carmen's eyes, a seething jealousy burned. 'Why is it that no one shows up for me, while Aubree gets Dad and Bryan going out of their way just for her?' she fumed inwardly.
Carmen knew full well that Ronald and Bryan were here for Aubree, but she was hell-bent on making Aubree miserable.
Carmen approached with a bright, exaggerated smile, while Ronald and Bryan froze in surprise—she had not even crossed their minds.
Aubree sneered, then turned on her heel and walked away.
Ronald and Bryan gave Carmen neither a glance nor a word—their attention was entirely fixed on Aubree as they hurried after her.
"Aubree, we're not here for Carmen. We came for you. Are you done with your exam? It's not that I didn't want to drop you off this morning—it just took me a while to track down which exam hall you were in," Ronald said.
He hesitated, reaching out slightly as if to pat Aubree's shoulder, then quickly withdrew his hand, clearly afraid of upsetting her.
"Aubree, your place is pretty far from the exam hall, and you didn't even hire a driver. So Dad and I went ahead and booked you a presidential suite at the nearest hotel, and we've arranged for our family driver to take you to all your exams over the next few days. Why don't you join us for lunch first, then head back to the hotel to get some rest?" Bryan said.
Aubree was speechless. 'Sure, I didn't hire a private driver, but it's not like I can't afford a car service to get me to the exam hall for a few days. If this were my previous life, I'd be thrilled to see them caring like this. But now? Please. I've got my own money. I don't need their scraps.'
Aubree rolled her eyes and snapped, "You guys are the only ones moved by what you're doing.
"Let's be real—I'm no longer that miserable, penniless girl anymore. You think I'd forget all the hurt just because you showed up with a kind word or two? What, do you think I can't afford to do these things myself?"
Ronald and Bryan were left speechless by her words. They thought their attempts at reconciliation would win her over, but the truth was, Aubree did not need their kindness anymore.
Ronald wrung his hands awkwardly. "Aubree, it's your SAT today—it's such a big day for you. Why don't we all have a meal together as a family?"
Aubree snapped, "No way!"
Before she could say a word, Bowen stepped between them.
He smiled at Ronald and said sharply, "Mr. Wilson, there are plenty of people watching. If you make a scene now, it's the Wilson family that'll end up embarrassed.
"Then again... given how much trouble your family's caused lately, maybe a little more won't make a difference." Bowen chuckled mockingly.
Ronald's expression turned ghostly, then burned red with shame.
Bryan shot Bowen a venomous glare—never had anyone grated on his nerves this badly.
By now, to the Wilson family—especially Ronald—Bowen had become absolutely loathsome.
Ronald stared daggers at Bowen. In the past, he had only been so accommodating to Bowen because he thought that as long as he could forge a connection with the Turner family, raising Aubree would not have been for nothing.
However, right now, nothing mattered more to Ronald than getting Aubree back.
Ronald absolutely refused to believe that someone like Bowen could genuinely fall for an 18-year-old girl. To Ronald, it could not have been more obvious—Bowen had set his sights on Aubree, seeing her as young, talented, and easily influenced. Bowen was probably the reason Aubree started distancing herself from the family.
Bowen was not bothered in the slightest by their glares. If anything, their irritation only made him more smug. Three years ago, he had returned Aubree to them, but they did not appreciate her. Now that they realized her worth and wanted her back, Bowen had no intention of making the same mistake twice.
Bowen pulled out the bouquet he had prepared in advance and handed it to Aubree. "I got held up picking your flowers—hope you're not mad?
"Here's some fresh juice. Drink it if you're thirsty. I've made a reservation at a private dining place. The food should be to your liking. After lunch, get some rest. You still have the math exam later today."
Aubree looked down at the flowers in her arms. They were beautiful—at a glance, there had to be at least 10 different kinds.
"But I'm not even done with exams yet. Isn't it a bit early for flowers?" she asked.
Bowen gave a soft smile. "I've prepared a bouquet for every subject. Every test you finish deserves to be celebrated."
Aubree pressed her lips together in a faint smile. "Let's go eat."
The two of them completely ignored Ronald and Bryan, treating them like they did not even exist.
"Save your breath, Ronald. What happened to Emery is exactly what I want for the rest of your family." Aubree sneered. "You want my forgiveness? Maybe, just maybe, I'll consider showing a shred of mercy when all of you are dead."
Left standing alone, Carmen shot them a venomous glare. 'Why? All of this should have been mine! Just die already, Aubree Miller!' she seethed inwardly.