Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 161: Chapter 161

As she was heading to the party, Aubree left the golf course and went to a stylist in Kroit City for a complete makeover. It was midway through her styling that she received a message from Alvin.
In the last match, after Matilda made a critical mistake, Alvin returned to take charge and made an on-the-spot decision to bench her, sending in the assistant coach instead.
Alvin said, "Matilda hasn't said a word. She just keeps asking me to fire her.
"I had someone look into Matilda's family recently. Apparently, her brother, Drake Diaz, hasn't been seen around much.
"It has been a while since the last match, and by now, we've pretty much uncovered everything there is to know about Matilda's family."
Alvin probably found it too tedious to explain everything piece by piece, so he simply sent Aubree a document to read for herself.
As Aubree read on, her heart sank. Her worst fears had come true.
Aubree thought, 'Matilda's brother, Drake, is such a disaster! Gamblers can never control themselves. If he had any self-control, he wouldn't be in this mess now.'
After Matilda started earning money for her family, the Diaz family's living conditions improved dramatically. Not only did they pay off all their debts, but they also upgraded to a bigger house and bought a new car. Their lives kept getting better and better.
However, it was where real trouble began. At first, the whole family put on a perfect act in front of Matilda. Truman and Shirley loved their daughter, but clearly favored their son. Just when Matilda thought Drake had changed, Shirley tricked Matilda into surrendering her payroll card under the pretense that she was "too young to handle so much money."
Matilda felt she became a coach purely out of passion. Money was just for her family. So she handed over her salary card without a second thought.
The rest was predictable. With money in hand, Drake completely let loose. When the family was poor, he'd at least kept his vices in check. But now he sneaked off abroad behind his family's back to gamble, only to be set up by people with ulterior motives. He was still stuck there.
Alvin hadn't yet uncovered who was targeting Matilda, but one thing was certain. The Wilson family was involved.
Aubree wondered, 'Carmen? Alice? Or someone else?'
Aubree's styling was nearly complete. She texted Alvin back, [Can you get Drake out of there?]
[I mean, ask Matilda, and find out who made her throw the match, then let her go...]
Aubree thought, 'None of this would have happened if not for me.
'I should've realized that once I pushed the Wilson family too far, they'd inevitably look for any weakness to exploit. After Drake went missing, Truman and Shirley finally snapped out of their blind love for their son. But Drake had gambled away all the family's money by then. Now, he is being held captive.'
'The casino called with a threat. Pay up, or Drake would lose both his hands.
'By the time Matilda found out, it was already too late. Her parents were on their knees, begging her to save Drake. She couldn't bring herself to stand by and do nothing.
'That's what sets everything in motion.'
Alvin replied promptly. [Sure, but I can't guarantee he'll come out unscathed. I asked Mark to help.]
Aubree Miller: [So you're not going to keep her?]
Aubree Miller: [I can't keep her. She's under fire from fans right now. If I let her stay, it would be hard to justify both the club and the fanbase.]
[Besides, maybe they're just hoping I'll keep Matilda around out of old feelings.] Aubree thought, 'Losing a few matches isn't a big deal. What team hasn't lost before?'
On this one, she fell short.
Aubree Miller: [Find them. I'll see who's pulling the strings.]
Kurtis's car arrived punctually at the hotel where Aubree was staying to pick her up.
Kurtis grinned and said, "Darling, you look stunning."
Aubree smiled. "You clean up nicely, you rogue."
Kurtis chuckled and ushered her into the car, running his tongue along his molars with a sly grin, appreciating her quick wit.
Kurtis had been surprisingly well. He behaved during the ride, not saying or doing anything out of line. Just as they were nearing their destination, Aubree suddenly heard him say, "I heard tonight's party will have a special guest.
"He's from Rithol City. Ms. Miller, I'm sure you know him. His name is Bowen Turner."
That name was sensitive. Aubree's head snapped up. She thought, 'Bowen is here, too?'
Kurtis looked at Aubree and said, "You know, you don't need to be so on guard with me. I'm dead serious about this partnership."
Kurtis suddenly reached out as if he wanted to touch Aubree's face, but she swiftly dodged. "Mr. Carr," she said coolly, " if you give me what I want, we may have more chances to work together, but as for anything more, sorry, I'm neither willing nor able to offer."
Kurtis's hand hung in the air for a moment before he withdrew it with a sheepish smile. "Ms. Miller, I merely wanted your company at the party. Nothing more," he said.
The car soon pulled to a stop. Kurtis offered his hand, inviting her to alight, but Aubree made her utter disgust clear. Gathering her skirt, she stepped out on her own. 'Maybe this entire scheme was laid out for me from the moment I first sought out Gordon,' she thought.
Kurtis lingered two steps behind, his gaze fixing on Aubree's retreating figure. The driver, unable to resist, turned his head and stole another glance at her.
Kurtis murmured, "She's the spitting image, isn't she? Even more so than her mother was in her prime."
The driver gave an involuntary shiver, his skin prickling with unease.
The cruise ship was a world unto itself—extravagant, resplendent, and utterly intoxicating. No adjective seemed too much to capture its splendor. The place buzzed with energy and lively chatter.
Aubree trailed a few steps behind Kurtis as he guided her through the party's social circuit.
Always adaptable, Aubree figured she might as well go with the flow since she didn't know what Kurtis was up to. With so many high-profile guests at the party, it was an opportunity she couldn't pass up. With practical ease, she worked the room, wineglass in hand.
Her business standing was nothing to scoff at among this crowd. Moreover, the projects she was handling had limitless potential, making many eager to network with her. After working the room, she'd completely left Kurtis in the dust.
Kurtis couldn't help but laugh in exasperation as he watched Aubree in her element. 'Of course,' he thought, 'anyone who could break free from the Wilson family's control and build such a vast business empire was never going to be some docile little thing.'
"Mr. Turner is here."
"Mr. Turner, what do you think about the collaboration we discussed last time?"
The entrance to the party hall suddenly buzzed with excitement. Instinctively, Aubree looked over. Across the crowd, her gaze locked precisely with Bowen's. Trailing behind him, Kelvin was utterly flabbergasted. 'Wait... Miss Miller? What's she doing here?' thought Kelvin.
Kurtis's hand shot out, gripping Aubree's wrist as he pulled her over to Bowen. With a smirk, he greeted, "Long time no see, Mr. Turner."
Kurtis nudged Aubree closer to Bowen with a knowing smirk. "Mr. Turner, do you recognize Ms. Miller? Doesn't her face strike you as familiar?"
Bowen shot Kurtis a look of utter disdain. 'Of course, I recognize her. She's my girlfriend,' he thought.
Under Bowen's intense gaze, Aubree suddenly felt a pang of self-consciousness. At the same time, she wondered, 'What is it about my face?'
At Kurtis's words, the people around seemed to piece things together. Their eyes locked onto Aubree's face, and one by one, expressions of dawning recognition spread across their features.
Kurtis grinned even wider as Bowen kept staring at Aubree in silence. "Mr. Turner," he prodded with amusement, "care for a chat?"
Bowen shot Aubree a look that said, "You're so getting it later," then he said, "Private room."
Aubree's eyes darted between the two. 'Do these two have some history?' she wondered.