“What are you going to do?” Aubree feigned fear as she was quickly cornered by the five girls.


    “What are we going to do?” The leader spat out her cigarette and red viciously. “If it weren’t for you, my parents wouldn’t n to send me abroad!”


    No parent would willingly ept a daughter being a murderer. Their families were either ashamed and ready to abandon them, trying to ship them off abroad, or marrying them off as quickly as possible if money was tight.


    These five girls had pinned all their misfortunes on Aubree.


    “You think you’re so great with your little bronze award? You got all of us into trouble!” Another girl pped Aubree’s face lightly.


    The one with the knife sneered. “You think you’re something, bullying Carmen? Don’t you know she’s under our protection? Had fun at your birthday yesterday, huh? How dare you stole Carmen’s spotlight?”


    Another one said, “That fireworks disy was really something. How many sugar daddies did you have to sleep with to make it happen?”


    A flood of foul and vulgarnguage poured down on Aubree.


    Aubree lowered her head without retorting, her hand behind her back clutching the fruit knife she always carried. The moment was drawing near…


    She weed their endless taunts. Because the more they said now, the harder it would be to deny itter.


    “Enough chit-chat, Taya. Look at her pathetic face. She won’t even squeak if we beat her. Let’s get this over with.” Another girl waved the knife threateningly at Aubree.


    Aubree looked terrified. “What… what are you going to do to me?”


    “What do you think?” The leader grinned maniacally.


    She added, “You love attention, right? We’ll get you on the front page. How about this headline? ‘High school girl assaulted and murdered on her way to school’? We think it suits you perfectly.”


    “Lucky you, we won’t waste time. We’ll only make it hurt for a moment. After you’re dead, we’ll strip off your clothes and then…” Their eyes dropped to Aubree’s private parts, twisted with sadistic delight.


    They had chosen this ce specifically because it had no surveince. Every step had been carefully scouted in advance.


    Aubree’s heart turned colder. The people before her were nothing but beasts by nature. Calling them inherently evil was more urate than any otherbel.


    She had long lost track of how many victims had suffered at the hands of this group. After one of Matilda’s friends jumped off a building, Aubree had overheard them in the bathroom joking and mocking her death without an ounce of remorse or fear.


    Aubree looked up with a cold smile. “Well, sounds like you’ve made a thorough and evil n. But I’m sorry, looks like you won’t get to carry out even the first step.”


    Thinking Aubree was provoking her, the leader grabbed the knife from herpanion and raised it. “You think I’m bluffing? No one’s saving you today!”


    Just as the de neared Aubree, a hand suddenly appeared and gripped her wrist tightly.


    The leader let out a piercing scream as her wrist was twisted at an unnatural angle. It popped out of its socket with a sickening crack.


    “Who are you?” The others pulled out their weapons, aiming at Zachary, who suddenly appeared.


    Without a word, Zachary took them down swiftly, with brutal efficiency.


    He had heard everything. It was hard to imagine that girls only seventeen or eighteen years old could harbor such cruelty.


    Then, the wail of police sirens filled the air.


    Seeing the shing lights, the five girls finally showed signs of fear.


    Aubree casually pulled out her phone and yed a recording of everything they’d just said. She smiled. “Attempted murder. Want to guess how many years mywyer can get you sentenced for?”


    Their faces turned ashen. Worse, they had mentioned Carmen’s name. If she got involved, their situation would be hopeless.


    At Rithol High School.


    During art ss, several uniformed officers appeared at the door.


    “Carmen,e with us.”


    Under everyone’s gaze, Carmen was taken away.


    With guilt hanging over her like a cloud, Carmen was uneasy the entire way. But when she saw Aubree inside the police station, smiling and waving at her, her heart sank.


    Aubree was alive. Carmen thought Taya and the others must have failed.


    Before she could even process what was going on, the five girls, now in handcuffs, were escorted past her, their faces pale.


    Carmen’s face went pale. ‘How could this have gone wrong? Did they rat me out?’


    She had been very careful. As long as she didn’t admit anything, no evidence would link her to the crime.


    Carmen tried to stay calm. Her guardians, Ronald and Alice, had also been summoned.


    In the interrogation room, the police exined the case and yed the recording. Even Alice, who always spoiled Carmen, was in disbelief that such a cruel act could be connected to her daughter.


    Her hands trembled. “Carmen, tell Mom the truth. Were you involved in this?”


    Alice couldn’t bear to imagine it. If that recording was real, she didn’t know how to face Aubree.


    Alice looked at Aubree, overwhelmed with guilt. That was her daughter too. She disliked Aubree for being vulgar and unrefined. But if Aubree died in that way, Alice wouldn’t have been able to handle it.


    Carmen bit her lip and let tears fall. “Mom, don’t you believe me? How could I possibly do something like that to my sister?”


    Carmen was always kind. Even after Aubree left, she worried about her. Alice felt ashamed for even suspecting h


    Carmen had covered her tracks thoroughly. All contact had been through untraceable ck-market ounts. No one could find direct evidence.


    Even if the others mentioned her name, the Wilson family’swyers would ensure she remained untouched


    Alice calmed herself and turned to Aubree, trying to take her hand, but missed it. “Aubree, this must be a misunderstanding. Carmen couldn’t have done it.”


    “Stop. I’m here as the victim, investigating whether Carmen is the perpetrator” Aubree’s face was cold, unmoved.


    Alice froze. The sliver of guilt she had felt vanished. Aubree was still as unreasonable as ever. There was no way this had anything to do with Carmen. And to think she had actually considered coaxing Aubree toe home.


    Aubree said, “Since you deny involvement, why did they say they were protecting you? We have reason to believe you instructed them.”


    No one could fake victimhood better than Carmen. Even as a suspect, the officers spoke to her gently.


    Carmen tried to exin, “I didn’t know they were like this. We were just ssmates. Maybe they thought I was kind and wanted to protect me. Aubree and I… don’t get along. They might’ve misunderstood.”


    She added, “Besides, Aubree already had conflicts with them. Just because they mentioned me doesn’t prove anything. right?”


    Carmen seemed flustered, but her every word deflected ine, iming the girls acted on their own. She’d never asked them to do anything.


    They already had a grudge against each other, so mentioning her was just an offhand remark.


    The police couldn’t refute Carmen. There was no direct evidence.


    After routine questioning, she was allowed to leave.


    Outside the police station, Ronald pped Carmen hard across the face.


    The p stunned both Carmen and Aubree.


    Carmen had assumed Ronald was silently nning how to defend her. She didn’t expect the p at all.


    3:43 pm