The Girl They Buried Came Back a Queen

###5

Delilah’s eyes darted sideways before she scoffed.

“Doctor, stop talking nonsense. We paid the prison off—my sister lived like she was on vacation. What stress could she possibly have?”

The doctor frowned. “I’m not joking. Miss Wren is seriously ill—”

She didn’t get to finish. My brother cut her off coldly.

“Enough!” he snapped. “Dr. Linwood, you’ve been our family physician for years. Don’t tell me you’ve started lying for her now?”

His eyes turned on me, full of disdain. He looked at my pale face lying on the hospital bed and gave a cold sneer.

“Ava, what a performance. Faking illness, bribing the doctor—you’re really desperate for attention.”

Delilah’s eyes turned red. “Ava, if you really hate me, I’ll leave. There’s no need to pretend to be sick just to win sympathy from Mom, Dad, and Brother.”

Dad exploded with anger. “Not only have you failed to repent, you’ve learned to scheme. If that’s the case, forget the welcome party!”

Mom sighed, clearly disappointed. “Ava, why are you still so childish?”

Then she softened. “Don’t be angry with your sister. Just let it go this time.”

And just like that, under Delilah’s coaxing, the welcome party went on—like a performance of kindness for the girl they believed deserved it.

That morning, Delilah was the perfect picture of elegance in a diamond-studded tiara her brother gave her and a custom-made dress from a famous designer.

Me? I wore a dress she’d thrown out. It sagged on my shoulders and clung awkwardly to my thin frame.

“She came back in such a rush,” Delilah said sweetly, holding my arm, “so I gave her something to wear. I’ll buy her a new one later.”

Everyone praised her for being so generous—so beautiful, so kind. The real Wren family daughter. If I refused, I knew she’d twist it into another story that made me look ungrateful.

So I let her drag me into the car.

“Come on, sister,” she smiled, “Let’s go try on new dresses. Mom, Dad, Brother—we’ll see you at the party!”

We passed the site of the accident from two years ago. And then—it happened again.

The car flipped. My head slammed against the window. Blood poured down my face. Just before I lost consciousness, I heard a voice murmuring to Delilah.

“Everything’s ready, Miss Wren. The Wren family and Mr. Thorne have been contacted. Just wait and watch.”

I forced my eyes open. Pain seared through me. “Delilah… what are you doing?!”

She crouched beside me, smiling like it was her birthday.

“What do you think? I want you to suffer.”

Her voice was soft, her expression radiant.

“You shouldn’t have come back, Ava. I want you to see—no one loves you. Not Mom, not Dad, not Brother. Not even Daniel. Only me.”

In that moment, I thought of Daniel whispering once that he loved me. For some reason, hope flickered.

Then came frantic footsteps.

My family rushed toward us—Mom, Dad, Brother, and Daniel—faces pale, out of breath.

“Delilah! Ava! Don’t be scared—we’ll save you!”

But the car was about to explode. Smoke hissed. Fire crackled.

Daniel rushed forward, shielding himself from the flames.

Tears ran down Delilah’s face, her voice trembling with fake selflessness.

“Mom, Dad, Brother, Daniel—the car’s about to blow. Only one of us can be saved. I don’t care if I die… Please, save my sister.”

They froze. Their eyes darted between us.

And in that moment, with death looming just seconds away, Delilah and I stared at them.

Would they choose me this time?