Betrayed by Blood: My Second Life as a Queen novel Chapter 236

Tessa's face instantly flushed crimson with indignation. Silas, seeing her distress, snapped out of his shock, and his instinct to protect her kicked in. "Leo, how can you talk to Tessa like that! Have you forgotten she has depression? Are you trying to push her over the edge?"

Leo let out a short, cynical laugh. "Willow is the one who was abused and neglected her entire life. What right does Tessa have to be depressed? Hasn't she stolen enough? Or does waving the 'depression' card give her a free pass to terrorize Willow without consequence?"

For once, Silas was entirely speechless.

Leo enunciated each word clearly, "Silas, you'll regret this, too."

Silas's eyelashes fluttered. Just as he was about to retort, the judge's stern voice echoed through the room. "Order in the court! The plaintiff's evidence is corroborated. For the unauthorized purchase of restricted substances, Xavier Shaw's sentence is extended by three months."

Xavier raised no objections. He merely kept his eyes fixed on Willow, desperately searching her gaze for even a sliver of reluctance.

Unfortunately.

There was only pure satisfaction in Willow's eyes. She was thrilled with the outcome.

At that moment, Xavier's heart plummeted into a freezing abyss, making every beat feel agonizingly sluggish.

Willow... truly despised him.

He offered a bitter smile as moisture gathered at the corners of his eyes.

"Furthermore," the judge continued, his tone authoritative, "the inheritance left to Willow Shaw by her late parents was legally notarized. The Shaw family is ordered to return it in full. The assets include ten percent of the corporate shares, her listed dowry, and a coming-of-age gift secured by her parents prior to their passing—Akston Island."

Tessa jerked her head up in panic. Willow's dowry... Xavier had given that to her ages ago!

Since she had zero sentimental attachment to the items, she had liquidated more than half of them recently to fund her stock market gambles!

If the court was mandating a full return...

How on earth was she supposed to afford buying it all back?!

Tessa began to tremble uncontrollably. Beside her, Elias Landon cast her a fleeting glance before his eyes inevitably wandered over to Willow.

Tessa was cowering and pathetic, entirely out of place in high society.

And Willow?

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify