Betrayed by Blood: My Second Life as a Queen novel Chapter 387

The King frowned deeply, locking eyes with her in a tense standoff. Neither spoke a word, but the smile on Willow's lips never wavered, her resolve absolute.

Ultimately, the King averted his gaze, forcing the words through gritted teeth. "Willow, Southridge is my territory. I cannot simply cede it to you. However, for the next ten years, all resources produced in Southridge will be yours, and the royal family will absolutely not interfere. Will that suffice?!"

Willow paused for a second. She knew this was his absolute limit. After all, he was a king; he couldn't just permanently carve out his land and hand it to her.

He would be politically crucified by his own citizens!

Still, a decade was more than enough time to extract everything of value.

Willow was perfectly satisfied with the arrangement.

She gave a slow, deliberate nod. "That works for now. But let me make one thing crystal clear. For the next ten years, absolutely no one from the royal palace is permitted to set foot in Southridge. I will have total, unrestricted control over the territory. If you try to find some loophole to break the contract..."

Before she could even finish her sentence, Lucian calmly interjected, "Then the Jagger family wouldn't mind burning this entire kingdom to the ground."

The implication was deafeningly clear: he was standing firmly behind her as her ultimate shield.

If Willow were entirely on her own, the King wouldn't have even spared her a second glance, let alone taken her threats seriously.

But she had Lucian Jagger backing her!

Willow might not have fully developed her own power base yet, but Lucian was an entirely different beast.

The King simply did not have the capital to wage an all-out war against the Jagger family right now.

He took a deep breath, and despite his overwhelming reluctance, he could only grit his teeth and yield. "Fine. I will have the contracts drafted tonight."

Lucian shot him a cold look and added, "However, Daphne can't just walk away completely unpunished after pulling a stunt like this, can she? What do you think, Your Majesty?"

The King ground his molars together, trying desperately to keep his temper in check before finally speaking. "Daphne will be grounded for three months! She is not permitted to take a single step outside the princess's residence! Furthermore, she will be banned from entering The Federated States for three years. Are you satisfied now?!"

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