From Slave To Queen (by Karyn Anderson) novel Chapter 369

Chapter 369

The golden candles lit up the palace like it was broad daylight.

Lizzie knelt on the cold stone tiles, her hair disheveled.

Winona slammed her hand on the table and pointed at Lizzie, her voice thunderous.

“You insolent wretch!” Her eyes were filled with fury, and the hairpin atop her head quivered with her anger. “You dare poison the Princess Consort of Prince Xander and even damage an imperial gift? Do you take this palace as your playground?”

Lizzie trembled all over, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Mother, please see the truth! I’ve been framed! This is all Athena’s scheme!”

She lifted her head and saw Athena standing side by side with Xander, a deep scar now visible on Athena’s face

Rage surged inside Lizzie. No wonder Athena provoked her. It was all to make her destroy the imperial gift.

That wretched woman was truly malicious.

“Silence!” Winona roared. “There is solid evidence. How dare you argue? Guards, confine Lizzie to her palace! She is not to take a single step outside without my permission!”

She clearly intended to downplay the matter by handling it with a mere confinement.

Xander’s brow twitched. He bowed and said coldly, “Your Majesty, if this matter is handled with just house arrest, it would be far too lenient and unconvincing.”

He continued, “On the day of my wedding, she poisoned my bride, then refused to repent and even insulted her. I ask Your Majesty to grant her justice.”

Xander pressed on relentlessly, cornering Winona. She looked to the King for support, only to find him frowning deeply, his expression stormy. Clearly, he was infuriated by Lizzie’s actions.

Yet Winona had called on him, so he could not ignore her. He asked, “Then, what punishment do you propose for Lizzie?”

“Thirty strokes of the rod and the stripping of her princess title. Only then will she truly repent.” The moment Xander spoke, silence fell over the hall.

Stripping a princess of her title was far too severe.

Winona frowned. “A beating as a warning isn’t enough? Must you take her title as well? How is she to live afterward?”

Such humitiation was unheard of.

Xander said, “Lizzie’s behavior is outrageous. Before marriage, she kept male favorites in her residence. The souls who died by her hand are countless. Now she even dares to use poison. Does Your Majesty still wish to shield her?”

Xander’s voice boomed like iron against stone as he advanced, a predator cornering its prey.

He forced Lizzie to watch her avenues of escape vanish, leaving only despair.

Panicked, she shook her head, tears and mucus streaming. “Mother, do not believe Prince Xander. He means to kill me…”

Winona would not allow Lizzie to be ruined, yet Xander refused to relent. She could only turn to Arthur. “Your Majesty, though Lizzie has been foolish, she now shows remorse. For my sake, grant her one more chance.”

Arthur needed just such a ladder to climb down, but as he prepared to speak, Xander’s voice rang out again. “Remorse? I think not.”

He clapped his hands. A palace maid entered, carrying a thick stack of papers.

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28 Sun, 20 Jun

Chapter 369

Everyone watched in confusion, except Lizzie, who stared in horror.

“What is that?” the King asked.

Xander saluted. “These are the records of Lizzie’s usurious loans. It’s over one hundred thousand taels. Those unable to repay were forced to sell ther sons and daughters and were driven to ruin.”

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