Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband

Chapter 1357: Proposing to Marry Willow Crawford

Prince Rosen was bewildered. He had meticulously planned everything he could to gain the trust of the Crawford couple, yet they weren’t playing by the book.

Forgetfulness water, forgetfulness river, all love turns to emptiness. Prince Rosen felt the Crawford couple were remarkably capable, even obtaining such a thing.

He cannot.

He cannot let the Crawford couple take Willow away!

"Aunt, no, Willow can’t go!"

"Why? Why can’t Willow go?" Serena’s eyes suddenly sharpened as she stepped forward and directly confronted Prince Rosen.

For a moment, Prince Rosen was captivated by the strong presence emanating from Serena. He stepped back two steps, "Aunt, I...I..."

"Rosen, you say repeatedly before us how much you love Willow. If you truly love her, wouldn’t you want her to forget everything and start anew? If you truly love Willow, wouldn’t you want what’s best for her? Or is there something you’re hiding, Rosen?"

Prince Rosen retreated several steps, then suddenly began to cough severely. He coughed so intensely that he spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Prince!" His subordinate immediately rushed over.

Hayden Crawford walked to Serena’s side, holding his wife protectively, but Serena pushed Hayden away and looked at Rosen suspiciously, "Rosen, why are you coughing blood? What’s wrong with you?"

Prince Rosen continued coughing, his body swaying as though he was on the brink of collapse.

Serena directly clasped Rosen’s wrist, and after a moment, she furrowed her brows, looking at Rosen with a horrified expression, "Rosen, you have a terminal illness, your life is at its end!"

"Prof. Sterling, please save our Prince." The subordinate begged, kneeling.

Serena shook her head, "It’s no use, he can’t be saved."

Serena looked at Rosen, "Rosen, you should be aware of your own illness, yet you hid it from everyone."

Prince Rosen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and nodded, "Yes."

Serena laughed, but there was no joy in her eyes, "But even just now, you—a dying man—still wish to marry Willow."

"That’s right. If I don’t die, I won’t marry Willow, but unfortunately, I’m dying. Therefore, Willow must marry me. For the next five years, ten years, twenty years... Willow must remain loyal to me, her youth and life pinned to the title of the first princess."

Prince Rosen exhaled. Honestly, being this straightforward was quite a relief. Putting on an act in front of the Crawford couple was stressful; clearing things up like this was better.

He was dying, now he was making arrangements for his afterlife.

Hayden’s expression had turned grim. This man had been plotting against his precious daughter all along, wanting his seventeen-year-old daughter to spend her life as a widowed princess. It was simply a dream.

Hayden approached, his tall and commanding figure looming over Prince Rosen, "Did you put the Bewitching Technique on Willow?"

Prince Rosen, "Uncle, surely you and Aunt already have the answer. Why ask me again?"

Prince Rosen could only admit that the Crawford couple was difficult to deceive. This couple had been through storms of national hatred and family vendettas, had discerned countless plots and schemes to come together today. They must have long guessed that the Bewitching Technique was his doing.

At this moment, Hayden raised his hand and forcefully slapped Prince Rosen across the face.

"Prince!"

Prince Rosen endured the slap, then looked at his subordinate, "Stand back."

The subordinate could only retreat.

Hayden chastised angrily, "A dignified prince abusing the Merfolk Clan’s Bewitching Technique—how are you any different from those malevolent spirits of the Merfolk Clan? Do you believe I can make you roll down from your current position?"

I believe.

Of course, he believed.

Which is why he endured the slap.

As Prince Rosen, he was of noble status; no one had ever dared to hit him in all these years. Hayden was the first, but this man was qualified, and absolutely entitled, so he took it.

"Uncle, I believe, but I know you won’t do it because the royal lineage is scarce, with only me as the prince. All my cousins and uncles have ulterior motives, so my place cannot be disrupted."

"After Willow marries me, my death cannot be announced publicly, only that I am gravely ill and unable to appear. Then you’ll choose a child, let Willow feign pregnancy and bear offspring to maintain stability in the royal line. When the royal line is stable, so is Alani, Westria, and the world."

"Of course, Willow will possess supreme authority, and before the child grows up to succeed, she, as the first princess, will reach the pinnacle, famous worldwide, and in the future, she could be the regent if she pleases."

"Everyone says the little Crawford girl is peerless in beauty, destined for greatness, an Empress Star. Uncle, Aunt, this is Willow’s destiny, isn’t it?"

Back then, a traveling monk arrived at the Crawford family’s door, predicting for each of the three children, proclaiming Willow to be an Empress Star.

The "Empress Star" was suppressed by the Crawford family, becoming a taboo, but Prince Rosen had already learned of all this.

"Uncle, Aunt, everyone has their own path to walk. You pamper Willow, raising her as an ordinary girl, never teaching her any skills, and even giving her this worldly journey. Truly, your far-reaching consideration has touched me greatly, but this is Willow’s fate. Fate cannot be changed forcibly, if you try, then wouldn’t Zane be the best example?"

"Enough!" Hayden rebuked Rosen because Zane was a painful memory for everyone, one not to be touched—it hurts when touched.

Serena still wore the red bean of longing around her neck. Over the years, it remained vibrant like blood, never withering. She turned to Rosen, "Rosen, we will not marry Willow to you."

To be fair, Prince Rosen might not be a good person, but he was undoubtedly a qualified prince, an excellent strategist and leader.

In his brief life, he designed everything for the royal family’s sake, not hesitating to push away his love repeatedly. Hayden and Serena loved their daughter; Morgan and Willow were entranced. Only he was the most cool-headed and wise, yet also the most ruthless.

Prince Rosen felt his throat filled with the taste of blood, struggling to remain standing, knowing his time was up, he was dying.

"Uncle, Aunt, on your way here, several hundred boxes of betrothal gifts from the royal family have already been sent to Alani, the grandeur of the bridal procession, everyone knows Willow is to marry me."

"Morgan’s death will inevitably incite furious revenge and retaliation from the Merfolk Clan, marriage is the only way to stabilize the situation."

"It’s a choice, whether you choose the nation or your family."