?Chapter 77: Grounded   Chapter 77: Grounded                              Chidera’s smirk faltered, but he pressed on.


    “You shouldn’t have denied me what I asked for,” he snapped, gesturing toward Nnenna.


    “Everything in this house belongs to me, including that toy!


    Anyone who disrespects a royal deserves what they get,” he concluded smugly, leaning back in his chair with confidence.


    The room stirred with quiet murmurs, but Nnenna remained calm, her gaze sharp.


    “Disrespects a royal?” she repeated, her tone dripping with disdain.


    “If I remember correctly, myst name is Achebe.


    My title is Second Princess.


    Doesn’t that make me a royal?”               Her eyes flicked to the king, daring him to deny her.


    The king hesitated, his expression reluctant, but after a heavy pause, he nodded.


    He couldn’t deny the truth of her words, she was, after all, the daughter he had adopted.


    The room went silent again as all eyes turned back to Nnenna.


    She stood her ground, her presencemanding respect.


    “If disrespecting a royal warrants being pushed down the stairs and spending almost eight months in the hospital, four of those in aa, then what punishment have you received for disrespecting me?” Nnenna asked, her voice cutting through the room like a de.


    Though her words were directed at the king, her sharp, unyielding gaze never left Chidera.


    Her questionnded like a thunderp, sparking a wave of shock from her siblings.


    None of them had expected her to speak so boldly.


    The persistence in her tone was undeniable, her courage unshakable.


    King Ikechukwu, who had been reluctant toment, stiffened in his chair.


    He had no desire to escte the situation, but when Nnenna turned her head to face him, her fiery eyes boring into his own, he felt the weight of her challenge.


    “You are right,” he finally admitted, his tone heavy with reluctant authority.


    He turned to his fourth son, his expression dark.


    “You are grounded for one week.


    Aside from official or urgent events, you are not to leave the castle.”               “What?!


    You can’t—” Chidera sputtered angrily, his voice rising in protest.


    But before he could finish, another voice overshadowed his.


    “Eight months in the hospital, four of them in aa,” Nnenna said, her voice trembling with fury.


    “A seizure.


    Headaches.


    Fevers.


    Countless things I endured, and all he gets is a week?”               Her words zed through the room, her eyes burning with righteous anger as she stared down the king.


    The tension in the room was growing, the weight of her pain and outrage bearing down on everyone present.


    King Ikechukwu flinched slightly as he met her eyes, a flicker of uncertainty shing across his face.


    He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what made him flinch, was it the fire in her gaze, the unwavering determination, or the quiet condemnation that seemed to radiate from her?


    From the corner of his eye, he noticed several servants lingering nearby, their ears clearly attuned to the unfolding drama.


    Ikechukwu had always prided himself on being seen as a great and benevolent king.


    It was his reputation, his legacy.


    To maintain that image, he had often chosen to stay clear of the conflicts between Nnenna and his wife or children, pretending he was unaware of the injustices she endured under his roof.


    But now, with so many eyes watching, possible spies among them, he couldn’t afford to appear biased.


    Nnenna’s piercing gaze only amplified the pressure.


    Seeing the raw determination on her face, he took a deep breath and turned back to Chidera.


    His voice, though steady, still carried a weight of reluctant authority.


    “One month,” he said firmly.


    “No phones, no devices.


    You are not to leave the main building.


    The castle grounds are off limits to you.”               Chidera’s mouth fell open, but the king continued, leaving no room for argument.


    “From your room to the dining hall, the parlor, the corridors, you may move within the main building, but you cannot step foot beyond it for the next month.


    During important events, you can participate, but after that, you are grounded again.”               The king’s decision ignited a ripple of reactions, far stronger this time and not just from the fourth prince.


    Queen Chioma, her lips pressed into a thin line, was poised to object when the maids reentered, trays of food bnced carefully in their hands.


    The tter of tes and the rich aroma of the meal temporarily silenced the room, forcing her to wait.


    But the moment the food wasid out and the maids stepped back, she opened her mouth to speak again.


    Before she could get a word out, King Ikechukwu raised his hand sharply, his tone cutting through the air like a whip.


    “Let’s eat.


    We’ve already wasted enough time,” hemanded, his voice brooking no opposition.


    And just like that, the conversation was over.


    The family ate in silence, a tense and heavy atmosphere hanging over the dining table.


    Resentment simmered in the eyes of most, none of them pleased with the king’s verdict.


    None, except for Nnenna.


    She sat quietly, piling her te with food, eating calmly as though none of it concerned her.


    Her indifference stood in stark contrast to the frustration radiating from everyone else, adding anotheryer of tension to the meal.


    After a while, the king set his cutlery down with a deliberate motion and dabbed his mouth with a napkin.


    The sudden gesture drew everyone’s attention.


    “I have an announcement,” he began, his voice steady butmanding.


    “We all know Princess Ebere’s birthday ising up in a few weeks.


    Initially, I nned for it to be a small gathering, just us and a few close rtives and friends.


    But I’ve changed my mind.”               He paused for effect, letting the weight of his words sink in.


    “You will have a grand ball instead,” he dered.


    King Ikechukwu’s words caused a wave of murmurs around the table, but this time, they were filled with excitement.


    The oppressive atmosphere began to lift as smiles reced tense expressions.


    Everyone was eager to show off at the ball, and the idea of celebrating the kingdom’s only princess made it all the more appealing.


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