The Tyrant Billionaire

"I've also made many investments in Hong Kong, some of which involve purchasing land."

"You want to buy land in the UK?"

Princess Elizabeth asked, though she knew that there wasn't much land available for sale in the UK, as most of it was already privately owned.

"Not necessarily in the UK itself. Overseas territories would do too, perhaps a small island or two. I'm fond of the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. If I could buy them, I'd make myself the governor," Hardy said with a smile.

Hardy liked looking at globes. He had seen the future importance of places like the Cayman Islands.

In reality, the Cayman Islands were nothing special at the time, just a few small islands in the Caribbean. What would make them famous in the future was becoming one of the world's most well known offshore financial centers.

Of course, For now, they were just an obscure little group of islands that few knew about.

However, the future Queen knew about the Cayman Islands. The islands consisted of three main islands, with a total land area of about 260 square kilometers. They were currently under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Jamaica, with a population of only about 2,000 people.

The Cayman Islands were close to the United States, only 600 kilometers from Miami and 300 kilometers from Jamaica. They were centrally located in the Caribbean, with countries like Cuba, the Bahamas, Colombia, Venezuela, Haiti, Panama, Mexico, and Costa Rica surrounding them.

Hmm, Even the British colony of Jamaica was currently agitating for independence, and it was unclear when they would break away from the UK.

Princess Elizabeth thought that if Hardy wanted to buy the islands, perhaps they could be sold to him. She even had a slight feeling that she might be leading him into a trap.

"What does Mr. Hardy plan to do with the Cayman Islands if you buy them?" Princess Elizabeth asked.

"To be honest, Your Highness, I'm most interested in its geographical location. As you might know, I operate casinos. However, my casinos are in Las Vegas, and the distance from the East Coast to the West Coast is 4,000 kilometers. From Miami to the Cayman Islands, it's only 600 kilometers.

"If I could buy those islands, I could establish casinos there, mainly targeting customers on the East Coast. I could also develop tourism projects. The scenery there is even more beautiful than in Miami."

This idea came to Hardy after he saw the Mafia's Barzini family open a casino in Cuba.

It was 300 kilometers from Miami to Cuba, and 600 kilometers to the Cayman Islands. Though double the distance, it would only take about an hour by plane, so the difference wasn't significant.

At the time, Hardy thought that if he could buy the Cayman Islands and open a casino there, the business might be just as good as in Cuba. Then, as in the future, he could register a bunch of banks there, and money laundering would be incredibly profitable.

Princess Elizabeth knew Hardy had casino operations.

"If you were to buy the islands, would you have any other conditions? The British Empire does not allow its territories to break away," Princess Elizabeth said.

Hardy thought to himself, Haven't you lost enough territory in recent years?

"I would need full control. I can acknowledge that the islands will always belong to the UK, but all administrative powers must be mine. Essentially, they would be a fully autonomous territory."

Elizabeth wasn't surprised by this request. "Mr. Hardy, do you know when you plan to return to the United States?"

"If nothing comes up, I'll head back tonight," Hardy replied.

"Why not wait a little longer? I'll inform the Prime Minister of your intention to purchase the islands and see what the government thinks."

Hardy's heart skipped a beat.

Could this really be happening?

He had made the suggestion in half-jest. Even though the British Empire was strapped for cash, selling off territory wasn't exactly a respectable option.

Plus, he was an American. With the British's over-the-top pride and their Americanophobia, are they really so desperate that they are even considering this option at this time?

"Of course, I'll stay in London and await Your Highness's response," Hardy said.

After chatting with Princess Elizabeth, Hardy bid farewell, and naturally, Taylor followed him, as her luggage was still in Princess Margaret's quarters.

Hardy went along to help retrieve it. Taylor had a lot of luggage, and the royal servants assisted in packing it. Margaret watched Hardy, who was sitting in the living room drinking tea, and came over to sit beside him.

"I'm very envious of Taylor," Princess Margaret said softly.
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Hardy looked at Margaret's slightly pouting face. He knew why the princess envied Taylor—because Taylor had more freedom than she did.

Hardy took a sip of his tea without saying anything.

Margaret glanced at Hardy and asked in a somewhat gloomy tone, "Aren't you going to ask me why I envy her?"

"Why?" Hardy asked.

Margaret could hear the indifference in Hardy's tone, and it made her grit her teeth in frustration.

"Because I'm not happy. I'm not free. I spend my days in the palace, following endless protocols and doing what others expect of me. I'm essentially a puppet on strings. I can't see the meaning of life," Margaret said.

Hardy was a little surprised.

He hadn't expected her to see through everything so clearly. Perhaps it was because she was in the midst of it. Many people see the royal family as living in the lap of luxury, but in reality, every action of the royals is bound by rules. There's no room for deviation.

Any misstep could easily land them in the headlines.

A life like that really isn't meaningful. Hardy certainly wouldn't enjoy it.

As for Margaret's problem, Hardy didn't have a solution. To be honest, he didn't want to get involved.

Though Margaret was very beautiful, Hardy had no interest in her. Her status was too troublesome.