Husband With Benefits
Chapter 748: An Enemy

Chapter 748: An Enemy

Lord Rupert Minney scowled at the stack of papers in his hands, flipping through the pages with increasing frustration. He had spent the better part of the night poring over these files, expecting to find something—anything—he could use. But to his utter disbelief, there was nothing. Not a shred of scandal, not even the faintest whiff of impropriety.

Princess Isidora Rosalind Sterling, heir to one of the strongest royal families in this part of the world was as spotless as a white sock! It was absurd. A woman in her position, a princess no less, hadn’t managed to get her hands dirty at all? No whispered rebellions against her family, no rumors of treating her servants poorly, no secret wild parties held behind palace walls. Not even so much as a parking ticket. The files were maddeningly clean. If they had handed him blank pages, it would have made no difference and would have actually saved him some time and sleep more.

How could this be? The girl was only twenty. She was young, rich, and privileged—there should have been something. A youthful indiscretion, a hidden vice, even a secret lover—anything that would hint she was more than the dull image these files presented. Instead, they made her sound like a cloistered nun, not a modern princess. A boring, prudish widow of eighty would have had more life in her than this!

Rupert pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to quell the rising tide of irritation. This was the girl Kael had fallen for? That spoiled, headstrong boy who had everything handed to him on a silver platter—this was who he had chosen?

"What is the meaning of this? I asked you to find dirt on her, and this is what you bring me? Do you think I will hand you over the money for something like this? She must have something. Three years away from the limelight, living quietly at university, and not a single blemish on her record? No dating rumors? No scandals? Nothing?"

Detective Preston cleared his throat nervously, fidgeting with the edge of his clipboard. "Well, sir... there was one rumor. We couldn’t confirm it, but it’s something."

Lord Rupert’s interest piqued, and he leaned forward slightly. Finally, a lead. Something he could work with. "Go on."

The detective shifted uncomfortably. "There were whispers that she might have been in a relationship."

Rupert’s thin lips curled into a smile at the revelation. So, she wasn’t as pure as she seemed. Perfect. A secret lover would be just the ammunition he needed. "An ex, you say?" Rupert’s voice dripped with satisfaction. "Good. Very good. Who is he? A commoner? Someone inappropriate?"

Preston swallowed, looking more uncertain by the second. "Actually, sir... the rumor is that she was dating Prince Kael. And it seems to match. He was there around that time last year..."

Rupert’s smile faltered. He stared at Preston as though he hadn’t heard him properly. "Kael?" he repeated slowly, incredulously. "She was dating Kael?"

"Yes, sir," Preston nodded weakly. "But, uh, we haven’t been able to confirm that either. It’s just a rumor at this stage."

For a moment, Rupert sat in stunned silence, his mind working to catch up with the revelation. Princess Isidora and Kael had been dating? That would explain their easy camaradarie and understanding that he had observed. But all this was useless to him. What he needed was to find a way...

While he was thinking, the detective continued," But, of course, we are unable to confirm this because of two reasons. One, Prince Kael has no records of contact with her since his return. There have been no phone calls, messages, emails or even direct messages on social media. The two are not even following each other on social media. Secondly, Prince Rafael."

That caught Sir Rupert’s attention." Rafael? What does he have to do with this?"

"There is whisper amongst his personal security. Prince Rafael has expressed his admiration for Princess Isidora on multiple occassions. We’ve even received news that he had considered giving up the throne to pursue her. These are some of the pictures of Princess Isidora and Crown Prince Rafael at a charity gala, a few months ago. It is said that the two spent the entire evening together."

"Many people also discussed about the possibility of a romance but the public relations team from Estania buried it."

Lord Rupert leaned back in his chair, his mind racing as he processed the new information. Princess Isidora and Crown Prince Rafael? Now that was interesting. His initial plan had been to find dirt on Isidora use it against her and Kael. But this... this was far more promising. If Rafael had expressed romantic interest in the princess and even considered giving up the throne to pursue her, it presented an entirely different kind of opportunity. He could exploit this to his advantage, driving a wedge not only between Kael and Isidora but also between the two brothers.

A slow, calculated smile spread across Rupert’s face as he formulated a new plan. If he could stoke the flames of whatever feelings Rafael had for Isidora, it wouldn’t just be a matter of creating jealousy between Kael and the princess. It would turn brother against brother, setting the stage for a larger, more destructive conflict.

"Rafael, you say?Good. Very good! You can collect your rewards from the butler outside."

As the detective left, Sir Rupert picked up his phone and dialed a number," Secretary? What is this about the trade agreement I hear between Petrovia and Estania? Hmm."

He paused and then smiled,"No. I don’t think I like the clauses much. Why don’t we slow things down and change things a bit. We need to make sure that Estania understands that Petrovia has the upper hand. Hmm?"

Lord Rupert laughed," Of course. You’re right! I knew a smart man like you would get the hint about what I mean... Yes yes.. Me? No no. No need to mention me. I’m just an old senile man. Just take the credit for it yourself. You would be deserving of it!"

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