Husband With Benefits
Chapter 765: Why?

Chapter 765: Why?

"You tell me why," the older man said, his voice dripping with incredulity. His eyes narrowed, and his tone took on a biting edge. "After all, you’ve come this far, Princess Dora. So, go ahead. Tell me—why would I ever intentionally harm the very princes I’ve spent my life serving? I’ve done everything in my power to make them strong, to raise them above all others, to put them at the top of the food chain. So why, then, would I turn against them?" His lip curled as he continued, "Your allegations are not only outrageous but deeply hurtful, and quite frankly, not something I’m inclined to appreciate."

"Are you denying the charges, then?" Dora’s voice remained calm, her expression unreadable as she tilted her head slightly, watching his reaction.

The old man scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Denying the charges? Do you honestly believe you’re some kind of courtroom, where I must stand trial before you and defend my actions?" He gave a mocking laugh, though it sounded forced. "I have no idea why you’ve come here with this nonsense, but I can assure you I have nothing to do with—"

"Anna," Dora interjected softly, her voice barely above a whisper, yet the name hit him like a physical blow.

The change in the man’s demeanor was immediate and unmistakable. His body stiffened, and the mocking arrogance that had oozed from his words evaporated. His posture, once lazy and indifferent, transformed in an instant. Muscles tensed, eyes sharp—he now looked like a predator ready to strike, the sudden shift betraying a truth he’d hoped to keep hidden.

"How dare you besmirch my daughter’s name by bringing it up here!" Lord Rupert glared at her, even as he felt his lungs struggle to draw in air. He tightened his hand on his stick but continued to glare at Dora, trying to intimidate her.

However, Dora was not one to be intimidated. Instead, she leaned back in the seat and continued, as if the old man had not spoken. "Yes. One might wonder what kind of a grudge would you hold against the princes that you would do something like this to ruin them, to harm their brotherhood. But then, one does not need to look far away. Where is your daughter, Sir Rupert? She hasn’t returned to the country in more than a year. Why? You don’t look too well to begin with and your daughter, is busy studying abroad, not even making time to visit her old father? Why?"

Lord Rupert’s grip on his cane tightened, his knuckles white with tension as he stood up, banging his stick on the floor, "What does it have to do with you? If my daughter visits me or not? Why are you trying to involve her in your mess? She is innocent of all this!"

Dora leaned forward, her voice smooth. "If she’s innocent, then why hasn’t she returned? Why have none of her friends or acquaintances heard from her? Why haven’t you heard from her, Lord Rupert?"

"You have no right!" he bellowed, slamming the cane into the ground. "No right to speak about my Anna like this! My daughter is not your concern, do you hear me?"

"But she is, isn’t she?" Dora’s calm reply cut through his rage like a knife. "Because your hatred, your rage—it all started the day she vanished. It all started the day you decided to destroy them. To destroy Kael because you know that Kael is responsible for her death. On the surface of it all, you seemed to believe Kael when he said that he did not intentionally harm Anna, but you still blame him."

"Kael," he spat, his voice full of venom. "He... he killed her. Kael took my Anna from me, and for that, I will ruin him! I will destroy everything he holds dear, piece by piece, until there’s nothing left of him but the ashes of his broken life. It was Kael! Kael who destroyed me. He took everything from me! And then he had the gall! The gall to kneel in front of me and tell me that my Anna was probably in a better place and begging me for forgiveness!"

The older man’s entire body trembled with rage as he spilled the truth of his feelings. She was about to ask more, to press him further and even present the doubts that Rafael had shared with her, but before she could say another word, Lord Rupert swayed on his feet.

"Sir Rupert—" Dora began, but it was too late.

The old man’s eyes rolled back, and his legs buckled beneath him. His cane slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor as his body began to fall backward.

Dora lunged forward, catching him just before he hit the ground, her arms wrapping around his frail form. "Lord Rupert!" she exclaimed, trying to steady him. But as she held him, she felt the unnatural slackness in his body—his weight collapsing against her as his consciousness faded.

"Help!" she shouted over her shoulder. "Someone, help!"

But the room was empty, and Lord Rupert remained limp in her arms, his breathing shallow, his eyes closed. He had fallen into unconsciousness, and for the first time in their entire exchange, Dora felt a surge of fear for the old man she had so ruthlessly goaded.

Panic rising in her chest, she fumbled for her phone with one hand, keeping her other arm around the unconscious man and quickly called an ambulance.

"Stay with me. Don’t you dare die on me now."," she whispered urgently, lowering him carefully to the ground then before making another call. This time to Kael.

She ended the call and immediately shouted for the servants. "Help! Where is everyone?" Her voice echoed through the grand hall, sharp and demanding.

Within moments, footsteps could be heard rushing toward her. Two servants appeared, their faces going pale as they saw Lord Rupert’s limp form with Dora kneeling next to him

"Fetch hot water, blankets—anything! He’s out cold! Bring his medicine box as well."

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