Chapter 86 Slander
Chapter 86 Slander
“I was just enjoying the show,” Rio said with a smile, leaving Rhea completely confused.
She shifted her gaze to Casimir, staring at him questioningly. ‘To live?’ She thought, her mind flooded with questions. Casimir had just overruled the judges’ decision, but why? Casimir and Rio were sworn enemies. There was no way he would save him, let alone protect him. Unless…
When realization finally dawned on her, she looked back at Rio and scoffed, amusement flickering in her eyes. He winked at her, clearly enjoying her reaction, which made her face redden in embarrassment. It seemed she was the one who had been fooled, not the other way around. Rio kept surprising her, and she hadn’t seen it coming at all.
“Alpha!” The man called, demanding an explanation.
“Rio Blackfang is not guilty of his charges. He only did what he was ordered to do,” Casimir revealed, and murmurs spread through the hall.
Rhea’s gaze landed on Florence, and she noticed how her expression shifted from arrogant to nervous. She never imagined a day would come when she would see any look other than arrogance on Florence’s face.
“Silence!!” The man ordered, restoring quiet to the hall.
“Alpha, might you shed more light on this matter?” The man urged.
“He did give the invaders access to the packhouse, but it was on higher orders. If not for him, I would not have been able to save many of my men at the barracks. One of the invaders sent by Rio provided the information I needed. He also helped one of my men inside the packhouse,” Casimir divulged, his gaze settling on Rhea. No wonder Rio had agreed so easily to her terms. She had been a fool to think the document was the reason.
“Can we know who ordered him to do it?” The man inquired, causing Casimir to turn to him. The man immediately lowered his gaze in fear.
“I wouldn’t dare question you, Alpha. It would only please the people to know the truth,” the man said, head bowed.
“Or do you not believe your Alpha?” Rio added, deliberately instigating trouble.
“We wouldn’t dare. Don’t put words in my mouth, Rio,” the man snapped, throwing daggers at him. Rio’s lips curved in satisfaction, clearly enjoying their reactions.
“You wouldn’t dare speak to me that way if this were three days ago,” Rio threatened, his gaze hardening enough to make the man swallow hard.
“Who was it that ordered you to let the invaders in?” Rhea asked, turning to Rio, eager to end the ordeal as quickly as possible.
“Why does it matter? Your Alpha would never be able to touch them anyway,” Rio mocked, directing a taunting smirk at Casimir.
“Are you afraid to say it?” Rhea challenged, knowing it was the one thing Rio hated most. Being challenged. He would go to any length to prove he was capable.
“You already know the answer, but it is not my place to give it. Why don’t we wait for your Alpha to decide?” Rio said, and all eyes turned to Casimir, awaiting his response.
“Alpha,” the man called.
“It was Lady Florence who gave the order,” Casimir revealed, drawing all attention to Florence. While some faces showed shock, others looked as though they had known all along.
Chuckling darkly, Florence spoke calmly despite the many eyes on her. “It has come to the point where you slander me simply because you are unable to find any faults in me.”
“Slander?” Rhea replied. “At the time of the incident, you were the only higher-up powerful enough to let the invaders in. They entered with ease, and our men were killed effortlessly. It was as if they never put up a fight…and they were unarmed. Unless someone with authority ordered them not to fight, how else could they have surrendered so easily?” Rhea disclosed, and the crowd erupted into another wave of murmurs.
“That makes sense.”
“There’s no way the men at the packhouse could have been unarmed.”
“I always knew she was evil.”
The onlookers whispered among themselves, causing Florence’s gaze to harden as her hands clenched beneath the table.
“You call me the only higher-up, yet we have the former Alpha’s most beloved concubine in the packhouse. She is powerful enough to let them in, why not accuse her? Is it not strange that I am the one you chose to blame?” Florence retorted, prompting Rhea to scoff, unsurprised that she would drag an innocent into it.
“The same concubine you claim is powerful went blind ages ago, all thanks to one of your schemes. How could someone who can barely see and has no connection to pack affairs collude with invaders? You must think we are children,” Rhea countered, causing eyes around the hall to widen.
“Lady Rhea, are you certain of the claims you lay upon Lady Florence? You know that speaking lies in this court is punishable by death,” the man warned, watching her closely.
“You were part of the judges that judged the case years ago, weren’t you? Why don’t you tell us what truly happened that day?” Rhea pointed out, making the man visibly nervous.
Seeing the tables turn against him, he cleared his throat. “That was long ago. The matter at hand is what we must address. There will be no obstruction in this court.”
“Fool,” Rhea muttered, turning away.
“Do you plead guilty to these crimes, Lady Florence?” the man asked. She burst into laughter.
“At least if you intend to frame me, make it convincing. How can you accuse someone without evidence?” She replied, earning nods of agreement from some onlookers.
“Bring him in,” Casimir ordered. A young man entered, bowing to the Alpha before stepping forward to stand beside Rhea and Rio.
“He is in possession of the phone containing the recording of your discussion with the invaders. Would you like us to play it, or would you prefer to admit to your crimes now?” Casimir said, his gaze dark as they locked onto her. Goosebumps rose on Florence’s skin as her hands began to tremble, her eyes twitching.
She shot to her feet and slammed her hands on the gavel, shouting, “What is wrong with wanting to negotiate with the invaders?! I called them in for that very reason because the Alpha was absent! I am next in line to give orders in the Alpha’s absence!”
That made Casimir smile, not at all disappointed in her defense.