Husband With Benefits-Chapter 843: Cai’s Call

"Dad. Are you quite disappointed in me?" Caius asked, his voice tight with uncertainty. He did not like disappointing his father.

Erasmi looked at his son, his expression steady and calm. "Did you kill someone without cause?" he replied, his tone almost casual. Rafe, standing nearby, blinked in surprise at the older man’s response, while Caius shook his head, a flicker of confusion crossing his features.

"Then I am not disappointed," Erasmi continued. "You did what you had to do to protect your love. There’s no shame in that."

Caius let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, relief washing over him. He glanced at Rafe, who shook his head slowly, a bemused smile playing on his lips.

Getting to know the Frost family had been an experience, one that challenged every expectation he had about nobility and power. It was like his childhood had all been a lie. The Frosts’ were different, profoundly so. They valued loyalty, love, and family above all else. They cared little for the superficial concerns that dominated the lives of those in the circle of the powerful.

Caius carried the weight of expectations as the oldest of the Frost family, much like him, and yet, he did not feel tied and repressed by it. Their priorities, their unwavering loyalty to each other—it was something Rafe almost envied. Almost. He wasn’t sure he agreed with what had just happened.

But it also inspired him, lit a fire within him that pushed him to confront his own choices and the path he wanted to carve out for his future.

"Uncle Eras," Rafe said, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice. "Are you really saying that as long as Caius hasn’t killed anyone, you’re not disappointed? But think about it—he just sabotaged his own career and everything he worked for. He could have talked to Lily, explained what was happening instead of acting impulsively and adding to all this trouble."

Erasmi chuckled, a warm sound that belied the seriousness of the conversation. "Rafe, just because Caius is a bit senseless doesn’t mean I can be disappointed in him. Right, Cai?" He turned to his son with a knowing grin.

Caius groaned, unable to suppress a smile despite himself. "Dad, you make it sound like being senseless is a virtue."

"It’s not a virtue," Erasmi said, "But it’s a sign that you have the courage to love with all your heart. Those things can’t be taught—and they’re worth more than perfection."

Rafe’s expression softened as he listened, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. Maybe there was something to learn from the Frosts after all, something deeper than the polished image of duty that defined his own upbringing.

For the first time in a long while, he felt a pull toward something simpler, something real. And maybe, just maybe, that could change everything. But, for now, he was curious what the Frosts; were going to do about the latest round of netizens abuse, calling Cai a user, player and someone not worthy of being a doctor.

"What I’m wondering," Erasmi said, "is why you’re here when you should be with Lily. You told me to find her, and I did. I led you to her. You went, saw her family’s situation firsthand, and now you’re back here instead of being there for her. It makes no sense. You’re only adding more problems for yourself."

"Dad," Cai responded, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Being with her right now will just bring her more trouble. I can’t believe her mother went that far just to force me out of her life. And her father’s health—it’s deteriorating. The doctor was clear: he can’t be under any stress. If Lily and her parents are fighting because of me, it’ll only make things worse. The last thing I want is to cause more pain for her, so I’m trying to keep my distance."

The room fell silent for a moment, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Cai’s jaw tightened, torn between his desire to help Lily and the fear of making things worse for her. He glanced at Erasmi, hoping to find some inspiration from his dad but it was useless. Suddenly, Rafe’s phone chimed, cutting through the tension like a knife. He turned away, muttering a quick, "Excuse me," as he checked the message. The brief silence that followed was deafening. When Rafe turned back around, his face was grim, shadows of worry etched into his features. Without saying a word, he placed his phone on the table in front of Cai and slid it over.

"Take a look," Rafe said, his tone low and serious. He then turned to Erasmi, eyes narrowing. "I don’t think Cai needs to make any decisions right now. But he might need to step in and save Lily after all."

Cai’s stomach dropped as he stared at the screen, taking in the post that Lily had written on her account, which was already going viral. Cai’s eyes widened as he read the post on Lily’s social media account. She had written: "I have always liked and admired Cai, and if life had given us the chance, I would have jumped at the chance to be with him. Any girl would and I consider myself lucky to have been close to him for a little while. What you heard in those words that were shared was an echo of those feelings. That I am happy with him, regardless if he sees me as myself or as Jasmine. "But he has always treated me with respect, as Lily, not as Jasmine. We may look alike, but our personalities are worlds apart, and Cai recognized that. He should not be ’prosecuted’ for my feelings of liking for him." Cai groaned. Why did this sound like a goodbye. Here he was trying to keep the storm away from her and instead she jumped into the eye of the storm brandishing an umbrella for ’protection’. "Dad. I’m going now." Cai said as he hurriedly stood up to leave. Since she’d already invited trouble, he could do nothing but stand next to her of course.