Chapter 2388

The dim, damp basement smelled musty from the lack of sunlight. Suddenly, the door opened, followed by the sound of a wheelchair. The man inside looked up.

"Your Majesty, you came to see me," he said, offering a stiff smile. Once esteemed by all, the Duke was now a prisoner.

Yasmin stopped her wheelchair and quietly observed the man who had served her for decades. She asked blandly, "Fred, do you regret it?"

"Regret? Do I regret not starting the experiment earlier? Regret not realizing you were onto me from the start?" Fred chuckled. "I lost. What's the point of regret?"

Yasmin fell silent for a moment. "So you don't regret betraying me?"

She expected reflection, but it didn't seem forthcoming. Sitting up, Fred habitually smoothed his shirt, despite his unkempt appearance.

"My dear Queen, why would I? I never betrayed you."

"You never betrayed me?" Yasmin could hardly believe him.

"Of course! I only did what you asked," Fred smiled. "The lab and the R10 experiment are your ideas. When have I ever betrayed you?"

"Didn't you conspire with the officials around me?" Yasmin narrowed her eyes.

"I was only socializing with them. If you think that's conspiring, I have nothing to say."

"Then why did you hold me hostage?"

"That was for your safety, Your Majesty. I wanted to ensure the experiment went smoothly. Besides…" Fred sneered, "everything has been under your control, hasn't it? You could have left if you wanted to."

He naively assumed Yasmin had foolishly given him free rein simply because she had aged. A born leader, she had always dealt harshly with betrayal and opposition. Although older, she was far from senile. Still, she had hoped for repentance.

"Fred, how can you still try to justify yourself?"

"I'm just stating the facts. What do you want to hear, Your Majesty? That I'm sorry? I can say so, but I'm not. I never betrayed you, and I only did what you asked. I just…stepped out of line a bit," he gestured with his fingers.