Chapter 23. Reflections on Duty and Doubt

Lucian’s POV

“Are you absolutely sure, Sire?” Frank’s voice resonated in the air as I meticulously adjusted my tie. Glancing at him through the reflection in the mirror, I observed his unwavering stance behind me, a stoic countenance etched onto his face.

“What do you mean by that?” I queried, meeting his gaze through the mirror’s glass. He maintained his posture, resolute and expressionless.

“You’ve never been an advocate of marriage,” he pointed out. I halted my tie-fixing attempts and turned to face him directly. Frank and I had grown up together, sharing a friendship that transcended the confines of our professional relationship. He had begun serving me at a young age, and our bond gradually deepened.

Indeed, he was correct. “I don’t,” I admitted.

“Yet here you are, preparing to enter into wedlock,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“I am becoming engaged,” I interjected, striving for precision.

“And subsequently, you will marry,” he hi