"Fran has reached the age where marriage should be a serious discussion," Cedric said with a heavy sigh.

He continued, "I was well aware that Simon had been lusting after her beauty for a while now. But since he was my eldest apprentice—the child I raised from a young age—I chose to avoid confronting the issue."

He shook his head, his voice filled with regret. "In the end, my avoidance and weakness nearly destroyed Fran. It's all on me… such a cruel twist of fate."

Andrew could see the co