Chapter 157: Quicksand

Cassius laughed, shaking his head. "Of course not. I'm a father! No matter how many problems I have to face, I have to face them all."

A wistful smile on his face. "But I never feel alone. Even on my worst days, when I see you, Seren, and your mother smiling because we have food on our table, half of my burden disappears like a bubble."

Lucien felt confused, furrowing his brow. His father reprimanded him for not sharing his problems and burden with Brigantiea and Lithira, yet his father did the same thing.

"Why do you do that?" Lucien asked, crossing his arms. "Aren't you the one who told me to share my problems?"

Cassius sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "Well, it's because you're not a father yet. You know, being a father is sometimes harder than being a leader. You won't understand it until you become one."

He took a long, deliberate breath, his eyes closing for a moment. "When a father falls apart, the family often follows."