?Chapter 1051:


    Amanda countered smoothly, “Should I pretend it’s because I have an insatiable love for listening to other people’s problems?”


    Rnd sat in silence for a few moments before shifting in his seat. He had expected Amanda to be different—more skilled, perhaps. But she was proving to be just like the rest.


    Just as he was about to stand, Amanda leaned back on the sofa, utterly unbothered, and said, “Whether you leave or not, I’ll still charge you for an hour. That’s two thousand.”


    Rnd’s face darkened. “You said it was free.”


    “Oh, it is. The drinks are free. The conversation? Not so much.”


    Rnd exhaled slowly, forcing himself to stayposed. “Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”


    Amanda took a small sip of her drink, watching out of the corner of her eye as Rnd clenched his jaw but remained seated.


    She leaned forward. “Tell me, have you had any suicidal behaviors since then?”


    Rnd’s voice was icy. “No.”


    “What about suicidal thoughts?”


    His tone didn’t waver. “No.”


    She studied him briefly before asking, “Shouldn’t you be in school at your age?”


    Rnd shot back, “I’m twenty-eight. What school would I be in?”


    Amanda nearly choked on her drink. “You’re twenty-eight?”


    “Is that a problem?”


    “No, no,” Amanda said, hastily grabbing two tissues to wipe her mouth. “I just wasn’t expecting you to be a year older than me.”


    Rnd smirked. “So, how does it feel to be making a living by scamming people?”


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    “I’m not scamming anyone,” she replied, gesturing to the banners, certificates, and a row of gleaming trophies disyed in the cab. “Can’t you see how many people are grateful to me?”


    “Two thousand an hour. You’ve got some nerve.”


    Amanda leaned back with a knowing smile. “Listen, we live in a world where expertise is valued and paid for. I provide a service, and I do it well. My conscience is clear.”


    “Easy for you to say.” Rnd’s jaw tightened. He had been one of the people caught in her web.


    He didn’t know how many others had fallen for her tactics, but one thing was certain—he wasn’t the first, and he wouldn’t be thest.


    Amanda ced her ss back on the coffee table. “So, it really was just the money keeping you from seeing a psychologist?”


    Rnd’s gaze snapped to her, sharp and wary. It felt as if she had just reached into his past and dragged out his teenage pride for examination under a harsh light.


    When Wade was alive, he had never let Rnd go without money. Now, Joelle and Adrian offered him money too, but something inside him resisted taking it.


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