Chapter 1479


    A psychiatrist?


    A young and beautiful psychiatrist...


    Vanessa thought, "Would such a young doctor be able to help Lawrie?"


    As if she could read Vanessa''s thoughts, Joey smiled and nonchntly said, "Miss Love, if you


    have any doubts about mypetence, you could talk it over with me, so you wouldn''t worry about


    itter on."


    "Oh, that''s not the case..." With just a single nce, Joey had seen right through Vanessa. Vanessa


    smiled awkwardly and said, "Dr. Joey, Lawrie is an introverted child. He''s quite shy. Just try to be


    gentle with him."


    Joey nodded in understanding. "Miss Love, to ease Lawrie''s psychological stress, do refrain from


    referring to me as ''Dr. Joey''. Joey is just fine. It''s much friendlier and allows me to carry out my work


    morefortably."


    Vanessa smiled and said, "Sure, Joey! Call me Vanessa too. Thank you for what you''d be doing for


    Lawrie."


    Joey reached out and shook Vanessa''s hand, "Nice to meet you, Vanessa!"


    After greeting each other, Joey said, "Helping Lawrie is no trouble at all, Vanessa. We''ll have to


    work hard together. My job is rather simple actually. I just chat with the child, and with their parents.


    The most important piece of the puzzle though, is the cooperation shown by the child''s parent."


    Vanessa earnestly said, "Joey, if there''s anything I can help you with, just let me know. I''ll do my


    best to cooperate."


    Joey said with a smile, "I''m relieved to hear that."


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    Vanessa added, "Lawrie''s my kid. It''s my greatest wish for him to grow up healthily, both physically


    and mentally. So, how could I not cooperate?"


    Joey exined, "A child''s growth is closely rted to the people closest to him. So, talking to


    people around him will help reveal any issues or problems he may be facing. That''s why I won''t be


    talking to Lawrie today. Instead, I''m talking to you."


    Vanessa happily epted that. "What do you want to talk about?"


    Joey asked, "Do you like Lawrie''s father?"


    The first question asked was heart-piercing. It left Vanessa at a loss for an answer.


    Could she tell Joey that Lawrie was an ident?


    Could she tell Joey that she did not even know who Lawrie''s father was?


    Could she tell Joey that she hated Lawrie''s father with so much rage that she wanted to tear his


    skin off alive?


    No way. She could not do that.


    Vanessa did not want the skeletons in her closet to be exposed and scrutinized by others. She did


    not want others to look at her as if she was a monster.


    She had been doing her best, her absolute best to forget that unbearable past.


    However, whenever she saw Lawrie, she just could not forget... Lawrie''s existence was a constant


    reminder of a past that she was trying her hardest to forget. A past that was real. A past that was


    not something that happened in a dream.


    Even without Vanessa''s answer, Joey had already gotten her answer based solely on her reaction.


    A child''s psychological problems were mostmonly caused by problems within the family. Ack


    of love between parents was one of the most important factors.


    A single question was adequate in assisting Joey to deduce where Lawrie''s psychological problems


    arose from. However, she would not easily jump to conclusions. She must continue learning about


    Lawrie''s problems in order to better help him.


    Joey pressed on, "If you don''t like Lawrie''s father, then why did you give birth to Lawrie?"


    Joey''s question was blunt and harsh, like a bomb exploding in Vanessa''s heart, making her


    frantically panic and want to hide in her own shell. "Dr. Joey, you''re here because of Lawrie. Can we


    stop discussing me, and start talking about him?"


    Joey was shocked at Vanessa''s attitude towards Lawrie''s father. This was well beyond what she


    had originally anticipated. She had assumed that Vanessa''s rtionship with Lawrie''s father was


    bad, but did not think that Vanessa would get so defensive, desperately hiding away and rebutting


    any mention of Lawrie''s father.


    Perhaps, this was the key to the problem.


    Joey did not give in and she continued pressing, "Vanessa, if you don''t want to talk about it, then I


    won''t pry any further. However, I want you to understand this. Your attitude towards Lawrie''s father


    may seem insignificant, but it ys a huge part in Lawrie''s mental health. You may not have


    outwardly said anything to Lawrie, but your expressions have sold you out, and Lawrie may have


    noticed it. This kid is more sensitive than others his age. So, he may have noticed it but kept mum


    about it. This gradual umtion in his heart may be the reason for his current problems."


    Vanessa was rendered speechless.


    She knew what Joey said was true. Her emotions did affect Lawrie, and the reason why Lawrie had


    turned out like this was because of her. Despite knowing this, she stillcked the courage to face


    the truth and confront the problem.


    Joey continued, "Don''t get me wrong, Vanessa. I''m here to help and I''m just trying to have a


    conversation with you, I have no other ulterior motives. So, you don''t have to keep your guard up


    with me. I still have to tell you though, sometimes it''s worth letting bygones be bygones. We


    shouldn''t carry them inside for too long because no one else would suffer but us. Why don''t you try


    sharing your fears and confronting them? Maybe then you''d realize that things aren''t as terrible as


    they seem."


    "Do it!"


    "Face your fears!"


    Vanessa had been thinking about this all the time. Now that she had heard it from Joey'', she


    instantly felt rmed and her defensiveness doubled. "Who the h*ll are you? What on earth do you


    want?"


    Joey exined, "It''s alright, calm down, Vanessa. I''m just a psychologist hired by Mr. Kyle.


    Everything I said to you was just based on my personal intuition and judgment. I have no knowledge


    of what happened in your past, and I''m not here to harm you. My goal is simple, I am a hired


    solution to a problem, and I hope that I''d be able to live up to the expectations and trust my friends


    have ced on me, and help Lawrie be as happy as his peers."


    Vanessa was not buying it. "You don''t know anything?"


    Joey replied, "I didn''t know anything before, but now I do. Don''t worry though, Vanessa. What we


    talked about today is fully confidential."


    "What do you know?" Vanessa was a little agitated. She looked at Joey, eyes full of suspicion. "Did


    Julien send you to get something out of me? What does he want to know?"


    Seeing how Vanessa was so wary of Julien, Joey could not help but feel helpless. She exined,


    "Vanessa, I think you might have misunderstood Mr. Kyle. He only asked that Ie and help


    Lawrie, and did not give any other instructions. In fact, it''s pretty clear to everyone how sincere he is


    to you. Why do you keep thinking that he''s up to no good?"