Chapter Six
"Are you sure you're fine, Seline?" Aaliyah asked for the third time that evening.
Seline glanced up from her laptop, her fingers hovering over the keys. "I'm good."
"It doesn't sound like it. I know Adams was a good for nothing jerk, how could he—"
"Aaliyah," Seline interrupted sharply, her tone weary. "I really don't want to talk about the past. It's behind me. Besides, I've got another thing to stress over."
Aaliyah raised an eyebrow and perched on the arm of the couch. "What's the new distraction?"
"My new patient," Seline replied, tilting her laptop toward Aaliyah. "He made no fuss but... he's different. Intriguing."
"And? What's his name?"
"Jason Schnider."
Aaliyah froze, her jaw slack as she stared at Seline. "You don't say!" She scooted closer, leaning in with wide eyes. "The Jason Schnider? Is that what you just said?"
Seline frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"The Schniders are big-shot people! Billionaires! Everyone knows the name. Their family owns like half the city!" Aaliyah said, practically bouncing with excitement.
Seline arched an eyebrow. "For all we know, Jason might not even be part of the Schniders you're talking about."
Aaliyah rolled her eyes. "He is. I can feel it in my bones."
"Whatever you say," Seline muttered, closing her laptop with a sigh. She stared off into space, her mind racing. Was Jason Schnider part of the Schniders? Mr. Blake had emphasized his importance, so it seemed likely. But why was there so little information about him? Unlike the rest of his family, Jason was a ghost. No details, no public records. And then there was his face—why was he hiding it?
Aaliyah broke her train of thought. "Soooo, you've moved past Adams?" she asked cautiously.
"Of course," Seline replied, trying to sound confident. "I've got better things to think about now."
"The good-looking Jason, right?" Aaliyah teased with a sly grin.
Seline glared at her. "Who knows how he looks? And even if he does look good, that's not important. What matters is being a competent therapist and breaking through the thick walls he's built around himself."
"And through his heart," Aaliyah added with a wink.
"Not his heart," Seline said firmly. "Just... not his heart."
Aaliyah clapped her hands together. "We need to celebrate this, baby! Let me grab the wine!"
"Don't, Aaliyah!" Seline protested, but her friend was already halfway to the kitchen. "You're making things up!" she shouted after her, shaking her head.
Alone in the room, Seline glanced at the clock and cursed. "Shit," she muttered under her breath. "It's time to call old friends."
She stood and walked over to the window. The cool night air pressed against the glass, and the city lights twinkled like stars. Her reflection stared back at her, but her thoughts were miles away. Jason Schnider... what secrets was he hiding?
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