"Mr. Gale, do you have anything you'd like to say?"
Adam looked at the distressed young white man and continued, "If not, then let's wrap up for today. I'll help you get in touch with the most compassionate therapist."
Although he was curious, he wouldn't pry if the other person didn't want to talk.
In reality, Adam had already figured out most of the young man's distress.
His past familiarity with Japanese adult films, anime, and similar content made it so that nothing in this situation could truly shock him anymore.
After all, every possible classic storyline had already been filmed in Japan.
In this regard, Adam was indeed qualified to tell the young man, "As doctors, we've seen everything…"
Seeing Adam stand up, the young man panicked. It was already embarrassing enough to come see a doctor—switching to another one would mean another person knowing his secret.
That would be even more humiliating!
Besides, though this Dr. Duncan was young, he seemed quite professional.
Clenching his teeth, the young man reached into his backpack, pulled out his wallet, and handed a photo to Adam.
"As expected," Adam thought, holding back a chuckle.
The photo showed a stunning woman in a bikini, leaning against the kitchen counter with a radiant smile.
Well, well—this plot was all too familiar.
"Your stepmother?"
Adam's professional smile shifted to a more serious, clinical expression.
"How did you know?"
The young man was shocked. "It's like you already knew everything!"
"Well," Adam said in a professional tone, "for you to make up such an outlandish story, this woman must be very close to you.
"She's not your brother's girlfriend, which means the situation must be even more serious—likely involving deeper ethical issues.
"She looks young, in her twenties or at most just under thirty, which means she's only a few years older than you. That rules out the possibility of her being your biological mother. And judging by your features, you two don't share any genetic similarities.
"So, she's not your sister either.
"What other possibility is left besides a young stepmother?"
"…Yes," the young man admitted, now that Adam had pieced it all together. He seemed relieved that Adam wasn't looking at him with judgment. "She likes to walk around the house in a bikini—or even less. I—I can't stop thinking about her, no matter how hard I try."
Tsk!
Adam silently clicked his tongue in amusement.
A bikini was already revealing enough. What was "even less" supposed to mean?
"Is your father not home?" Adam asked.
"He's on a business trip in Europe."
The young man's emotions started to spiral. "So, it's just the two of us at home. She does this every day—and she even gives me massages! Every time she finishes, I have to lie there for an hour before I can get up…"
"She's seducing you."
Adam carefully observed the young man's microexpressions. With his advanced perceptive abilities and psychological training, it was nearly impossible for someone to lie to him.
And yet—
Adam wasn't entirely convinced by the young man's story.
The same event, described by different people, could lead to completely opposite conclusions.
Just like how powerful individuals accused of misconduct often insist that their victims were "playing along."
But obvious lies couldn't fool Adam.
And this young man wasn't the type to fabricate a story just to undergo chemical castration.
That left another possibility:
A mental illness.
Maybe his stepmother's seduction didn't actually exist, but his perception made it real to him. Overwhelmed by his own extreme moral compass, he sought drastic measures to prevent himself from crossing a line.
If that were the case—if even he believed his own words with absolute sincerity—then even Adam might struggle to tell the truth from delusion.
At this point, the possibilities were:
He was telling the truth. He had a psychological disorder.
Because everything he said was, in his mind, true.
"Isn't it obvious?"
The young man grew more agitated. "But she's my mother! I can't do this! That's why I came to you—to get a contraceptive injection so I can stay calm until my dad gets back or until I leave for college. Can you help me?"
Since the young man didn't seem to exhibit any clear symptoms of a psychological disorder, Adam chose to assume his story was true for now.
Most men, in this kind of situation, would make choices more in line with… well, Japanese media.
But this young man was willing to risk permanent chemical castration just to avoid betraying his father or breaking moral boundaries.
In that sense, he really was a good son.
Adam nodded to himself.
This was someone worth helping.
With that in mind, he grabbed a pen and paper, scribbled down a few lines, and handed the note to the young man.
"What's this?" the young man asked, confused.
"It's a contact," Adam said with a smile. "I have a friend who runs a charity. They have an office in New York and are looking for volunteers. You can work there part-time—they'll even provide you with a dormitory."
Adam chuckled. "Isn't moving out a lot simpler than chemical castration?"
The young man blinked, then broke into a relieved smile.
"Thank you—thank you so much!"
Adam wasn't surprised that the young man hadn't thought of such an obvious solution.
He was clearly a quiet, introverted type. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come up with such an extreme plan.
And as a soon-to-be college student with limited financial means, moving out hadn't even seemed like an option.
Poverty had limited his imagination.
Overwhelmed by temptation, he had fixated on solving the problem at its root—himself.
"You're a good son," Adam said as he stood up. "Stay true to that. I believe you'll make a great impact in charity work, too."
Someone with such a strong moral compass would likely do well in philanthropy.
Caroline's Ellis Charity Foundation could always use more people like him.
Who knows—maybe, years down the line, another Caroline would rise from among their ranks.
That would be Adam's good deed for the day.
At the Nurse's Station
"What kind of case was that?"
Susan asked with a smile.
"A moment of poor judgment."
Adam laughed and gave her a brief summary.
Susan chuckled, unfazed.
After four or five years in the ER, she had seen and heard her fair share of bizarre cases.
This one wasn't even that unusual.
"You handled it well," she complimented. "Though, only you could've pulled that off. What other doctor just happens to have a part-time job with immediate housing lined up?"
"It was just a coincidence," Adam said with a modest smile. "A friend of mine happened to be looking for volunteers."
Given his billionaire status, he preferred to stay as low-key as possible in his medical practice.
If the young man's moral integrity hadn't impressed him, Adam wouldn't have gone out of his way to help.
Susan gave him a knowing look but didn't press the subject.
They chatted for a bit longer before she was called away.
Just then, Alex wheeled a laughing African American man into the hall.
Adam's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.
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