Christiano was so adept at seduction and manipulation; which woman could resist him?
It was only a matter of time before Du Ruoxin gave up struggling.
Kohnberg followed the man's lead, "There's a new drug recently launched that's effective for nerves, sir. Would you like to try it?"
Christiano gave a soft "Mm."
Any drug would do; he was just putting on a show for Ruoxin, he wasn't actually going to take it.
The two chatted for a while longer.
Kohnberg, confirming Christiano's calm and relaxed state of mind, moved the display screen in front of him. "There are some test questions here, sir. Please choose."
"Two seconds to complete."
She instructed as always.
For each question, Kohnberg needed to see his most genuine reaction, not an answer carefully considered to appease her.
Every time Christiano visited, she would give him some small tests to complete.
They had met once a week for the past two months, a total of nine times.
In the beginning, Christiano would ponder for a very long time over the tests. She said two seconds to complete, but he could take two minutes, afraid of choosing the wrong answer and having his true thoughts exposed.
He was even uncooperative, uniformly choosing "A" for every multiple-choice question.
Faced with such resistance from a client, Kohnberg was not distressed.
As the spokesperson for the Rothschild family, Christiano's mind was undoubtedly exceptionally sharp, and his heart unusually strong. Ordinary people could not pry into his inner workings.
But who was she?
The most formidable psychologist in America, the one most adept at peering into people's hearts.
As Kohnberg interacted with Christiano more, she gradually began to understand his thoughts.
A man who had experienced the vicissitudes of life, witnessed all sorts of human behavior, and spent his days immersed in deception and intrigue, confined by impenetrable walls – what weaknesses could he possibly have?
His only weakness was Du Ruoxin.
She was his obsession.
She was the insurmountable life-and-death trial he could not overcome.
Kohnberg could see through Christiano's heart but could not find a way to break through.
Unless he was willing to cooperate, to stop resisting the tests, and to no longer fill in all his answers with "A."
"Sigh..."
As Kohnberg walked into the reception room, she heard Du Ruoxin sigh softly.
"What's making you so melancholic?" she asked.
Du Ruoxin instantly suppressed her emotions and looked up, "How is my brother?"
Kohnberg: "He's doing well, undergoing tests."
Du Ruoxin: "Mm."
Kohnberg chuckled, "Don't look so devastated, as if you've lost your parents. Some things can't be rushed; you have to leave it to time."
Only time could provide the answers.
However, she didn't know that as time, with its magical properties, unfolded, it was uncertain whether Christiano would win Du Ruoxin's heart first, or whether she would first discern Christiano's true nature.
It was unknown.
"Mm," Du Ruoxin nodded. "By the way, I'm going to England for a while, a month or two, or perhaps longer. What about him?"
If she didn't come, he certainly wouldn't come obediently.
Kohnberg: "When you have time, video call me anytime."
Du Ruoxin: "That's the only way."
Soon, Christiano finished his tests, received the medication prescribed by Kohnberg, and left the psychology center with Du Ruoxin.
Before they left, Kohnberg reminded them, "Mr. Rothschild has been experiencing some liver fire lately. If you can't control it, you can take a tranquilizing pill."
Du Ruoxin: "???"
She secretly glanced at her brother, only to see him looking at her as well.
Du Ruoxin averted her gaze as if caught stealing.
Christiano: "—"
They were silent as they entered the elevator.
Only after reaching the basement and Christiano getting into the driver's seat of the luxury car, with Du Ruoxin in the passenger seat, did he speak.
He stepped on the accelerator, and the car merged into the bustling traffic on the asphalt road.
Christiano then said, "I recently had an investment failure and lost some money."
Du Ruoxin: "What project?"
Christiano: "Metaverse."
Du Ruoxin: "...Oh."
It was essentially the future concept of the internet. She had heard her brother mention it twice, but she hadn't researched it.
"Is it serious?" she asked again.
Christiano smirked, "Can you sing me a song? As soon as I hear your voice, all my troubles disappear."
Du Ruoxin: ￣□￣｜｜
She turned on the car's audio system.
"I'm going to England. Miranda's new movie is starting production, possibly for three to five months." Looking out the window, Du Ruoxin said with a cold heart, "I've already called my mother-in-law. She'll come to take care of Dou Dou."
"Mm," Christiano had no objections. "It so happens I have matters to attend to in England as well. Let's go together."
Du Ruoxin: ... I don't believe a word he says!
Her mouth twitched involuntarily, and she said with a heavy heart, "Isn't Clara's due date in the next day or two? Won't you be there to witness the birth of your child?"
Christiano said coldly, "You're the one who wanted the child, not me."
He had said long ago that he would not be responsible.
Du Ruoxin felt even more disheartened, a lump in her throat that almost gave her a myocardial infarction.
No matter how much Clara was disliked, or how much her brother disliked Clara, the child was innocent. How could her brother say such a thing?
And the child was, after all, his biological offspring.
Du Ruoxin was extremely upset, "Yes, that's what was said back then, but..."
A ringing phone call interrupted her.