Thank you, for listening

Chapter 19 : Unwanted Attention

Lucy Chen sat in her office, flipping through her notes in preparation for her next session. The previous patient had left her feeling slightly drained, their conversation having stirred up some complex emotions. She took a moment to center herself, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply. When she opened them, she reached for her water bottle, hoping to refresh her mind before the next appointment.

A knock at the door broke her moment of calm. Ms. Carson, the receptionist, stepped inside, clipboard in hand. "Ms. Chen, your 2 p.m. appointment is here—Louis Marquez."

"Thank you, Ms. Carson. I'll see him in," Lucy replied, offering a warm smile. Ms. Carson was always diligent and attentive, and Lucy appreciated her help in managing the office.

Ms. Carson set the clipboard down on Lucy's desk before heading back to the reception area. As Lucy glanced at the appointment notes, the door opened, and Louis entered the room. He walked with an air of confidence, a smirk on his face that immediately set off alarm bells in Lucy's mind.

"Hello, Louis," Lucy greeted him, gesturing for him to take a seat. "I'm Ms. Chen. It's nice to meet you."

He leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms, and met her gaze with an intensity that felt a little too familiar. "It's nice to meet you too... Ms. Chen." His tone was playful, almost flirtatious, and Lucy fought to keep her expression neutral.

"Why don't we start by talking about what brings you in today?" she prompted, trying to steer the session into a productive direction.

Louis shrugged, his smirk never fading. "Maybe I'm just here to see a beautiful woman for a change. Life's got its stresses, you know?"

Lucy raised her eyebrows but maintained a professional tone. "I understand that life can be challenging at times. I'm here to help you manage those challenges, but let's keep the focus on you."

"Alright, alright," he said, still smiling as he leaned forward, his gaze lingering on her a bit too long. "So, Ms. Chen, you got a boyfriend or something?"

Lucy blinked, slightly taken aback by his forwardness. "I do, actually," she replied, keeping her tone firm but polite. "And I'm here in a professional capacity, so let's stick to discussing your life, not mine."

Louis didn't seem fazed in the slightest. He gave her a knowing look, almost as if he found her answer amusing. "Boyfriends are temporary," he said with a wink. "You know, if you ever feel like trying something new..."

A chill of discomfort crept up Lucy's spine, but she kept her voice steady. "I'm here to help you, Louis, but please understand that I'm in a committed relationship, and this is a professional environment."

For the remainder of the session, she did her best to guide the conversation back to his experiences and challenges, though Louis frequently tried to derail it with flirtatious comments or subtle innuendos. Lucy responded firmly to each attempt, reminding herself that maintaining professionalism was her priority. After what felt like an eternity, the session came to an end, and Lucy felt a surge of relief as she walked him to the door.

"Thank you for coming in, Louis. I look forward to our next session," she said, keeping her voice steady.

Louis gave her one last look before leaving, that same smirk still in place. "Looking forward to it, Ms. Chen," he said, his gaze lingering on her a little too long before he finally walked out.

As the door clicked shut, Lucy sank back into her chair, exhaling slowly as she tried to shake off the lingering discomfort. She reminded herself that as a professional, she'd handled the situation appropriately, but it didn't help the knot of anxiety that had formed in her stomach. The rest of her afternoon was busy, filled with clients who needed her support, and she managed to refocus on her work, pushing the unsettling interaction with Louis to the back of her mind.