Chapter 1926: Psychotherapy

Providing professional psychological guidance was beyond Roxanne and Lucian's capabilities. They left the Lann family mansion, returning to the car where James had anxiously awaited. His distress was evident.

“Lucian, Roxanne, how’s the situation? Is my mother all right?”

Lucian replied, “It’s a mixed bag. Roxanne has temporarily stabilized Mrs. Lann’s condition. Professor Zucker and his team are providing psychological intervention. Don’t worry; there will be a solution.”

James, seemingly unaware of the details, was taken aback. Roxanne, understanding her husband’s feelings, immediately addressed James.

“How could you keep this from us? You should have been honest from the start! So much has happened since the Alendor trip; you should have told Lucian immediately,” she scolded.

Only then did James realize Lucian’s anger stemmed from his secrecy. A guilty look spread across his face as he explained, “It’s my fault. I thought I could handle it, but things went wrong. Lucian, I’m sorry.”

Lucian, still somewhat bitter, patted James’ shoulder. “James, don’t try to shoulder everything alone in the future.”

Despite Lucian’s taciturn nature, Roxanne understood his feelings. Jonathan and Elektra had faced similar issues, and now it was James’ turn. These were his lifelong friends, people he implicitly trusted, yet all had withheld truths.

James nodded and slowly recounted his past, mentioning his aspirations to become a psychologist and his numerous attempts. He hadn’t told Lucian because the latter already carried many responsibilities running the Farwell family business.

As they spoke, Roxanne noticed a troubling sign. Deep down, James, like his mother, was haunted by his aunt’s death. He, too, suffered from a psychological disorder. He must have tried countless treatments, yet remained unable to fully reconcile with the past. The core problem was Yennefer. During her episodes, Yennefer’s hallucinations of Sheba would lead her to blame James, cursing him and wishing him dead. No one could endure such relentless accusations, even knowing Yennefer’s state.

Roxanne felt a headache coming on and looked at her husband. Lucian’s eyes mirrored her concern. James’ mental state was unstable.

“James, the past is the past. You didn’t cause Mrs. Lann’s condition. Don’t dwell on it! Trust Roxanne, Professor Zucker, and the others. They will help Mrs. Lann recover,” Lucian’s voice pulled James from his memories.

James offered a sheepish smile. “Lucian, I’m fine.”

But he wasn’t. Using the need to check on the situation as an excuse, Lucian and Roxanne returned to the villa. In the courtyard, Lucian worriedly stated, “Darling, what should we do? Even James seems troubled. How can we resolve this long-standing emotional knot in their family?”

Roxanne fell silent. While a skilled doctor, they faced a psychological illness. Physiological treatment could only do so much; true healing required reconciliation with one's own feelings.