Chapter 8 Stress-Related Mental Disorders

Something was definitely off with Barry; he looked like he was freaking out!

Sophia rushed over, grabbed Barry from Lorenzo's arms, and held him close, whispering, "It's okay, it's okay now."

Barry was breathing hard, still glaring at Lorenzo with red eyes, but he wasn't struggling like before. Diana finally let out a sigh of relief and started chewing out Lorenzo. "Why the heck did you have to take him away?"

Lorenzo shot a nasty look at Sophia, scratched his neck awkwardly, and turned to Diana, "Mom, I was just playing with Barry! How was I supposed to know he'd freak out?"

"Just eat your food!"

Sophia felt Barry's heartbeat, staring at his red eyes, her heart tightening. His heart rate was all over the place. After checking his pulse, she sat down, holding Barry.

She was sure Barry had some kind of stress-induced mental issue! If they didn't handle it right, it could turn into something worse.

Barry slowly calmed down, sitting there with a blank look, still upset. Sophia kept him close, patting his back now and then.

"Everyone, let's eat before the food gets cold," Diana said. The Martinez family sat down and started eating like nothing happened.

Leila rolled her eyes at Sophia and shot an annoyed look at Lorenzo. Lorenzo was sick of Leila. Annoyed, he put some food on her plate and muttered, "Just eat your food!"

Sophia looked down and asked calmly, "Why did Barry seem a bit off just now?"

Diana immediately looked up, "What do you mean?"

"It seems like Barry has some symptoms..." Sophia began, choosing her words with care. She needed to know if the Martinez family was aware of the issue since she hadn't seen Barry take any meds lately.

Diana's reaction was instantaneous and fierce. She slammed her utensils down, instantly pissed. "Are you implying Barry is sick? Who do you think you are, cursing him like that?"

Diana thought about how Barry had been lonely since he was a kid, with only her doting on him. Now, he finally found someone he wanted to get close to, and it turned out Sophia was that kind of person—calling him sick right off the bat! How could she?

Leila put down her knife and fork, chiming in, "Don't talk nonsense, Barry is perfectly fine. What do you mean? Don't think that just because you married Nicholas, you can point fingers at Barry!"

With Leila stirring the pot, Diana's look towards Sophia got even more displeased.

Leila continued, "Sophia, in this family, know your place and what you should and shouldn't meddle in! Don't make people dislike you!"

Hearing those words, Sophia's eyes darkened. It seemed like the Martinez family didn't think Barry was sick and had never taken him to see a doctor.

"Diana, Leila, that's not what I meant," Sophia began, striving to keep her tone even, "With my background in medicine, I've become quite attuned to noticing these things. Barry's symptoms are reminiscent of others I've seen in children. I only asked to gain a better understanding."

Leila's eyes flashed with malice. "Can any other kids compare to Barry?"

"Enough!" Diana was fed up with the noise, slamming the table. "Can't we eat in peace? No talking during meals!"

The large dining room fell silent, only the sound of cutlery clinking could be heard. Sophia lowered her head, feeling more puzzled. The Martinez family was a top-tier household in Emerald City. They should be on top of their kids' health, and Barry's symptoms were pretty obvious, so why hadn't they treated him?

She looked at the little head beside her, then turned to eat slowly. Her mind wandered to the babies she hadn't seen much of after giving birth to them, filling her with sadness.

'Well, another patient to my list is no different!' Sophia thought.

After dinner, Sophia continued treating Nicholas, covering him with silver needles. Jace watched with wide eyes. Even seeing it a second time, he was still amazed by how fast she inserted the needles.

After finishing, Sophia opened Nicholas's eyes to check his pupils, then walked to the study. She stayed inside for a long time, making Jace wonder if doctors didn't need to watch during acupuncture.

His anxiety only intensified as he noticed the needles quivering more than before. Frowning, he was just about to call out to Sophia when she emerged from the study, holding a pen and a sheet of paper.

Without missing a beat, she set the paper on the small table at the foot of the bed and began to swiftly remove the needles near Nicholas's heart. Eyes closed, she placed her fingers on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. In one fluid motion, she opened her eyes and started to scribble quickly on the paper.

"Here," she said, handing Jace the paper. It was filled with hurried, elaborate handwriting that looked like a field of wild flowers to him. Completely unreadable. "This is the prescription, just give it to the pharmacist."

Jace was just about to leave with the prescription in hand when Sophia's voice called him back.

"Wait!"

"Mr. Martinez, is there anything else?"

"There's another prescription to write," Sophia said. Realizing she had forgotten to write Barry's prescription, she quickly scribbled it down and handed it to Jace.

"Keep these two medicines separate and bring them back to me," Sophia reminded him while swiftly removing the remaining needles from Nicholas.

"Got it!" Jace responded, and Sophia, while removing the needles, thought about Barry's prescription. After this treatment, what should be given next, and how to treat him without attracting scrutiny from a family that was always breathing down her neck, evaluating her every move.

Outside, the sound of a car speeding away could be heard. Lorenzo stood on the balcony, watching Jace drive away, then looked at Sophia's open door. He raised an eyebrow, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

The other side quickly answered, and Lorenzo coldly said, "He's gone, keep an eye on him! Watch closely! See what he buys and find out what it's for."