Chapter 1

I’m a hypnotherapist.

Many people think we’re like clear mountain springs - tranquil and pure. In reality, we deal with people’s psychological issues every day.

As they say, ‘When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back.’ The monsters in our clients’ minds often project onto us, creating new monsters within ourselves.

Most of the time we can self-regulate. When we can’t, we turn to colleagues for help.

“It was a case of chronic infidelity,” I made up a story. “The wife is notoriously promiscuous. She used to cheat discreetly, but after her husband found out, she started brazenly bringing men home.”

“The husband, my client, loves his wife deeply and doesn’t want a divorce. He’s suffering terribly.”

I rolled over with a frown. “Why are you women so unfaithful?”

“That’s totally unfair! You can’t lump all women together like that,” Olivia pinched my waist playfully. “Not all women are unfaithful. It depends on their moral standards.”

“Some women have no moral bottom line and sleep around. Others, like your wife, have very high standards. I’m your first and I’ll be your last, for life.”

I couldn’t detect anything amiss from her micro-expressions.

But that was normal. It would be abnormal if I could.

As an associate professor of mathematics, she’s far more intelligent than me.