From the archive

You're not a good person. You're just afraid of conflict

You can do none of that. Let the conversation end. See whether the relationship actually falls apart or whether, for the first time, you've simply stopped performing your usual function. Some people will take your “no” perfectly calmly. Some might even start understanding you better. And some really will disappear, because their interest ended the moment the free service did. That's a shame. But at least now you know who you were actually dealing with. Kindness you choose freely doesn't require you to hate someone afterward for what you did for them. Try helping someone that way for once.