What Separates Me and You

Alan's footsteps halted. Without turning around, he said, "Let the past be the past. People need to look forward, and so should you."

With that, he left the ward without looking back. Lewis was left alone in the room to digest the information he just received. Lewis was spacing out, and the cigarette in his hand was extinguishing. Josephine couldn't help but give him a nudge.

Lewis snapped to his senses and glanced at her.

Josephine looked at the burnt cigarette between his fingers and remarked, "It's burnt out."

Lewis seemed to have just realized it as well. He casually glanced at it, seemingly oblivious to the reddened fingers. Expressionlessly, he extinguished the cigarette on the bedside table. There used to be an ashtray in the bedroom, but Josephine asked Mrs. Larson to remove it after Lewis moved out.

He didn't mind. He smoked wherever he pleased.

"You must have suffered to treat Sierra so well during those seven years. I'm going to sleep now. You can leave." Josephine started ushering him out, not wanting to continue the conversation.

Lewis remained seated.

Josephine threw back the covers and opened the window to let in the outside breeze. She wanted to disperse the smell of smoke in the bedroom.

Then she fetched a trash bin and tissues to clean up the cigarette ashes on the bedside table.

Lewis' gaze followed her movements. Once she finished cleaning up, she couldn't bother with him any longer.

She put down the trash bin and decided to leave the room.

Since Lewis liked the room so much, she might as well return it to him.

Josephine's hand had just touched the doorknob when she suddenly felt a grip around her waist. The man's breath reached her from behind.

"Don't go."

Josephine tilted her head, avoiding his breath. After a brief silence, she spoke softly, "Lewis, what do you really want?"

"I've been pondering that question for many years." He held her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. His tone was steady, yet Josephine could still hear a hint of helplessness. Lewis continued, "Perhaps humans are just perverse. They don't want what they have and desperately want what they can't possess.

"So, throughout one's life, they're constantly gaining and letting go. In the end, they gain nothing."

Josephine frowned. Her grip on the doorknob tightened.

She turned around, looked at Lewis, and called his name, "Lewis."

He lowered his gaze to meet her eyes.

Josephine smiled at him. "Tell me you love me, and I won't leave."

Lewis was slightly stunned.

His gaze intensified as he stared at Josephine. It was as if he was trying to see through her.

Josephine didn't back down either. They locked eyes, and a weird tension filled the air.

Josephine saw the emotions flashing across Lewis' eyes. They were too fleeting for her to grasp. For several moments, she felt he was about to speak, and her heart raced in anticipation. Yet, in the end, no words escaped his lips.

Josephine inwardly sighed in relief and laughed. "You can't say it, huh? Is it because you don't love me?

"Then why did you stop me from leaving? Chairman Alvarez, you can find Sierra. She'd probably be more than willing to play this melodramatic romance with you."

With that, she opened the bedroom door.

In the next second, Lewis grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Josephine stumbled, crashing into the door, which he then shut forcefully.

He pressed her against the door and closed in on her. He had been holding himself back for the past few days, but he could no longer do it. A sense of danger radiated from him. "Josephine, do you genuinely want to hear it, or are you just trying to provoke me?"

"If you really want to hear it, I'll say it, but if you're playing games with me ..." His tone turned icy. His voice was so low that only the two of them could hear. "I will make you pay a heavy price." Josephine's body tensed as she keenly detected the glint of danger in the depths of Lewis' eyes. It seemed like she did manage to provoke him.

She fought to steady herself and maintained the smile on her lips. "Getting angry already? It seems you're not as composed as I thought." Lewis chuckled too, but his laughter was devoid of warmth.

"Why would I be angry at you?" He caressed Josephine's cheek. "But next time, remember to use your brain before you speak."

Before she could respond, he had already released her.

"Rest early." As he spoke those words, his expression returned to normal. He gently pushed Josephine aside and pushed open the door to leave.

Josephine lowered her gaze, trying to rein in her emotions. Feeling drained, she walked over to the bed and sat down.

Meanwhile, Lewis had gone downstairs. Mrs. Larson saw him walking outside and boorishly sitting on the steps.

His black suit seemed to blend into the night.

He lit one cigarette after another.

Mrs. Larson stood inside the house, unsure whether to approach him.

After seeing Lewis go through five or six cigarettes, she sighed inwardly. She wondered why he and Josephine fought again.

After a brief contemplation, she decided to step outside. Standing behind Lewis, she called out softly, "Mr. Alvarez, your health isn't fully recovered yet. You should go back inside. It's windy out here." Lewis paid no attention to her. After a while, he seemed to hear some noise.

He glanced toward the dark corner. "What's over there?"

Mrs. Larson explained, "That's where Lucy and Ricky live."

"Lucy and Ricky?"

Mrs. Larson's lips twitched. How could he even forget the names of his own dogs? "They're the two golden retrievers that Mrs. Alvarez raised?"

"Let them out."

Mrs. Larson sighed and went to release the two golden retrievers from their cage.

As the two dogs were set free, they dashed toward the house with boundless energy. They seemed to have a strong attachment to the house. They would run toward the house whenever they were let out. Since Lewis was sitting at the doorstep, Lucy and Ricky hesitated to approach him. They circled him with their tails wagging. They dared not enter the house.

They seemed curious and cautious in his presence.

Lewis reached out and grabbed Lucy before roughly patting its head.

Lucy stuck out its tongue and remained still. It wagged its tail to please him.

Seeing this, Lewis chuckled. "You're just like your owner, aren't you? She used to be just like you, too."

Mrs. Larson wiped the sweat off her forehead. She couldn't believe Lewis was talking to the dogs in the middle of the night. He was becoming more and more unusual. Mrs. Larson quietly left. She didn't want to get into trouble.

Lucy shook her head and nudged Lewis' palm, seemingly wanting to lick his fingers.

Before long, Lewis grasped the back of Lucy's neck and brought it closer to him. Lucy's wagging tail ceased. It slowly drooped. Eventually, it tucked its tail between its legs.

Lewis mumbled to himself, "You're locked up for too long, and once you're set free, you become ignorant. It's better to keep you locked up."

Lucy couldn't tolerate his grip anymore. It struggled to escape from his grasp.

Lewis chuckled. He tightened his grip and pulled Lucy back.

Lucy yelped in pain, trying to get away. Observing Lucy's distress, Ricky barked furiously at Lewis from the side. Yet it sounded somewhat uncertain and lacked confidence. Ricky didn't dare to intervene. Josephine heard everything upstairs. She stood up, opened the door, and rushed downstairs.