What Separates Me and You

When Josephine awoke the next day, the first person she saw wasn't Lewis. Instead, it was Avery. Wondering if she had hallucinated, she rubbed her eyes and checked the person before her again. She sat

upright after confirming it wasn't a hallucination.

"Slow down." Avery was still injured, so her actions were stiff when she helped Josephine sit.

Josephine grabbed Avery's arms and stared at the latter. She was terrified Avery would vanish if she blinked. "Avery?"

Avery nodded at once. "Yeah, it's me. Are you feeling better?"

"Why are you here?" Josephine answered.

A sigh left Avery's lips. "Lewis asked me to come. That asshat only thinks about me when things get bad. What does that say? Well, it proves even he knows I matter more to you than him. Am I right?"

It wasn't the first time Avery had asked that question. Josephine didn't understand why Avery kept comparing herself to Lewis when it came to such things. Still, Josephine smiled and nodded upon seeing her expectant gaze.

That brightened Avery's mood, but she soon noticed Josephine's sickly complexion. Concern soon flickered in her eyes as she asked, "Josie, it's just been a few days since we last saw each other. Why have you become like this? What did Lewis do to you?"

Josephine lowered her gaze while shaking her head.

Avery didn't question further since the former refused to speak about it. "Oh, whatever. You must stay strong. You're still young, so you shouldn't end your life over that rotten asshat! I haven't even traveled the world with you yet.

"Hey, have you seen Rime Ice before? It happens when supercooled water droplets freeze on things. I'll show you! Here are some pictures I took last winter. I haven't even sent them to you yet." She opened her phone's gallery and clicked on a series of pictures to show Josephine. One was a picture taken on a mountain, where a blanket of snow covered everything.

There were also frozen icicles hanging from the trees. Everything about it seemed magical and pristine. It was as if one's soul could become purified from being there. The place was akin to paradise. "Isn't it beautiful? But it's more spectacular if you witness it in person. I'll take you there after you recover."

Josephine stared straight at the photos. Her insides churned like a mixture of emotions because everything she saw felt unattainable. She was unlikely to see such scenery in person in her current lifetime. Meanwhile, Avery reflected on the conversation and realized why Lewis had asked her there. He wanted her to help ease Josephine's depression. Although Avery disliked Lewis, she wouldn't stop caring for Josephine because he was in the picture. After all, she still wanted Josephine to have a good life.

"Josie?" Avery called out.

That snapped Josephine out of her daze. Her lips curled into a smile as she answered, "Sure, let's do that."

Avery smiled too. "Then, it's a promise. You'd better get well soon. Do you hear me?"

"Mm-hmm!" Josephine nodded.

In the meantime, Lewis smoked in the hallway. He heard everything the two had said from out there. With both hands on the staircase's railing and a cigarette between two fingers, he gazed down at the two dogs playing in the living room.

Yannis approached him to cautiously say, "Mr. Alvarez, it's time to change your bandages."

Lewis put out the cigarette with his foot. "What will happen if I refuse?"

"Well, nothing much. You'll just recover slower."

"Get out of my sight."

"Yes, sir." With that, Yannis scampered off in a hurry.

Not long after that, Avery exited the bedroom with her walking cane. She shut the door but frowned when she noticed Lewis standing not far away.

After storming up to him, she scoffed, "What the hell is going on, Lewis? What did you do to her? You asked me to comfort her but didn't tell me what happened. Why do I find you more aggravating by the second?"

Lewis calmly waited for her to finish before voicing, "That doesn't concern you."

Avery snorted. "Dude, do you see me? I'm still a fucking hospitalized patient! I came here because you asked me. Yet, you're now telling me whatever this is doesn't concern me? If that's the case, don't ask me to come over anymore!"

Even then, Lewis remained composed. He merely changed the topic by asking, "Is she better?"

Another snort left Avery. "I see how it is. You must have angered her so much that she ended up like this, huh?"

While giving him a thumbs up, she added, "You've got quite the knack for pushing others' buttons! Josie must be the unlikest woman to be involved with you."

Lewis would have already kicked her out of the premises if she said that to him in the past. Shockingly, he didn't react much this time. He even nodded. "You're right."

Avery was at a loss for words and didn't know how to respond. She later asked, "So, you've started to reflect on yourself, huh?"

Lewis kept mum. His arms were still against the railing as he gazed into the distance. His thoughts were unreadable.

Seeing that Lewis refused to speak, Avery questioned him again, "What the hell happened, Lewis? Tell me the truth, or how will I convince Josephine? Well? Say something. Aren't you great at commenting?" Lewis turned to meet her eyes. "Commenting about what?"

Avery was close to blowing up at him. "Fine. Then, let me ask you this-what exactly do you feel for her?"

This time, he replied candidly, "You don't need to know."

Avery huffily limped away. She relied on her cane for stability while snarling, "Don't ever ask to see me again! You fucking psycho! You deserve the worst things in life! Why would anyone see anything in you?" She cussed him out as she left the building. Even when she had reached the yard, her enraged yells were still loud and clear.

Mrs. Larson snuck a look at Lewis. Yet, when she did so, Lewis happened to look at her. That startled her so much that she instantly lowered her head.

"Am I really that hateful to others?" he asked.

Mrs. Larson chuckled dryly. "Ms. Green is merely upset because she feels Mrs. Alvarez has received unfair treatment."

Lewis went to the bedroom and opened the door to see a sleeping Josephine. So, he shut the door before heading downstairs.

Although that conversation left Avery utterly furious, she still came over the next day. Yet, she and Josephine's chat lasted a short while. They spoke for an hour, at best. Then, Josephine succumbed to sleep. In the following days, Avery would visit Josephine. Yet, Josephine didn't seem to improve, no matter how much Avery chatted with her.

As for Lewis, his complexion dimmed hopelessly with every passing day.

Everyone in the villa lived in fear and treaded cautiously around him now.

Even Yannis, who got brought back after attempting to flee, dared not run away again. What Lewis needed was a human punching bag to vent at. With that in mind, Yannis knew Lewis wouldn't let him off the hook if he ran and got caught again. He wouldn't be as lucky as before.

Conrad brought a document to the living room. As expected, he found Lewis sitting on the couch while watching the television.

Lewis had been watching the same cartoon every time Conrad visited. At that rate, he lost count of how many times Lewis watched it. The sound of it only made him want to roll his eyes.

"Chairman Alvarez, these documents need your signature."

Lewis crossed his arms across his chest and fixated on the television.

It was baffling that a man dressed in a suit and tie would focus on a cartoon like that.

"Chairman Alvarez," Conrad called out to him again.

Lewis glanced the former's way, then replied, "Leave it."

Conrad awkwardly placed the document on the coffee table but spoke again. "Also, Kiran hasn't appeared yet. We've also investigated Quaddew Productions and found no links or traces to him. It's unclear whether he's left Elysium or planning something else."

Lewis picked up the remote and clicked on the next episode. "Keep an eye on Tanya. You can ignore everything else."

"Oh."

"Conrad."

"Yes, Chairman Alvarez?"

Lewis asked, "What do you do when you're alone?"

"What?"

"If you had to live alone for the rest of your life. What would you do?"