What Separates Me and You

Seth shifted his gaze to Lewis, a touch of mockery appearing on his lips. "I'm sure you know what I mean."

Lewis' eyes narrowed, the temperature surrounding them dropping a few degrees as well.

The longer he ceased to speak, the deeper Seth's smile turned. "Playing dumb, are you?" Then, he turned to walk toward the cemetery, talking as he did. "When it comes to shirking from your responsibilities, you, Lewis, are an expert."

Josephine listened in a perpetual state of confusion. As her eyes followed Seth's departing figure, she took the chance to glance at Lewis and signed, "Is he talking about me?"

"No." Lewis schooled his face into a blank mask before wiping the drool from her mouth with a tissue. "Don't work yourself up into a frenzy over nothing."

Josephine nodded. Her mouth was flooded with bitterness, having just thrown up a few moments earlier.

Lewis thoughtfully handed her a bottle of water, which she accepted gratefully. After taking a few sips, she followed him into the cemetery.

The one Seth brought them to seemed to have been there for quite some time now. Along with the sparsely placed tombstones, the place was filled with overgrown weeds. The lone cemented road they followed led them to a few more scattered graves, and before long, the pair spotted Seth standing in front of a whittled tombstone.

The sky was devoid of sunshine, the gloomy surroundings and wild forestry around them further accentuating the darker tones of his suit.

Undoubtedly, the atmosphere had a touch of eeriness to it, and Josephine gripped Lewis' hand tighter on instinct. The warmth flowing from his palm to hers calmed her slightly.

As long as he was here with her, everything would be fine.

When the two finally reached Seth, Josephine averted her gaze to the tombstone.

The photograph on it was that of a curly-haired woman in an elaborate gown with a serene smile.

Josephine stared at the photo for a long time, unable to recognize the woman. She then looked at the tombstone beside the woman's, finding a similar photograph but this time of a man in a suit, not unlike Seth's. His face, too, was softened by a gentle smile, his demeanor elegant and scholarly. Judging from his appearance, he appeared to be a refined and cultured man.

As if suddenly realizing something, Josephine turned to Seth.

The latter was watching her intently as well.

Their wordless gaze went on for a long while, though she couldn't seem to place what it was that flitted through his fathomless gaze. She discerned hints of disgust interspersed with hatred and even ... disappointment.

"What? You can't recognize them?" Seth demanded.

Josephine shook her head. She perused the photographs once more, but the end result remained unchanged. She had no memory of ever knowing those people-not a single one of them. Seth laughed coldly. "So you only recognize Lewis."

Josephine responded by wrapping her arms around Lewis.

The way Seth looked at her scared her immensely. The malice and ill will in his eyes gave her the premonition that something terrible was about to happen.

Just as Seth made a move to step forward, Lewis blocked his advance with a raised arm.

His gaze turned murderous.

"If you're here to pay your respects, then do it quickly. Don't just stand there spouting such ridiculous bullshit. You're wasting our time. She doesn't remember anyway, so why even ask?"

Seth returned his stare unblinkingly. "Don't you think you're the pot calling the kettle black? You said it yourself. She doesn't remember anything. You could hurt her as many times as you wish, and she wouldn't remember even a single instance of it. All she'd do is stick by your side 24/7. Of course, that makes you happy, doesn't it? So much that you could stand here and lecture me like you're above me when you are just as bad or, dare I say, worse!"

His mild rant turned even more agitated toward the end. "What right do you have to interfere in the matters between her and myself? Huh? Who do you think you are?"

Lewis watched his outburst calmly. It was rare to see him display such uncharacteristic behavior in front of him.

Because of his excessively violent tone, especially when it was targeted toward Lewis, Josephine stepped forward and pushed him roughly.

She didn't have much strength to begin with, but Seth staggered backward anyway. Most of it was due to shock, however, more than anything, for he hadn't anticipated that she would stand up for Lewis withou question.

Seth stood on the spot for a long moment, surprise rendering him immobile. Her protective demeanor coaxed a string of low laughter from him, which gradually morphed into a series of cackles that echoed in the cemetery.

When he was done laughing, he turned to Josephine, his frosty gaze barely concealing the terrifying malevolence that threatened to strike. "Ungrateful bitch."

Lewis pulled her behind himself, shielding her from his verbal onslaught.

His patience was already thinning. "Quit the insanity. Are you done paying your respects or not?"

Seth lifted his head and inhaled deeply. The rapidly shifting emotions on his face resembled that of the ever-changing images on a computer screen.

When he redirected his gaze to Lewis, his face had returned to its usual composure.

"Pay my respects? They're dead. What is there to respect in rotting corpses?" He turned and glanced at the tombstones, his voice soft. "All I wanted was for them to see for themselves what the beloved daughter they spent their lives raising had turned into. Now that they have, I wonder if they can still rest in peace in the afterlife."

Lewis replied in a faintly unbothered voice, "You said they're dead. The dead can't see, Seth. You're only doing this now because you wish to clear your own conscience, aren't you?"

Seth raised a brow and smiled. "Lewis, are you happy?"

"Decently so."

Seth swept an indifferent gaze toward Josephine, who was currently hiding behind Lewis' back. "Sure. I don't think that happiness would last long though."

"No matter how long it does or does not last, at least I'm capable of feeling it. Unlike you, Mr. Fairchild, who lives in resentment and will continue to do so until the end of time."

When it came to provoking the deepest insecurities of others, Seth wasn't the only expert. Lewis, too, had a few tricks up his sleeve to hold his ground.

Seth fell silent.

After a while, he turned around and surveyed the tombstones, muttering to himself, "You're not wrong. I do live in resentment, but not everyone knows the reason. The burden she should have shouldered has fallen to me in light of her incapacitance. I bear her resentments as much as I bear her hatred and her past.

"As for her, she lives on, free from blame and burden..." Seth paused, spearing her with another piercing glance. "Actually, that's not quite right. Little mute, you wouldn't be here today if it hadn't been for yourself. This is all your own doing.

"You deserve this, you know? All of it. It's God's way of punishing you."

His teeth were gritted, but no matter what Seth said to her, Josephine's face remained passive and confused.

She had no idea what he was talking about.

None.

Lewis sneered.

His mocking laugh was as sharp as a blade, cleaving Seth into half and exposing his true nature in broad daylight-not a man any longer but a subject of ridicule.

How useless-how pitiful.

"What's the point of you saying all this? She doesn't understand, and she will never remember it." Lewis continued indifferently as Seth failed to respond. "If you have the energy to say so much, why don't you

say a few prayers instead? A word of advice here-stop embarrassing yourself. Even though we're business collaborators, I can and will still mock you when you deserve to be mocked."

Seth laughed, but it was one born from frustration. "How's your body after the surgery? How dare you speak to me like this? Aren't you afraid that I'll kill you?"

"You can't kill me."

"Are you inviting me to try?"

"You could." Lewis looked at him nonchalantly. He seemed intent on pushing Seth closer and closer toward a complete rampage.

Seth's eyes narrowed. The next second, his arm was raised, the tip of a dagger angled toward Lewis' exposed neck.

"Well, Chairman Alvarez," he began slowly. "Since you've already extended such a gracious invitation toward me, how could I refuse?"