What Separates Me and You

Quintin showed her all the gifts he bought. They were all women's accessories, and there were at least a dozen. After doing so, he turned to Josephine and smiled. "Is there anything you like?"

Josephine was in a brief trance, probably because of his dazzling smile.

She was silent for several seconds. Then, she looked at the gifts on the table and pointed to the pink barrette.

Quintin immediately picked it up. "Oh, turns out this is the one you prefer. Come, let me put it on you."

He stood up and carefully wore it on her fringe. He looked at it strangely. "Hmm... It doesn't seem to fit." As he said that, he took it off and wore it on top of her head. "There you go. You look pretty with it." Josephine was impassive to his compliments. Pressing her lips together, she was unusually silent.

After all this, the atmosphere was stifled again.

Quintin thought it wasn't a good idea to lounge around the house all day, so he suggested they go on an outing.

Since she hadn't signed a single word and had zero interaction with him, he took her silence as her acquiescence.

Holding her hand, he pulled her to her feet and headed outside.

They hopped into the car, and Quintin brought her to the nearby park.

The park spanned a large area. Although it was bleak during winter, visitors flocked to it nevertheless. Children and couples whiled their time away here.

Fairy lights embellished the withered tree branches. There was a river in the park on which floated many water lanterns. However, because of the rain, some lanterns of poorer quality had crumpled and were floating on the river surface like garbage.

Quintin said, "It's usually quite pretty here at night, but it has been raining these few nights, and there wasn't really any opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Let's stay back a little later if it's not raining tonight," said Quintin. He held onto Josephine, afraid of losing her.

She followed him quietly while scanning her surroundings, her eyes searching for Lewis among the crowd.

It was merry and jolly here, and she had Quintin to accompany her, but she felt lonelier than she had been on the island.

She felt empty within, as though she was missing something.

It could be because she thought Lewis didn't want anything to do with her anymore.

He sent her to Quintin and would soon abandon her when she grew accustomed to Quintin.

And he said it was only for five days too. Lies.

At that thought, Josephine's eyes reddened again.

Quintin sensed that something was wrong and looked at her, only to find her eyes reddening again. "Josephine, what's wrong? Do you not like this place?" Frantic, Quintin fumbled in his pockets. Realizing he didn't bring any tissue, he used his sleeve to wipe her tears. "Don't cry. Let's go somewhere else if you don't like this place, okay?"

Quintin kept wiping her tears, but she seemed to sob louder the more he wiped. Eventually, she started howling with her mouth wide open.

He was rendered speechless.

It was his second time listening to her voice. The first time was when Lewis attempted to kill him, and Josephine spoke in agitation. In other words, she did it because of him.

Instead of being shocked, he was mesmerized. It was like opening a blind box and finding something he desired within. Josephine's voice was exactly as how he had imagined it. Hence, it moved him deeply the moment she vocalized her words.

However, Quintin was not in the mood to appreciate her voice when she was sobbing. He only wanted her to stop crying. "Josephine, tell me what's wrong. Please don't cry."

She crouched on the ground and continued crying.

As an adult who was dissolving into tears, she attracted the attention of others. Some thought she was acting out, while others thought something must've happened between her and Quintin. He must've annoyed his girlfriend so much that she burst into tears.

Quintin squatted too, watching her with mixed feelings.

Parked at the outermost region of the park was a black Bentley.

Conrad saw Josephine's sobbing figure at once. He couldn't help but exclaim how similar Josephine was to a child-and a trying child at that. He wondered if Quintin could endure her antics for five days. Then, he peeked at Lewis through the rearview mirror, whose gaze was also on Josephine. However, his eyes were calm, and his face was expressionless.

Conrad softly asked, "Sir, will she be alright after such an outburst?"

Lewis ignored him.

Conrad gathered his courage and added, "Looks like she can't leave your side. I reckon Quintin won't last five days-two days, at most before he gets fed up and sends the madam back to you." "Let's go," said Lewis abruptly.

"Hm?"

"Did you not get what I said?"

Conrad quietly drove off.

Quintin was at a loss. Coaxing was a task he could never accomplish, especially when his target was a child. Josephine was acting just like one now. What should he do?

He looked around him and suddenly saw a cotton candy seller. His face lit up as he waved at the seller. "Hello there, mister. The one selling cotton candy! Over here!"

His voice was booming and turned more heads.

The cotton candy seller brought his wares over and smiled meaningfully when he saw Josephine, breathless from crying too long. "Young lad, made your girlfriend cry, didn't you?" Quintin smiled sheepishly. "I'd like two, please."

"Which ones?"

Quintin pointed at a pink colored bunny-shaped cotton candy. "That one. How much is it?"

"One for 15 dollars, two for 30."

"Alright. Get me two, please." Quintin stood, fished out some cash from his pockets, and gave it to the seller.

His cards were frozen, and he couldn't pay with his e-wallet. He was now relying on his brother for funds and had cash on him wherever he went.

He took the cotton candy and squatted before Josephine again. Handing her one, he said, "Josephine, look what I've got."

Her teary eyes focused on the cotton candy in his hand, and she slowly stopped sobbing.

Quintin was relieved. He gave her one and said, "Eat up. You'll feel better as you eat it."

She stared at the cotton candy she had in her hand for a long while before putting it in her mouth.

"Is it tasty?"

Josephine nodded. She bit off a piece of the candy and munched on it.

She took a pretty big bite, stuffing her cheeks like a chipmunk. Tears dangled off her eyelashes, and she looked pitiful and adorable at the same time.

Quintin held her hand. "Alright. Let's not crouch on the ground. I'll bring you somewhere else."

Her attention was entirely on the cotton candy. She followed Quintin wherever he led her without a doubt. Anyone could've deceived and taken her away by luring her with a lollipop.

Quintin led her around the park and came to a slide and a swing. "Josephine, do you want to have a go at that?" asked Quintin, pointing at the swing while looking back at her. She was munching away on the cotton candy.

"Josephine. Josephine?" He called her several times. His brows knitted together when he didn't get any response from her. He tightened his grip on her hand. "Josephine, can you hear me?"

Josephine looked up in a daze, and he sighed in relief. He almost thought she had lost her hearing as well.

But her eyes... She looked at him inquiringly, as though she was wondering if he was speaking to her.

Quintin's heart jolted. He swallowed nervously and asked cautiously, "Do you know your name?"

Chewing on the cotton candy, Josephine looked more puzzled than ever.

She thought about it and eventually shook her head.

Quintin was taken aback.