What Separates Me and You

"Indeed, you almost succeeded." Lewis looked at her frostily. "How does it feel to see your plans fail?"

Layla stared at him in a daze as her eyes slowly reddened. She didn't plan to act so soon at first, but they had found Robert too soon. They would have come after her if she hadn't acted fast. Nevertheless, she still failed. "I only regret not setting a greater fire." Layla's eyes burned into Lewis. Her eyes were as red as blood, speaking volumes of resentment and dissatisfaction. She gave her all to drag the Alvarez family to hell but failed.

But Lewis wasn't here solely to listen to her confession. He pulled out a photo frame and placed it before her. "He kept this securely locked in his study."

Stunned, Layla reached out and turned it over. Then, her face changed.

The photo in the frame showed a family of three-a man in a suit, an elegant woman in a gown, and a two-year-old girl in the man's arms. They sat on a sofa, smiling at the camera. Bliss oozed out from the photo.

Layla stared at the photo in a trance as her thoughts returned to 20 years before the present, vaguely seeing herself in the woman featured in the picture. Slowly, the reflection of her face and the woman's face in the photo merged into one.

Several moments later, Layla's eyes regained focus as she looked down at her reflection in the photo frame-haggard, weary, and disheveled.

She looked up at Lewis with a smile, which she seemingly plastered to her face to conceal her emotions, trying to appear ferocious. "What are you trying to do by bringing me this stupid photo? I've already confessed. What else do you want from me?"

Lewis ignored her and calmly said, "I'm only telling you he'd been keeping this photo in his study."

"And?"

"When Lily was dating Derek, he hired someone to look into everything about Derek and even stalked them. He was also the one who went to Grandpa, requesting Grandpa to transfer ten percent of the company's shares to Lily when she got married."

Layla laughed at his words as tears streamed down her face. No one knew if she was laughing or crying. "So? Are you trying to tell me he cared about Lily and me? But Lily is dead. Do you know what he told me? He said her death didn't matter, and he would side with Daphne because they were both his daughters. Do you think I'll believe the nonsense you spew? But then, so what if it's true? I won't regret my doings. I'll only regret not letting him suffer a miserable death!"

Lewis smiled. "Whatever. I'm only here to deliver his keepsake. It's up to you to decide its fate. I don't care whether you throw it or keep it." He stood. Remembering something else, he looked back and said, "I can only say that you've used the wrong method. You could've used a different way to seek your vengeance based on how much he valued you and not a plan as foolish as this."

Layla froze. She stared intently at Lewis, her eyes following his silhouette until he was gone.

Lewis' words left a more significant impact on her compared to the photo.

He was right. It was evident Robert wasn't completely indifferent toward her by how he agreed to meet her without hesitation. Things could have been ten times more interesting if she had shown the white feather and manipulated him.

She was too rash, after all.

Layla looked at the photo. Shutting her eyes, she allowed her tears to drop on the frame.

But then, it was all history.

Lewis didn't return to the hospital after leaving the police department. Instead, he smoked a cigarette in the car. However, having taken in too much smoke in the mansion, he started hacking his lungs out once he put the cigarette in his mouth. He had no choice but to hurl the newly lit cigarette away. Clutching his abdomen, it took a long while before he felt better.

Meanwhile, Kiran, who was in the hospital, received the news and was surprised. He didn't expect things to turn out this way.

Standing before the window, he stared at the scenery outside the hospital with an ever-shifting expression.

The bodyguards standing guard at the door had left after Robert's death. He was alone in the ward.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps and turned to look. His visitor was none other than Seth.

Kiran withdrew his gaze after a mere glimpse and calmly turned to the scenery below as though he didn't see Seth.

Seth stood beside him and looked down. There was a family of three. A boy sat in a wheelchair with a plaster cast on his leg, and his parents accompanied him, entertaining him with toys.

"Do you envy them?" Smiling, Seth asked as he stared at the family.

Kiran replied, "What is there to envy?"

Seth's smile broadened. "How do you know what I'm talking about?"

Kiran didn't answer him. He dragged his weak self to the sofa and sat. "Why are you here?"

Seth turned and half-leaned against the window, smiling as he watched Kiran. "I'm here to notify you of the recent momentous incident, no doubt."

"Do you think of me as a loser?"

"Not really. Do you think of yourself as one?" Seth replied with another question.

Kiran was silent for several moments. He leaned back on the sofa and stared blankly before him. "What will he do next?"

"Announce Robert's death, of course, and inherit Robert's wealth lawfully." Seth pondered and asked, "By the way, do you know how much wealth Robert owns?" "Why would you think I have the answer to that question?"

"Daphne is in jail, Lily is dead, and that loser, Ethan Alvarez, isn't even a threat. What about you? Are you ready to acknowledge your identity?"

Kiran's eyes were ablaze as he stared at Seth. He held his stare for ten whole seconds before asking, "Seth, what are you up to?" Seth's smile was unwavering. "Guess."

"I reckon you're going back and forth between Lewis and me, planning to watch us fight each other and suffer losses."

Seth raised a brow and jokingly said, "What a nuisance. Why are all of you so smart?"

"You're not too shabby yourself, or you won't be standing before me alive."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Kiran's words rang true. If Seth was a notch dumber, neither Lewis nor Kiran would have let him live.

Someone like Seth, who was there to even out the competition, played a more challenging game than those who intended to compete. However, he was considered a winner in a sense.

Kiran had been in the hospital until now, unable to leave, while a ferocious inferno had engulfed Alvarez Manor, dealing a huge blow to the family and killing nearly all of its members. Only Seth remained unscathed.

Kiran said, "Since you're here, it seems the Goddess of Victory is siding with Lewis."

Seth smiled and said nothing.

Kiran asked, "You won't let him win, right?"