What Separates Me and You

James shook his head. "It's nearly impossible to cure now that the disease has reached this stage."

Lewis asked, "Then what should we do?"

James sighed, feeling sorry for Josephine, and gave Lewis a deep and meaningful look. "You should spend more time with her when she's still capable of interaction."

Lewis' face changed. "How much time do we have?"

"I'm not sure. I can't give you an exact timeframe. It all now depends on her fate."

Lewis' fingers slowly curled into a fist on the table. He looked contemplative, and no one knew what was running through his mind. He returned to the ward only after some time. Josephine was in deep slumber. Lewis sat beside her bed, watching over her and not even bothering to go to work. Kiran almost thought he was planning to let go of his duties in the company.

Josephine had constantly been asleep these couple of days. She would wake up occasionally and chat with Lewis, but Lewis had a mundane personality and would end the conversation after only a few exchanges. Out of boredom, Josephine could only sleep.

On the third day, Lewis decided to let Josephine leave the hospital and brought her back to Styx Mansion. Josephine woke up in his arms and observed the change in her surroundings. Drowsily, she asked, "Are you bringing me home?"

Her voice was scratchy, as she had just awakened, but it was also as soft as a kitten's.

Lewis carried her to the sofa and sat, allowing her to nestle on his lap. He reached out with one hand and caressed her cheek. "Not now."

Josephine's eyes slowly filled with resentment. "I'm already discharged, right?"

"Not really. You're still recovering but in a different environment."

Josephine sighed miserably and rubbed her cheeks against him, saying coquettishly, "I'm hungry."

"What do you want to eat?"

"I want ice cream," she mumbled.

Lewis was silent for a moment before giving in. He looked at Mrs. Larson and instructed, "Go and get some."

Mrs. Larson nodded and hurried out to buy some ice cream.

Josephine hugged his waist and looked up at him, grinning.

"Why are you grinning?" Lewis had one arm around Josephine's waist, and they were very close to each other. Their breaths intertwined with ambiguous intimacy. However, Josephine's eyes were too innocent to evoke even the slightest bit of a sensual mood.

Josephine blinked and said softly, "You're different from the other bodyguards."

"How so?"

"They don't talk to me. You took me out to play and bought me nice food."

Lewis chuckled but didn't explain himself. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. When we're back home, I'll get Daddy to give you a pay raise."

Lewis' smile faded, and his gaze on her grew meaningful.

Josephine didn't realize his abnormality. She wrapped her arms tighter around his neck. "You shall come with me from now on."

Lewis still didn't utter a word. He was in a daze. Although he was looking at her, it seemed his gaze went right through her. He was distracted.

Josephine stroked his cheek. "Why aren't you speaking?"

Lewis gathered himself and smiled. "Alright. I'll come with you from now on."

Josephine was glad. She pressed her cheek against his chest. She adored his scent and snuggled against him.

Half an hour later, Mrs. Larson returned with ice cream. She bought an entire box containing ice creams of various flavors for Josephine to pick. Josephine sifted through them and chose a mango-flavored one She handed it to Lewis so he could open the packaging for her. Lewis had to do so while carrying her. In their current postures, they looked like an adult and a child to Mrs. Larson.

Lewis passed the ice cream to Josephine. Satisfied, she chomped away on the ice cream as Mrs. Larson went to get their meals ready.

Although Mrs. Larson bought an entire box, Lewis only allowed Josephine to have one. She could only have the next one after her meal and taking her medications.

Josephine could only withstand her unwillingness to take her unbearably bitter medications and dutifully consumed them for the sake of the ice cream-and only one at that.

Josephine was moody. She curled up on the sofa and sucked on the ice cream. The television had Looney Tunes on air; she watched it with utmost concentration. She had never watched it before, and it was new to her.

Seth dropped by and strolled in without a care. He swept his gaze around and spotted them in the living room. Lewis had a laptop on his lap; he was using it to work while he kept Josephine company when she watched the television.

"Mr. Fairchild."

Typing away on the keyboard, Lewis paused when he heard Mrs. Larson greet their visitor. He tilted his head and saw Seth walking toward them. He didn't need anyone to lead him. He sat diagonally across from Lewis and Josephine on his own accord, and his eyes fell on Josephine, who wasn't looking at him. The cartoon attracted her full attention.

Lewis shut his laptop and asked, "What brings you here, Mr. Fairchild?"

Seth withdrew his gaze and smiled. "You've been absent from work for several days, Chairman Alvarez. I'm here to check on you, but it seems my concerns are excessive." "Isn't that what you both want?"

Seth said, "Look at you. You're the main pillar of the company, Chairman Alvarez. Your absence is felt. Without you, we're all running around like blind flies."

Lewis seemed to disregard his flattery. He took the trash Josephine handed him and conveniently thrust it into the trash can.

Seth saw that and raised an eyebrow.

"I want more." Josephine stared at Lewis passionately.

Lewis put on a stern face and declined her request. "You promised you would only have one."

Josephine pursed her lips unhappily but stopped requesting another ice cream. She licked the cream around her mouth, rested her head on her arms, and continued watching the animation.

Seth studied her for several moments before asking, "I heard her condition's not so good?"

"What has that got to do with you?" Lewis leaned back on the sofa and looked at Seth indifferently. "Who are you to her?"

Seth smiled. If someone with a short temper heard that, there was a high chance they might reveal their true identity. But Seth merely said, "I'm just asking that out of courtesy. My main objective today is to visi you, Chairman Alvarez."

"Thanks for your concern, Mr. Fairchild."

"It's my pleasure," replied Seth. He looked at Josephine from the corners of his eyes and realized she had unknowingly fallen asleep.

They stopped talking, but Seth didn't show any intentions of leaving. Lewis kept working on his laptop and realized Seth wasn't taking his leave though it was already dark. Seth leaned back on the sofa, his eyes glued to the television, enjoying Looney Tunes thoroughly.

"Are you staying for dinner, Mr. Fairchild?" Lewis abruptly asked.

Seth shifted his attention from the television. "Since you invited me to dinner, I'd only be glad to oblige."

They were both equally shameless.

Lewis' temple throbbed.

Mrs. Larson watched from aside, not daring to say anything, and crept away to prepare dinner.

Ignoring Seth, Lewis carried Josephine upstairs. Josephine was sound asleep and didn't respond when he placed her on the bed. She was a picture of tranquility with her eyes shut, oblivious to everything happening around her.

Lewis sat beside her, stroking her cheeks.

Although Seth stayed back for dinner, Lewis didn't bother to go downstairs and was constantly in his bedroom.

Hunger woke Josephine up in the middle of the night. She fumbled around, and the first thing she came in contact with was a man's chest.