What Separates Me and You

Chapter 1 Afraid of Being Forgotten

Josephine Vance stared at the clock on the wall. By the time it struck 12, the food on the table had gone cold again.

She took the dishes into the kitchen and reheated them once more.

At 12.50 am, the doorknob turned, and she turned to see that Lewis Alvarez had returned.

His face showed subtle signs of drunkenness as he walked toward her, his suit jacket slung on his arm.

Josephine stood up and poured him a glass of water to help him sober up, but he knocked it over the minute she reached out. Then, he grabbed her chin and kissed her on the lips.

The smell of alcohol mixed with the scent of a woman’s perfume hit her as he approached. She tried to push him away, but he ended up carrying her straight into the bedroom.

The man carelessly threw her onto the bed and leaned over without saying a word.

Josephine bit her lip and silently endured the act, turning her head to stare at the potted plant in the corner of the room.

There was no emotion, only lust and take.

The man grabbed her face and gazed deeply into her eyes, lightly stroking her face with his fingers. “Why aren’t you saying anything?” he asked.

Josephine stared straight at him with watery eyes. He knew she wouldn’t speak. She was mute.

he would still ask her

he was humiliating her

to nuzzle it against his palm like a kitten

she could comply with him in

if a surging undercurrent was about to wash them over. He grabbed her hand and pinned it above her head before

…

was already bright outside. The space next to her in bed was empty, but there was the sound of water coming from

up her clothes from the floor and put them on. Just as she was putting on the last garment, the phone on the bedside table made a sound. It was Lewis’

through the bathroom door and then at the phone screen.

was a text from Sierra Woods.

looking for that mute girl just to annoy me.”

Josephine froze.

bathroom door opened, and Lewis walked out with a towel wrapped around

water on his body. His wet hair was hanging down, dripping. Drops of water gathered on his chest and trickled along

lowered her head to button her clothes.

and glanced at the woman who was dressing with

“You saw it?”

into a smile, and

good girl. Don’t fall in love with me. We’ll be like how we used to be,

fall in love

what if she saw it?

whether she

had no right

love and emotions would only burden

too, would stomp on her heart.