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.

still ask her every

if he was humiliating her

nuzzle it against his palm like a kitten trying to

way she could comply with him

to wash them over. He grabbed her hand and

…

space next to her in bed was empty, but there was the sound

her clothes from the floor and put them on. Just as she was putting on the last garment,

at the blurry figure through the bathroom door and then at the

was a text from Sierra Woods.

looking

Josephine froze.

walked out with a towel wrapped

were still droplets of water on his body. His wet hair was hanging down, dripping. Drops

and lowered her head to button her

picked up his phone, and glanced at the

“You saw it?”

a smile, and she shook her

We’ll be like how we used to be, and I will take care of you for a lifetime

to fall in love

she saw it?

but not about whether she was jealous, hurt, or upset.

not cared for had no right to

love and emotions would only burden him.

afraid that he, too, would stomp on her heart.