What Separates Me and You

Chapter 141 A Balancing Act

Josephine looked up with tears in her eyes, Seth’s mocking laughter echoing in her ears.

“You can’t still be waiting for him to swoop in and rescue you, can you?”

She flinched.

Seth crouched in front of her, shattering her fantasies mercilessly. “Do you understand why things have come to this point now?”

Josephine inhaled sharply, her eyes fixed on his face.

“Do you really not know? The last time you disappeared for three days…Do you think he didn’t

find you then?”

He leaned closer, his voice soft as he said, “No, he knew where you’d been all along. He just didn’t choose to save you. He had been trying to set a trap for me.”

Seth continued, laughing and playing with her hair. “Oh, you poor, poor mute. He’s the one who caused all this. You’re here now because of him.”

Tears fell from her cheeks like broken beads, trickling down her chin and dripping into her plate.

“Guess what he’s doing right now?”

He paused, seemingly deep in thought. “Maybe he’s busy preparing for the shareholders’ meeting in two days. Maybe he’s scheming to eliminate his father from the game at long last. Or maybe, he’s busy getting rid of his sister-as for you; you’ll probably have to wait a long, long time for your turn to come.”

Josephine held her plate in a death grip, her chest heaving.

“Provided, if he still wants to have anything to do with you, he has to go through me and deal. with

my terms. But of course, he knows, deep down, that he could never afford to give me what I want.”

“So,” Seth assumed an inferring air as he spoke, “he might as well ignore you altogether, and in doing so, he is directly refusing the opportunity to negotiate with me.”

“But then,” he continued, “I suppose it’s understandable. What is the use of women in the face of profits and income? He might like you, but he would never sacrifice everything he has now for you, would he?”

She knew she shouldn’t believe his words, yet, they still found a way into her subconscious regardless-eating away at her. The pain was like millions of needles piercing her heart.

Josephine lowered her head and wolfed down her dinner. The food was bland, but she continued shoveling them into her mouth.

Seth crouched beside her as she ate, watching her polish the plate clean.

Moments later, Josephine sniffled and placed her plate back onto the ground. She raised her head, and her eyes were red as she looked at him.

The sky outside darkened. In the dimly lit room, Seth caressed her cheeks tenderly, wiping away the residual tears at the corners of her eyes with a gentle hand.

Suddenly, Josephine remembered how Lewis used to do the same thing to her. She couldn’t help but fall for him a bit more every time.

Now that she compared it with what Seth was doing to her, she realized how cheap and self- righteous Lewis’ actions had been.

in camouflage. No matter how deeply they despised someone, they could always still bring themselves to touch them with care and

one of those. Seth, too.

lose. It was simply a matter of moving their

between reaping profits and everything else, the outcome

Seth stood up and ordered, “Clean this

her another glance, his food

before standing up and clearing away the dishes dutifully.

the mountain, or more precisely, in Styx Mansion, Conrad stared at the burning light in the study as

he spoke without lifting his head to

study. “President Alvarez, all the shareholders have been. contacted. Everything should

“Alright.”

debating if he

before raising

you not going to continue looking for her

stilled, and he fell

spoke again. “Have

should we increase our search efforts? If we continue searching like this with limited information regarding her whereabouts, I’m afraid it would take more than months-

he had been reading earlier. He fixed his gaze on Conrad as he sat in silence for

can leave now.”

“But, Seth-”

with coldness so terrifying

shut his mouth and retreated out of the

the president had been so calm throughout the series of calamities that struck them. In a situation like this, he could accomplish nothing by losing his head and succumbing

his energy to investigating Josephine’s whereabouts, he would have inevitably delayed everything else he had going on

use would there be even if he’d found

to trade shares for her safety under Seth’s threats?

up a wall until he was

would get nothing by then no matter

did.

thought about it, the colder his heart turned and the more respect he felt for the president. His ability to weigh the pros and cons of a situation with composure

admirable.

would never

the best

Night fell.

jacket made from wool. The jacket seemed to be Seth’s.

the building beside where she was squatting while Seth sat on

ankles were bound to chains again. Only, this time, it wasn’t rope that encircled her ankles but metal chains anchored

her to move

brazier, the only sound that could be discerned was that of Seth

fire’s glow illuminated his

for an extended period. Noiselessly, she sat down and shifted into

her but said

the flames dancing in her eyes. Her long eyelashes were lowered, hiding the emotions simmering in her eyes.

on the ground beneath his feet was