What Separates Me and You

Pausing in his steps, Damian looked back at Quintin.

A few seconds later, he replied firmly, “It’s a pity that you’re my son in this lifetime. You don’t

have a choice.”

After saying that, he and his men left in the cars parked outside.

Quintin kept his head down. He stared at the ground and remained silent for a long time.

Josephine grabbed his arm, looking at him with concern. After a while, Quintin slowly raised his head to look at Josephine. In the dim light, his face looked exceptionally pale. In just that few minutes, he seemed to have lost some of his vitality, instantly appearing haggard and

exhausted.

Hurt flashed across his eyes, along with a hint of helplessness. He stared at Josephine and opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn’t utter a single word. In response, Josephine tightened her grip on his arm, trying to comfort him.

Quintin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then broke free from Josephine’s grasp said, “I’m fine.”

and

His voice sounded hoarse and nasally as if he was choking back tears. He walked toward the cages. However, as he approached them, his steps faltered. He didn’t have the nerve to get.

closer.

Josephine stayed by his side, gathering her courage and approaching the cages. As she got closer, she saw all the dogs lying haphazardly inside the cages. They looked as if they were sleeping. Josephine reached out a finger and gently poked the head of a Golden Retriever, but it was cold, and no response came from the dog.

Her gaze flickered. The last time she had been this close to death was when Alan passed away. When Alan passed on, he looked as if he was peacefully sleeping. He didn’t look much different. from when he used to bask in the sun in the yard.

The only difference was that after closing his eyes that time, he never opened them again.

chair, her heart felt empty. The feeling of melancholy

entailed. She knew what it meant to those who were still alive. Whether they were humans or animals, as long as they had been alive, one would develop emotions toward them after interacting with those lives for some time. In Quintin’s case, he had taken care of the dogs over an extended period of time, so the emotional bond was bound to be deeper.

walked over. He appeared to be mentally prepared as he lifted his hand and

on the cages instantly,

trembling hands, Quintin reached out and touched the Husky

somewhat surprised.

tear rolled down his cheek, and he choked as he said, “This is the 29th animal I’ve adopted. I even boasted about filling this facility with animals. I wanted to be able to count from one to one thousand. That would have been quite

names and can tell them apart based on their looks. They must never have expected that, in the end, they would die because of me. They must have felt utter despair

spoke, he began to break down. He gradually hunched his back and grabbed the iron railing, almost kneeling on the ground. Josephine stood silently beside him, feeling equally distraught at what had transpired. She hesitated, extended her hand, and placed it on his back. Then, she gently patted his back as if to comfort him. That

back his pain and the utter helplessness he felt. She

he treat me like this?”

him,

any longer, he turned toward Josephine and embraced her tightly. Josephine froze at being hugged so suddenly. Her fingers remained suspended in

what to do.

rested his chin on her shoulder and held her tightly. He whispered, “I’ll be alright

soon.”

the scent he emanated. He smelled of sunshine and freshness-it was the scent of youth.

a few minutes

to normal. He looked at the

cages once more.

and asked, “Can

understood him and nodded in

the shed and soon came out with a shovel. He held It

seemingly lost in thought. His eyes swept

the ground unceremoniously. The shovel made a harsh sound upon hitting