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.

time following his death, when Josephine saw familiar places, things, and especially that familiar rocking chair, her heart felt empty. The feeling of melancholy and loss would slowly rise in her heart. It was like tiny needles pricking away at her heart when she

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

walked over. He appeared to be mentally prepared as he lifted his hand and opened the cage. He turned on the lights right above

shone on the cages instantly, revealing the horrifying state

trembling hands, Quintin reached out and touched the Husky before him. “Number

somewhat

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

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

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

holding back his pain and the utter

my father. Why would he treat me like

him, so she

her tightly.

what

chin on her shoulder and held her tightly. He whispered, “I’ll

soon.”

of the scent he emanated. He smelled of

a few minutes before letting

his expression returning to normal. He looked at

cages once more.

asked, “Can you help me

understood him and nodded in agreement.

shed and soon came out with a shovel. He held It In his hands

steps before coming to a halt, seemingly lost in thought. His eyes swept over the entire shelter.

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