Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

Joshua was too stunned to see Noah's grandfather's pictures along with Charles Miller. His mind was a mess, and his thoughts ran wild as he went through the album. There were not one or two but more than twenty pictures where Charles and Jonathan were sitting beside each other. Other than the two, he also found many other important and powerful people in the group.

In one of the pictures, Charles was conversing with Simon Moore, the previous Chief of the Army who had been murdered brutally and whose murderer was still at large. 'How does Charles know the Army Chief?' He wondered as he kept scrolling through the pictures in disbelief. 

Charles was captured in almost all the pictures. He looked so innocent harmless in them that it was impossible to associate him with the brutal crimes he had committed. Joshua checked each picture thoroughly as he studied all the people in it carefully.

Other than Noah's grandfather and Simon Moore, he also found Charles with David Peters, the man who had aided Charles and Jared in his deadly plan to release the virus in the country. Unfortunately for them, the Intelligence had intervened before they could even take action and had arrested David, confiscating all the canisters of the virus.

Joshua leaned back on his bed as he tried to analyze all that he had found out from the pictures. Though he could not make a head or tail out of the clue he had found out, he had a hunch that this piece of evidence held significance to the case they were dealing with. He turned to stare at the girl beside him, who was deep asleep before he got off the bed. 

Joshua's mind was completely a mess. He stared outside the window while contemplating his next step. 'Why is Grandpa Carter with Charles Miller? How does he know him, and what work did he have from him?' He wondered and pressed his forehead in worry. 'Is Grandpa too involved in this crime?'

As soon as the thought came to his mind, he shook his head. 'No way. It's impossible. Grandpa Carter would never do anything that goes against his morals. This must all be a coincidence.' Though he tried to assure himself, he was not convinced. It was not one or two photographs he had seen. There were many in which Jonathan Carter was with Charles Miller, and this matter kept bugging his mind, driving him crazy.

Joshua let out a deep sigh, his mind trying to sort out his messed up thoughts. 'What do I do now? Should I tell Noah about it? I cannot hide it from him either. It's his grandfather.'

Joshua was too lost in his thoughts that he did not notice Ivy stirring in her sleep. She rolled over towards Joshua's side, patting her arms only to find him absent. She forced her eyes open, trying to suppress her sleep, which was forcing her to give up everything else.

Ivy got up and looked around before she spotted Joshua by the window. He seemed to be lost in thoughts. Even from where she was, she could see the dilemma on his face, the worry lines on his forehead quite evident and eyecatching.

Ivy too could not help but frown at his state and pushed herself off the bed before she padded towards him. "What is bothering you, Joshua?" She placed her hand on his shoulder, making him turn to her. "What happened?"

Her voice was too gentle, and it more or less eased the worry off the man's mind. Joshua observed Ivy for a few moments before he pulled her towards him and hugged her tight.

"Joshua," Ivy almost shrieked in fear. But she did not struggle, lest she should hurt him all the more. His wounds were yet to be healed, and she did not intend to add more to his agony.

"Let me go, Joshua. You are hurt." She patted on his shoulder gently. But the man did not move an inch. He stayed still as he took in the fragrance of her body wash. It smelt pleasant and calmed him down for a while.

Ivy sensed the fear and worry in him, and she stopped moving completely. She realized that he was not only worried, he was also scared. Something was bothering him greatly. 

"What's wrong?" Her tone softened, and she patted his back to comfort him. His behavior was completely unordinary, and she did not know what had made him this restless.

"Let me stay this way for a while," Joshua mumbled and took a deep breath. He had no idea why but his intuition told him that something disastrous would happen soon, especially after he saw Noah's grandfather's pictures.

His mind kept sending him warning signals, and the first person that came to Joshua's mind was Ivy. Even though she was in his arms right now, he could not stop the nagging feeling that kept occurring in his heart. A sense of foreboding filled him, and he could not comprehend why it was happening to him.

Ivy waited patiently until Joshua himself let her go. Though his worry was still obvious in his eyes, he seemed better than before. Yet, Ivy could not help but fret over it.

"Joshua, what happened? What is bothering you?" Her voice was extremely calm as though she was cajoling a kid. She did not show her nervousness whatsoever in front of the man, lest he should start worrying again. 

"I will tell you once I sort this matter out. I cannot reveal it to you before I speak to the person in concern." Joshua did not hide his trouble from her. Yet, he could not reveal it, for it was not his issue in the first place. He had to speak to Noah first before he took any action. Ivy understood what he wanted to convey and she did not force him anymore.

"I understand. Take as much time as you want. And even if you do not tell me, it's fine since it is not your secret in the first place." She rubbed his back gently. "I will wait. But are you alright?"

"I am. I am alright." Joshua lied but Ivy saw right through him. She discerned what his actual emotions were and how troubled he was. But she did not coax him, for she had also realized that he was worried about something important.

"Shall we sleep? It's late already and you need to rest too. How come your medicines have not kicked in? You should be asleep by now after having the painkillers." She pulled back, and Joshua immediately averted his gaze, not daring to meet her in the eye.

"Wait a minute." She grasped onto his guilt in his eyes and she narrowed her eyes. "Did you not take your medicines?"

Joshua remained silent, and Ivy got her answer. 

"How could you not take your medicines? Didn't I remind you before?" She glared at him, shooting daggers at him for his ignorance. "Don't you want to recover quickly? Do you want to stay with your wounds for a long time? And," Ivy knew that none of her words had registered in her man's mind. So, she resorted to the last strategy, which she was sure would work on him. "Do you want to lead a life of abstinence?"

This caught Joshua's attention, and he stared at her in surprise. "Ivy, you..."

"I presume it be to the case. If that is what you want, I won't stop you from not having your medicines on time. You can do as you wish." She moved away from him but Joshua pulled her to him quickly.

"What did you just say?"

"What did I say?" Ivy feigned ignorance even though she already understood what he was referring to.

"Did you just say that we could take a step ahead if I were to recover quickly? Shall I take it as your consent to have sex with me?" Joshua's eyes twinkled in delight and he looked happy all of sudden. His worry vanished, and Ivy was relieved to see him less stressed.

"When did I agree to have sex with you? You are being delusional." Ivy scoffed lightly.

"Don't feign ignorance, Ivy. I heard your words clearly. Didn't you say that if I don't take medicines on time, I would be leading a life of abstinence? Doesn't that show your consent to have sex with me?"

Joshua's gaze was so intense that Ivy did not have any words to refute his claims. She just stayed silent for a few seconds before she conjured up a reply. "You will have to recover first and recover completely for us to have sex. Until then, you will lead the life of a monk, and considering how you do not intend to recover quickly, shall I assume that you want to stay a monk for a long time?"

"No way. Why should I lead the life of a monk when I have my darling girl with me? Get me my medicines. I will have them immediately."

"It's been hours since you had dinner. You cannot have your medicines on empty stomach. Let me make some porridge for you first."

Ivy did not heed Joshua's words and left him alone, causing the man to reprimand himself for making her cook at this time. 'I should take my medicines on time from now on. Otherwise, Ivy will only worry for me.' He sighed lightly.

That night, even though he had taken his medicines, it was only when the sun rays penetrated through the curtains that Joshua eventually succumbed to sleep, his worries disappearing for the time being.