Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever
Chapter 823: Regretful Joshua - Part 1

Chapter 823: Regretful Joshua - Part 1

While Ethan went ahead to make preparations for the mission with Valerie and her team accompanying him, Noah, Joshua and Ian remained sitting in the living room with their expressions grim.

"How long has Aria been suffering due to nightmares?" Ian questioned, his countenance serious and filled with worry.

"Since the day the mishap happened," Noah replied and glanced in the direction of his room.

Even though Aria was asleep now, he was still worried for her. At least with the sedative, she would be knocked out for a few hours and would get a peaceful sleep for the first time in days. But it wasn’t a solution for her problem and they had to come up with something. Otherwise, Aria’s health would deteriorate as well.

"This could be bad." Ian mumbled before asking, "How many hours does she sleep?"

"Aria barely sleeps for more than two hours. Sometimes even less. So..."

"The trauma has got to her deeply," Ian commented as he recalled her state in the living room a few hours ago.

"PTSD?" Noah hadn’t expected Aria to suffer from PTSD. He had just assumed her to have been haunted by the nightmares and would overcome them as time passed. Who knew that she was actually so stressed?

"Her symptoms are pointing to PTSD." Ian held his forehead between his palms and leaned forward in concern.

"What do we do now, Ian? How do we cure her?" Noah once again glanced in the direction of his room. How he wished to rush to Aria and hold her in his arms as he shielded her from all her nightmares.

"I’m not an expert at it. So, I cannot help much. But she needs therapy. That’s for sure." Ian remarked after thinking about it for a long time.

"But..."

"There is no other solution, Noah. She needs to see a psychiatrist and maybe some medication accompanying her therapies. It’s the only cure."

Ian dropped his hands and gritted his teeth in frustration. He was utterly vexed with everything, including Noah and Aria. If only they had addressed the issue sooner, they could have dealt with it quickly.

"Do you recommend any therapist?" Noah understood the reason behind his annoyance and felt guilty for ignoring such a severe matter. He was right beside Aria. Yet, he didn’t realize she was suffering.

The first name Ian could think of was Norman Litner, his ... father.

Ian shook his head immediately to clear his thoughts. The man was no one to him. Their blood ties ended the day they separated. There was nothing left of the relationship anymore.

Even though Norman Litner was a well-known person in the field of psychiatry, he wasn’t willing to have any contact with him. There were many other brilliant therapists, who could cure Aria equally well.

"I do. I’ll send you the details. Get an appointment immediately, Noah." Ian suggested, his gaze fixed on his friend. "This is not a matter to joke about and disregard. The more you delay her treatment, the more it will affect Aria." He warned and Noah licked his lips nervously, his heart twisting in pain while a faint sense of suffocation hit him.

Meanwhile, Joshua didn’t speak a word as he listened to their conversation. More than anyone else, he was consumed by guilt and he felt terrible. Ivy was already suffering and now, Aria too had joined her sister. And it was all his mistake.

’If only I hadn’t treated Ivy so cruelly that day. If only I hadn’t met Amber that day.’ He thought, his eyes welling up in sadness. ’Maybe Aria and Ivy would have been safe and happy.’

Joshua felt like killing himself. Everything was his fault. Everything was his mistake. If only he hadn’t gone to meet Amber, everything would have been alright and they’d all be happy.

Joshua had slowly started to detest himself and once again, he felt how despicable he was. Because of his selfishness, he had harmed the two most amazing people and, in turn, hurt almost everyone close to him.

Incensed with himself, he stood up, gaining the two men’s attention to him before he walked in the direction of Ivy’s room.

"What’s up with him all of a sudden?" Noah looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Leave him. He is guilty and sad." Ian sighed and leaned back as he looked for the psychiatrist’s details. "I have forwarded the psychiatrist’s contacts. Fix an appointment as quickly as possible. Aria might not want to go. Don’t listen to her."

"Got it." Noah didn’t hesitate even for a moment as he called the number Ian had just sent him and fixed an appointment for the next day.

Meanwhile, Joshua stood outside Ivy’s room and stared at the closed door as he hesitated. He wanted to see Ivy, pour his heart out, and beg her for forgiveness. But he didn’t know where to start. He didn’t have the courage to face her after all that happened and all that he did to her.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked at the door and waited for a few seconds before he entered the room. Ivy was deep asleep and even though the female guard assigned to take care of her was nowhere in sight, he knew she was somewhere around.

"You may take a break for some time. I’ll call you back after I’m done here." Joshua ordered and he heard the curtains ruffling before everything went silent. Now, he was all alone with Ivy.

Watching the lady who was deep asleep, Joshua didn’t have the heart to disturb her. Yet, he didn’t want to leave her either. It was as if only in her presence, could he find the serenity he was looking for.

Kneeling beside her bed, he held her hand and looked at her. His eyes conveyed a myriad of emotions - guilt, sadness, anger, pain, love, longing, and a lot more.

"I am so sorry, Ivy." He bowed his head before her. "Please forgive me for all that I did to you. I have sinned for which I’ll forever be regretful. Not only did I hurt you, I even put you in harm’s length and hurt Aria as well. I’m a terrible person, Ivy, and I want to kill myself to atone for my sins."