Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever
Chapter 854: A day to celebrate

Chapter 854: A day to celebrate

"One down, one more to go."

Noah glanced at his friend and Joshua immediately understood what the man was referring to.

Nodding at him lightly, he left the room, leaving Noah and Ian to handle everything.

Noah called Aria while Ian took it upon himself to inform Valerie.

Meanwhile, Joshua opened the door to the room where Amber was locked and entered, his face unreadable.

Amber had her eyes closed. But as soon as she heard the footsteps, her eyes fluttered open and she almost jumped in joy, if not for the restraints that held her still.

"Joshua, you are finally here. You are here," she mumbled in disbelief. "I knew you’d come. I knew you would come to save me. How can you let me die? You would never leave me to die. That’s not you."

Amber kept speaking, not noticing Joshua’s resentful gaze.

"Release me now and take me away from here. I don’t want to stay here for even more a minute. You have no idea what I went through the past few weeks."

Joshua remained silent, allowing her to rant as much as she wanted. It would be the last time she would be complaining to him.

"Joshua, you must avenge me. I have never been ill-treated before. How dare they! You must kill them all. You must..."

"Why should I?"

Amber’s words were stuck in her throat as she stared at him in confusion. "What?"

"Why should I avenge you? Who are you to me?" Joshua questioned calmly. He barely had any expression as he stood before her. Yet, he scared the hell out of her.

"Joshua, what do you mean? Don’t you love me? How could you..."

"Love?" Joshua scoffed. The thought of even loving such a selfish woman repulsed him and once again, he blamed himself for being blind in the past. Amber was the most self-centered, egoistic, and despicable woman he had ever met and he had sinned by even having her in his life.

"Are you even worthy?"

"Joshua, why are you speaking this way?"

"I didn’t know you were this disillusioned." Joshua shook his head and pulled out a gun and Amber scurried back in fear instantly.

"You and I were over the day you left me. Now, I love Ivy and she is my life. I was a fool to have been affected by your words and hurt the woman I love the most. It’s time I rectified my mistake and seek vengeance."

"Joshua, what are you trying to do?" Amber’s eyes shook and she looked at him warily.

"Nothing. Just what I should have done long before." Joshua unlocked the gun and prepared himself. "Any last words you want to say?"

"Joshua, no. You cannot do this. You cannot..."

Joshua didn’t wait for her to finish and pressed the trigger, aiming at her head. Amber stared at him in shock before she dropped dead.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips and he closed his eyes. He wasn’t in any way affected by her death. The woman had to die. She wasn’t an innocent person. Her hands were stained with blood as well and they were the innocent ones.

Amber’s fate was decided the day she joined hands with Jared. She should have expected it.

On seeing Joshua return, Noah and Ian stopped talking and looked at him in surprise.

"This soon?" Ian quirked his brows in wonder.

"I feel nauseous in her presence. I couldn’t tolerate her anymore."

"Fair enough."

"Deputy will be here soon," Noah informed.

"For Jared’s body?"

"No. To assure herself."

"Understandable."

Joshua wasn’t surprised. He understood Valerie’s sentiments. Jared’s death was the closure everyone needed in their lives. With him now gone, people could finally move on and find happiness.

"What about Ivy and Aria?" Joshua asked in worry. He knew that Noah had informed them as well. However, he didn’t want them to come. Noah’s words had terrified him greatly and he wanted them away from the blood and the mess.

"They aren’t coming here. Although Aria wanted to, I forbade her," Noah replied, recalling his conversation with Aria.

"That’s the best. How long before Deputy arrives?"

"She should be here soon. She already knew of our plan."

The three men didn’t have to wait for a long time. Valerie, Maggie, Preston, and Ryder arrived in less than half an hour.

Noah led them to the room where Jared’s body was lying cold and nobody spoke for a long time.

Preston was the first one to react. He collapsed to the floor, his eyes filled with relief. He was finally free of his nightmare. He could finally face his dead sister’s photograph and tell her the man who had killed her had died terribly. It was a good day after a long time.

Valerie’s thoughts mirrored Preston’s, and she let go of all her tension and stress. Her father’s murderer has received his punishment. He could finally rest in peace.

Everyone was contented with how things had turned out in the end and they looked at Noah in gratitude.

"What are you going to do with his body?" Valerie questioned the man who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"My men will take care," Noah assured her and Valerie nodded.

"Thank you so much, Noah, Joshua, Ian. Thank you." Valerie looked at each man in the eye as she thanked them. "If not for you guys, I don’t know how long it would take me to find my Dad’s murderer. Thank you."

"No, Deputy. You don’t have to thank us. You have helped us equally in this matter. We are all on the same side," Noah said, not forgetting to oblige her contributions. She had risked her life no less than them.

"All in all, it’s a good day. Shall we celebrate?" Maggie intervened, cutting the solemnity in the air.

"Sure. Why not? Let’s all go. My treat," Joshua agreed right away.

"Awesome. I can finally relax tonight," Ryder added and everyone nodded.

"I’ll inform Aria and Ivy." Noah too had no qualms with the sudden plan. Everyone needed to celebrate the great day.

Ian noticed Preston standing silently behind Ryder and approached him. Ian didn’t say anything. Instead, he just patted his shoulder before he followed his friends out, and that small gesture helped Preston more than anyone could decipher.