Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

"What? Why?" Joshua cried out loud immediately and he tried to hold her in his arms. But Ivy moved two steps back, making him halt in his place.

"That is the compensation for me, not you."

"Why do you need compensation?"

"I was the victim here. You were the one who broke the rules. So, I must get something in return which is of advantage for me. Don't you think so?" Ivy asked, licking her lips and this action of hers did not go unnoticed by the man who's eyes were gazing at her intently. He immediately felt something in his heart and wished that it was his tongue licking those sweet lips.

"Ivy this is not fair." Joshua groaned and tried to approach her again and this time Ivy did not take a step back. Happy that Ivy had finally agreed with him, Joshua tried to hug her, but Ivy did something which he had never imagined even in his dreams. She pushed him away with all the strength she could muster.

"A great man just thought me that 'Everything is fair in love and war'." She shoved his own words on his face and Joshua chided himself for his foolishness. "And right now, sweetheart." Ivy ran her fingers across his cheeks making him shiver in delight. "We are at war." 

With that, she left the living room with him standing with his eyes wide open. She smiled at her small victory. 'Joshua-1, Ivy-1.'

Joshua came out of his stupor the next instant and ran behind Ivy, trying to convince her to give up. "Ivy, please. How can I stay three days without hugging you? Are you trying to torment me?"

Ivy stopped walking hearing him and faced him, blinking as innocently as she could. "When did I try to even torment you?"

"Now."

"And how did I do that? Please enlighten me."

"By your words. You want me to restrain from hugging and kissing you. Don't you think it's a little too much?"

"Not at all. Compared to what you did to me in Noah's office, this is nothing. So, bear with it. It's just three days anyway."

"Three days," Joshua whined. "Ivy, do you even know the meaning of three days? I almost died stopping myself for a day. Three days is too much."

"Who asked you to break the rules? Now bear with it." Ivy gave him a sweet smile which almost made him melt and she started walking again.

Joshua stomped his foot like a pampered girl and started throwing tantrums. "I am not going to follow your rules. They are very toxic for me."

"Then, the compensation will be extended for ten days," Ivy shouted. She was almost near her room while Joshua was still standing at the first step of the staircase.

"You... Just you wait and watch how I'll get back at you once these three days end. I'll not let you off without taking what I want and that too with interest."

"We will see about it."

Joshua huffed and went back to the living room. Barely ten minutes had passed after their banter when Ivy came running back.

"What? Can't stay away from your boyfriend even for ten minutes?" He teased seeing her hold his hand as she took deep breaths. Seeing her not give any sarcastic reply, he scrunched his eyebrows. 'Something was wrong here. She was not behaving the usual way.'

"Ivy, what happened? Is everything alright?" Joshua demeanor changed altogether and he held her in his arms, patting her back in an attempt to soothe her.

"No. My neighbor just called. Somebody broke into my apartment today."

"What?" Joshua exclaimed and his mind wandered in thoughts thinking who it might be and the only face it showed was Tim's. He then remembered Tim's conversation with Jared and everything fell into place at once.

"Yes. He was armed and he even harmed one the resident's eight-year-old daughter, who right now is in the hospital."

"Bastard," Joshua yelled and Ivy stared at him confusion.

"It must be Tim."

Joshua voiced out his assumption and Ivy understood immediately. She too agreed with it. "We have to go to the police station to file a complaint. This issue has blown up like crazy."

"I'll come with you. Also, let me call Noah. It's best he knows about this matter." Joshua said and immediately dialed Noah's number.

After that, Ivy had gone to the police station along with Joshua, Noah and Ronnie. They were at the police station when Aria had called them. But all their phones were on silent mode. So, nobody picked their calls. Ronnie was the only one who heard his phone ring and since he was outside, he answered Ian's call immediately. He assured Ian about Ivy's safety before the call ended.

Noah and Joshua had wanted Ivy not to take Tim's name in front of the police as the man knew some people in the department. If he got a word about it, then things would become more complicated and it would only attract Jared's attention which right now would only make it more problematic. It was best that they allowed the police to investigate the matter according to the protocol while they took care of Tim themselves in secret.

Ivy wanted to protest at first, but she knew it would only be futile as the two men were very adamant about it. Also, their words made sense. If what Joshua said about Tim knowing people in the police academy was true, then he could easily get away with it. They had to give them proof or catch him red-handed to punish him according to the law.

So, Ivy gave in and did as she was told. They filed a complaint and then went with the police to her house to see what damage Tim had done. The police surveyed the entire floor and were perplexed by what they found out. There were cameras everywhere in the building. But none of them had captured the armed man. Also, each apartment had a fingerprint lock. Since the man did not have a key with him, he had to have tampered with the scanner to enter inside.

They were shocked by the way the man had meticulously planned his moves. There was nothing about him that could be of use to them. Neither the old woman who brought him inside nor the watchman was of much help too. Even the maid too was useless. They could only give them very few details about Tim.

Also, Ivy did not have even a single picture of Tim's to show the three people who had seen him. She could watch them getting interrogated while she stood at the side with Noah and Joshua.

"Ivy, do you have Tim's photo?"

"No. I don't have any of his photos. He is even missing from the group pics when he was clearly present with us when we were taking them."

"Cunning, yet smart," Joshua commented as he scrolled through his phone. He then held out Tim's photo which he had stored on his phone. "I have it."

"What are you going to do about it?" Ivy asked Noah only to receive a mysterious smile in return.

"Wait and watch."