Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

0"How have you all been?" Theo's voice turned low and melancholic as he moved his gaze away from Ian to Noah, who had turned to face him completely. "I hope you all have been well."      3

Noah pursed his lips and stared at the man silently while Joshua continued driving. Nobody spoke a word and Theo lowered his head immediately, unable to meet the intensity in the three men's gazes.     

"You guys must hate me for what I did." Theo licked his lips which had gone dry all of a sudden. "I deserve it too. I am so sorry...."     

"We don't hate you." Ian suddenly interrupted him, and Theo blinked at the young man, baffled by his reply. He gaped at the man silently, his lips parting and closing, not knowing how to respond to him. Although he was happy that they did not hate him for the sin he had committed, he was still aggrieved that he had put them through such agony unwantedly.     

"I am grateful that you do not hate me." He started after he composed himself. "But I still hold myself responsible for what I did and for what I put you all through. I am sorry."     

"We will understand if you have a valid reason for your actions. Try us." Ian did not back off and his calm voice declared with such authority that Theo was momentarily surprised.     

Ian had never behaved this way before, not with him, at least. He was treating him as an acquaintance, Theo noticed and he was sure it would remain that way until he gave an answer that pacified the young man. But if he failed to do so, he would shift from being an acquaintance to a stranger and the three men, who right now did not hate him, would loathe him surely.     

"I will tell you everything once we reach home. Please bear with me until then." Theo gratefully smiled at the three men and stretched his legs as much as possible in the constricted space. "Thank you for trusting me to tell you the truth and not despising me. Otherwise, I don't think I would have been able to survive if I were to see you loathing me, especially Ian."     

Ian did not speak and kept looking at the man silently, accessing him with narrowed eyes. He recalled what Aria had told him two days ago and he sent her words of gratitude in his mind. If not for her, he would never have understood his true emotions and would have ended up hurting his benefactor.     

"I hope you will not break our trust in you, Theo. I swear if you do, you will never hear a word from me again."      

Theo discerned the underlying warning in his words. It was not that Ian would harm himself. He was not a coward. Instead, he would surely turn his back and show him how much of a stranger he could be.      

'I will give you the answers you so desperately seek, Ian. Please, just don't hate me. I have already lost my child. I do not wish to lose you too. You, Noah and Joshua.'     

Theo wiped a teardrop that had slid down his cheek and took a deep breath. "How is Master now? Has he gained consciousness?"     

"He is recovering well, although he is yet to gain consciousness," Joshua replied, watching his surroundings in case someone was following them.     

"When will he gain consciousness? Any Idea?" Theo directed his question to Ian, who had not once moved his eyes away from him.     

"Soon. If my analysis is correct, he will wake up by today or tomorrow."     

"That's good news. In that case, why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the hospital?" Theo frowned, making sure to keep his tone as composed as possible. He did not dare raise his voice at him, for he knew that he had no right to do so.     

"You do not have to worry about it. My colleague and friend is in charge of Grandpa and with her around, nothing will happen to him." Ian assured him.     

"Can we trust this lady?" Theo frowned and looked at Noah, waiting for his response.     

"Yes, you can. She is my girlfriend and.." Noah hesitated while Theo looked at him in confusion. "Oliver West's daughter. I presume you remember who Oliver West is."     

As soon as Theo heard Oliver's name, his face blanched and his expression worsened. His eyes widened in pain and his jaw dropped. How could he have forgotten about him? "Are you talking about Oliver West, the journalist who uncovered the hospital scandals?"     

"Yes, I am. I am talking about the same Oliver West who saw you getting killed with his own eyes. I hope you are ready to face him." Noah smiled sarcastically at him and Theo realized how much of deep waters he was in.     

He was as guilty of betraying Oliver as he was of Noah, Joshua and Ian. At least the three young men had not seen him die. But Oliver...Theo felt miserable to think of the man who had seen him die and had to endure the trauma all this time.     

"Oliver was in a coma for three years since the day you supposedly died," Noah revealed, pitying the man who was filled with self-reproach. "He only woke up recently."      

"I know, Noah." Theo closed his eyes shut as he tried to stop his tears. "Master told me about Oliver."     

"Oliver is fuming mad. I hope you will be able to appease him." Noah smiled suddenly, and even if Theo realized that the young man was teasing, he was in no mood to think about it.     

All he could remember was Oliver's horrified expression when he had witnessed him being killed. It kept flashing before his eyes and Oliver fidgeted in his seat uncomfortably.     

"We are here," Joshua announced as soon as he entered Noah's mansion and Theo looked out of the window at the familiar place in nostalgia.     

A lot of memories came flooding back to him and he smiled faintly before his smile dropped when he saw the man he had been thinking of moments ago standing by the doorway.