Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever-Chapter 766: Broken bonds

Ivy was about to step forward but stopped short when she heard him. She still had a lot to say to him. But the moment he mentioned a breakup, she forgot everything and stared at him blankly. Her words remained unsaid forever.

"What?" She could still not comprehend what she had just heard and gaped at him. She was utterly frozen in her spot.

It pained Joshua to see her this way. But he held onto his resolve and took a step aside, avoiding her direct gaze.

"Let’s break up, Ivy."

"Why?" Ivy’s eyes teared up and her body started to tremble. Although it was not cold, she felt as if as was drowning in ice-cold water. It became suffocating and slowly, she was having trouble breathing.

"Ivy..." Joshua sighed and pulled his hair in frustration. "You and I....let’s just say we are not compatible."

Ivy could not control herself anymore and her tears rolled down her cheeks. "Joshua," She did not hold back anymore and stepped in front of him, staring at him in denial. "Joshua, is this some sort of joke? Are you playing a prank on me? Please, stop it." She begged.

"No, Ivy. This is not a prank nor am I playing a joke on you. I’m serious." Joshua could not bring himself to stare at her, let alone see her break down and crumble before him. So, he moved away from her and turned around, showing her his back.

"Why?" Ivy followed him and observed his expressions with her red eyes. "Is it something I did? Did I do something to offend you or hurt you? Wait a minute." Her eyes widened and she licked her lips. "Is it because I pushed you out of the house in the morning? Is that the reason? I’m so sorry, Joshua. I did it so I could surprise you. If those actions of mine have offended you, I’ll apologize to you."

Ivy held the lapels of his jacket and looked at him with her teary eyes, begging him silently to stop.

"Ivy..." Joshua pushed her away gently and moved away from her again. "It is not the reason, Ivy. I just feel that you and I are not compatible. Since our relationship has no future, we should stop before it becomes too late."

"Don’t you think it’s already too late now?" Ivy seethed, her fury getting the best of her. She glared at him, not caring about the tears that were pouring down like a waterfall. "If you didn’t see a future with me, you shouldn’t have gotten into a relationship with me at all. Didn’t I tell you I was looking for something serious? Were you just playing around with me?"

Ivy’s mind started to cook up things. The more she thought, the more miserable and shocking it was for her.

"Were you also trying to get into pants like the others? Was it all your intentions all along?" Ivy’s gaze did not move away from him, analyzing every expression closely lest she missed anything important.

"If that is what you think, then that is what it is." Joshua gave her a nonchalant reply.

"No, it can’t be." Ivy was in denial and she collapsed immediately, her legs giving away on her. "It can’t be. You are lying to me. You are lying."

Joshua reached out to hold her the moment he saw her collapse. But thought otherwise and returned to his place.

"You are lying to me. Right? This is all a lie. This can’t be real. How can all the love I saw in your eyes be a hoax? I must be dreaming. I am. This is not true." Ivy could still not accept the situation and she stood up suddenly, startling Joshua who had his eyes fixed on her.

Unlike her, however, he did not show his tears even though he was already crumbling from within. He was utterly shattered.

Ivy, once again, held his jacket’s lapels and looked at him pleadingly. "I don’t believe you at all. How can your love for me be my imagination? This is not true. No."

"Ivy, how do I make you understand?" Joshua held her hands and let them go after a few moments. "Please leave, Ivy. We are done."

Ivy stared at his back disconcertedly. She was lost, heartbroken, and furious. But she did not give up yet.

"Joshua, did something happen?" She still tried to find the reason behind his sudden request for a breakup. "If there is any problem, we can face it together."

Joshua remained silent, his mouth refusing to move while he listened to her trying to comfort him.

"Did someone tell you something? What happened, Joshua? Why are you behaving this way? Did I do something wrong?" Ivy continued to question him as she wiped her tears. Her vision was hazy. But she did not give a damn about it and stood in front of him again.

"If I did something wrong, please tell me. I’ll correct myself and change. Please. Let’s not break up."

"Why don’t you understand, Ivy?" Joshua hollered and Ivy flinched in shock. She stared at him flummoxed and moved away from him instinctively.

"You and I are over. We are done."

Joshua had never used such a tone on her before and Ivy was left speechless for quite some time. She did not know what to do or how to react. All she could do was look at him dazedly with her fists clenched.

"Neither am I offended with you nor did someone tell me something. I just feel we are not good for each other. Let us end our relationship cordially. Don’t beg and grovel before me like a pathetic woman."

Ivy felt miserable and devastated. His words stung her more than his initiation of break up. All of a sudden, Joshua had become cruel to her.

"Please leave, Ivy. I am done with you."

Every word of his was a hammer being dropped on her heart. It was painful and she felt utterly cold. However, she still did not give up. Mustering her courage one last time, she approached him.

"Just answer one question of mine, Joshua." Her voice quivered. Although she was afraid of his answer, she needed to hear it from his mouth. She needed to know she was not under deception all along.

Joshua gave her an impatient look. Nevertheless, he entertained her.

"During the time we were together, have you ever loved me even for a moment?" Ivy voiced out the question she had in her mind, making sure to stay strong. Yet her hopeful gaze gave her away.

Joshua felt his heart twisting in pain to see the girl he loved more than his life look at him this way. But he had no other choice. It was either her or him and he had chosen to break her heart.

Ivy held her breath while she waited for his reply. She had to know his answer. She had to confirm that she was not wrong all along. If his answer was a yes, then she still had hope. But if his reply was a no, then... Ivy even feared to think about it.

Joshua couldn’t bring himself to face her. So, he turned around and took a breath. "Never."

"You are lying." Ivy smiled in triumph. "Otherwise, you’d have faced me, looked me in the eye and answered me. You’re lying."

Ivy went around and stood before him again. "Try answering me the same now." She looked at him gloatingly.

Joshua sighed softly and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He looked at her eyes and for a moment, the entire world stopped. He even forgot what he wanted to tell her. All his messy thoughts, his pain, and his troubles vanished. It was only her and him at that moment.

Time stopped still and neither of them moved from their spot. They kept gazing at each other, not caring about anything else.

"Tell me, Joshua." Ivy was the first one to break the moment. "Did ever love me even for a moment?"

Joshua broke out of his trance when he listened to her and he steeled his heart. Forcing all his emotions out of his mind and heart, he looked at her, this time, making sure to look at her in the eye.

"Never, Ivy." He replied, the bitter words falling out of his mouth with great difficulty. "I have never loved you, not for a day, an hour, a minute, a second, or even a moment."

And that broke Ivy completely. Instead of crying or cursing him, just as Joshua had thought her to do, all he got in return was a smile from her. She looked like a broken flower, beautiful yet wounded.

"Very well, then." She moved away from him, her smile still intact on her face. "If you say so. From today onwards, you and I have no relationship whatsoever. We are nothing but strangers. I’ll not care about you irrespective of what happens to you and you don’t have to care about me as well."

"Ivy..." Joshua stepped forward but Ivy held her palm, forcing him to halt in his place.

"Mr. Joshua Martin," Ivy wiped her tears and stared at him expressionlessly. She had switched off all her emotions in a blink. "From today onwards, I will never trouble you. I’m sorry you had to endure me for this long. From today onwards, not even my shadow will enter your life. Live a good life. Good luck and goodbye forever!"

Ivy smiled at him one last time before she turned around and walked away from him while all Joshua could do was stare at her back with tears in his eyes.