Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

Ian was not surprised to see Aria just outside Linda's ward. There were also two female prison guards guarding the ward. It was only after seeing Aria safe and fine that he sighed in relief. Aria had not missed the panic on Ian's face, and for a moment, she wondered if it was Ivy who had called him to inform him about the situation. 

'It has to be Ivy. Otherwise, why would Ian come here running with a panic-filled face?' Aria thought to herself. 'Ivy,' She sighed. 'Why did you have to pull Ian into this? Do you not trust your sister to stay safe?' She shook her head in disbelief at her sister's attempts to keep her away from danger even though Aria was more capable of taking care of herself than her elder sister.

Aria did not wait for Ian to come to her. She went to him with a confirmed expression on his face. "Did Ivy call you?" 

Ian's nod was all she needed to know that her sister had been worried for her beyond she could even imagine. It was to the extent that she had called Ian just to make sure she was safe. 

"What's the matter, Aria? What's happening?" Though Ian more or less had guessed what was happening, he still needed clarity about it.

Aria looked at the two female guards who were already looking at them. She gestured him to follow her and the duo went to a secluded place where no one would be able to listen to their conversation.

"Ian, Ivy would never allow anyone to find out about her family irrespective of what happens, and even if someone wants to find out, Maggie has made sure to keep it under the wraps. So, how was Linda able to know about me and Ivy? She specifically asked for me when Stuart went to attend to her, and she asked me to contact Ivy for she has some matters to disclose to her." 

Aria stated everything in one breath, and once she was done, she took a deep breath to calm her raging heart. Although she was not frightened by the way things had turned out, she could still not brush off the uneasiness that was slowly making its place known to her. It was as though something huge and disastrous would strike her soon that would eventually wreak her or Ivy's life for sure.

"This is disturbing. How is it possible for Linda to know about you? As far as I know, only people authorized by Maggie can find out the link between you, Ivy, and Oliver. Even Jared himself does not know the connection between you three. How did Linda find out?" Ian too could not stop himself from expressing his opinion. 

Just like Aria, he too was distressed over this matter and the only way to find out was to interrogate Linda thoroughly. "I presume we speak to Linda herself about this. We wouldn't want her changing perspectives by the time we question her, would we?"

Aria too had the same thought, and the two friends finally entered the ward after nodding at the two prison guards. Linda was asleep or that was how it looked from where they were. But on a closer look, it was evident that the woman was pretending to be asleep. Her eyes were closed tight as though she was trying hard to stop herself from meeting the two people who had come for her.

Aria glanced at Ian, who nodded at her in return before he folded his hands. 

"Linda," Her voice was stern and filled with an amazing commanding power that Ian's head snapped to her in astonishment. He had never heard such a domineering tone from the girl he had known since high school. For the first time, he felt the intensity in her eyes and her stance that was enough to send chills through his spine. She was as scary as he or his other two friends would ever be when their bottom line was questioned.

"We know you are awake. Stop pretending." Aria did not notice Ian's astonished gaze as she was focused more on the troublesome woman on the bed.

Linda peered through her lashes, focusing first on the handsome man she was seeing for the first time before she looked at the female doctor beside him. She was pleasantly surprised to know that she was Ivy's twin when she did not have that many attributes that matched with Ivy's. They must be non-identical, she deduced.

"You must be Aria." Linda's voice was dry. But neither Ian nor Aria helped her with her. They just stared at her waiting for her to speak more.

"How do you know me?" Aria's voice was cold, and Linda too felt the heaviness and seriousness in her. She was all business and anything else would not be appreciated.

"I found out from the man who wanted me dead." Linda too did not play around anymore and jumped straight to answering her.

"Please elaborate."

Linda's eyes looked back at Ian before it settled on Aria again. She gave her a dubious expression only to receive a raise of eyebrows. 

"He is staying here. We do not trust you." Aria did not hide her true thoughts, and for a moment, Linda did not know what to speak. How could she harm her in the state she was in? But she did not comment about it, allowing them to suspect her as they wished.

"I am not sure what is happening outside, for I have been in the prison for months now, courtesy to your sister and her friend." Linda almost spat in anger, and Aria had the sudden urge to slap her face for reprimanding her sister. Who the hell did she think she was to blame Ivy? If she was in prison all these months, then it was her fault, to begin with.

Linda noticed the change in her expression, and she toned down her anger. But she did not conceal it completely. Ivy was one of the many people she hated, for if not for her and her quite formidable companion, she would not be in the state she was in right now.

"Out of nowhere, I am being attacked and for what reasons, I don't know." Linda continued, keeping her gaze fixed on Aria. Even though she was tempted to take a good look at the handsome man in the ward, she compelled herself to stay in position and focus only on Aria.

"As we had thought, it was not an attempt to suicide. It was an attempt to murder you." Aria mused to herself but it was loud enough that even Linda heard it.

"What do you mean by suicide? I never tried to commit suicide." Linda shook her head fervently. "Someone out there wants me dead."

"And why is that so?" Aria's cold gaze did not change whatsoever. It still was intense, forcing Linda to answer her immediately.

"Maybe because I know their truth." Linda's eyes widened in realization, and she sucked in a deep breath in fear.

"Whose truth?" 

"All the people who destroyed my life." 

"And might they be?" Aria did not stop, for this was what she wanted to know.

"Jared, Charles, and..." Linda stopped speaking and a frown marred her forehead.

"And?

"I do not remember the other person's name." Her frown only deepened as she tried to recollect who the other person was. Only to no avail.

"Was it Fredrick?" Aria probed while Ian watched the woman shake her head immediately.

"No, it was not. It was a powerful name, a name that could shake the country. He sounded like a businessman. Who is the top businessman in the country currently?"

Now it was Ian and Aria's turn to frown, and they gave her a suspicious look, wondering what she was up to. Even though none of her words made sense, they continued to entertain her to see where this was going.

"Noah Carter?" Ian spoke for the first time since he had entered the ward and just like Aria's, it was intimidating and forceful.

"Yes, he was a Carter. But he was not Noah. It was someone else. What was his name? What was his name?" Linda tried to rack her brain to find out who the man was. "Yes, it was Jonathan.. Jonatha Carter, who is as responsible as the others for destroying my life."