30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 107: The Tears of Airlie

Ethan patted her head like a child, pushing her into the walk-in closet. He didn’t follow her in but stood outside, making a phone call.

A nervous voice immediately came through on the other end. "Mr. Blackwood, the Yasa saxophone, has been air-freighted back to the country. It should arrive at your residence in about three hours."

"No need for that. Contact my secretary for the address and deliver it directly to the Carter family’s celebration."

"Yes, Mr. Blackwood."

Yasa was the world’s leading brand for saxophones, and there were none available in the country.

Glancing at the calendar on his watch, Ethan’s lips curved into a faint, sexy smile. Thirty days... Lily’s been by my side for thirty days now.

Inside the closet, Lily stared at the rows of evening gowns with a sinking feeling. She absolutely could not attend this celebration.

But what excuse could she use to get out of it?

Should I twist my ankle again?

Lily looked down at her foot, biting her lip as she prepared to twist it hard enough to injure it.

Suddenly, the closet door swung open.

Lily jumped, startled.

"Why haven’t you changed yet?" Ethan glanced at her before walking to the wardrobe and selecting an evening gown.

What should she wear for their thirty-day anniversary? Red was too bold, white too plain...

Ethan’s fingers brushed past one gown after another, his expression increasingly dissatisfied. Why is the quality of Blackwood Enterprise’s clothing becoming so poor?

Overseeing him select a gown for her, Lily grew anxious. "Ethan, I don’t want to go."

"I don’t want to hear it."

His long fingers paused over a champagne-colored cocktail dress. He took it down, examined it, and raised an eyebrow, satisfied. "Wear this one."

"I..."

"Be good," Ethan interrupted, holding the dress out to her. "Or would you rather I dress you myself?"

"..."

Afraid he might do it, Lily grabbed the dress and quickly ran out of the closet. "I’ll change in the bedroom."

This woman...

What did she have that he hadn’t already seen? Why did she always act so pure and untouchable?

Ethan smirked as he returned to the shoe rack to select a pair of shoes for her.

Lily hurriedly grabbed her phone in the bedroom and dialed Alex Carter’s number. He answered almost immediately, his voice filled with pleasant surprise. "Lily?"

Lily’s voice was urgent. "Alex, Ethan is coming to your celebration tonight. Please tell your father and fiancée that if they see me, they should pretend not to recognize me. And please ask your fiancée not to act familiar with me."

If Ethan had learned about her connection to Alex, it would have caused an enormous scene.

"..." There was a brief pause on Alex’s end before he spoke, his voice low. "I understand. If he finds out we’ve known each other since childhood, it’ll blow your cover as the one who gave us the confidential information."

Why is she so afraid?

What would Ethan do to her if he found out? Would he hurt her?

"Yeah," Lily responded heavily. "I’m hanging up now."

She placed her phone back in the flower vase where she usually hid it, finally letting out a long breath.

I am like a thief. Nothing I do is out in the open. Everything must be hidden.

Once she had calmed her nerves, Lily finally noticed the dress Ethan had chosen for her—a strapless, champagne-colored cocktail dress with a delicate bow at the waist.

The elegant color and soft, delicate design suited her perfectly. It looked just like the princess dresses she had always loved...

After putting it on, she found that it fit her perfectly. Ethan knew her measurements better than she did.

She gathered her long hair and stepped out of the bedroom. Ethan was still in the closet, staring at the shoe rack. He picked out a pair of flat shoes and turned toward her. "Lily, wear these."

His voice trailed off.

Lily stood at the door, her long, smooth hair cascading over her shoulders. The champagne-colored dress beautifully complemented her fair skin, and her long, slender legs were fully exposed. Her makeup-free face was clean, pure, and stunning.

Her soft, delicate skin made any color look flawless on her.

Ethan’s gaze deepened as he stared at her.

Lily glanced at the shoes in his hand. "Why flats?"

He was tall, and without heels, she would look mismatched entirely standing next to him...

Besides, what woman wears flats to a formal event? She wasn’t afraid of embarrassing herself, but was his sense of style as twisted as his personality?

"Just wear them," Ethan ordered, pulling her onto a chair and letting out a cold snort. "Your foot just healed, and you already want to wear heels."

Lily froze.

He wants me to wear flats for the sake of my foot?

Ethan knelt naturally in front of her, lifting her foot onto his knee, preparing to help her put the shoes on...

Lily stared at his face, momentarily dazed.

It was as if she had been transported back to the dressing room at the beach house, where Alex had gently slipped a pair of princess shoes onto her feet...

The image of Ethan in front of her overlapped with that old memory.

The sound of a phone ringing suddenly snapped her back to reality. Ethan paused, set the shoes aside, and stood up to answer the call.

Lily quickly slipped the shoes on herself.

The door opened, and Nanny walked in, holding a jewelry box. "Mr. Blackwood, this is the ’Tears of Airlie.’"

Ethan took the box with one hand while still talking on the phone. After ending the call, he turned to Lily and raised an eyebrow, noticing she had already put on the shoes.

The warm-colored flats matched the champagne dress perfectly, making Lily look youthful and elegant.

Standing before him like this, she looked like she had never experienced the tragedies of her past, as if she had grown up as a happy, privileged heiress.

"The secretary delivered the invitation. Let’s go; we still need to get your hair done," Ethan said, walking over and pulling the gemstone necklace from the jewelry box. He fastened it around her neck.

The excellent gems against her skin felt strange. "Do I have to wear this necklace?"

"I took this necklace from Alex Carter’s fiancée’s hands. Why wouldn’t you wear it?" Ethan sneered, pressing her bare shoulders to turn her around.

The teardrop-shaped gemstone rested against her skin.

Perfect.

Ethan wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the closet.

He wanted her to wear it to show off. The Carter family dared to send him an invitation to their celebration. Did they think they could provoke him?

In the evening, the Carter estate was brightly lit and filled with high-society guests mingling and toasting. Waiters moved through the crowd, offering drinks while groups of people chatted and whispered excitedly.

Outside, near the large swimming pool, guests held wine glasses, greeting each other, speaking in hushed tones, or gathering in small groups to discuss various matters.

Lily held a small clutch in her hand, her arm hooked around Ethan’s as they appeared by the pool. All eyes immediately turned toward them, and the whispers began.

"Is that Ethan Blackwood?"

"I think so. I saw him at another event once, but I wasn’t sure."

"The CEO of Blackwood Enterprise Asia-Pacific? He’s never been seen in the media..."

"Not only that, he’s the young master of the Blackwood family in Europe. Their wealth is unimaginable."

The murmurs continued to spread.

"Mr. Blackwood, it’s an honor to have you here. Your presence truly graces my humble abode." Alex’s father, Bill Carter, dressed formally, walked over with a broad smile, and held a wine glass.

Bill Carter’s calm demeanor showed no animosity despite Blackwood Enterprise’s recent attacks on Carter Group.

Lily eyed Bill carefully. She remembered that he still looked like Uncle Bill—his appearance was much better than that of her father’s father, who was still in prison. His hair was neatly combed, and his suit was immaculate.

"The tax scandal is behind you, I see. Mr. Carter, you look as spirited as ever."

Ethan raised a glass of red wine from a passing waiter’s tray, smirking as he spoke. Though his face was masked with a polite smile, his words were cutting.

Bill’s expression faltered momentarily, but he quickly recovered, awkwardly smiling as he sipped his wine. His eyes briefly flicked over to Lily.

Suddenly, the lights around the pool shifted, focusing on a small stage. The host stood by the microphone and announced, "Now, let’s welcome Mr. Carter’s son, Alex Carter, and his fiancée, Miss Alice Johnson, to share the first dance."

The small band began playing.

The spotlight illuminated the couple, their fingers interlaced.

Lily’s gaze followed the light. Alex, as usual, was dressed in white, his tall figure exuding elegance and grace. He wore a soft smile, as gentle as ever.

In a goddess-like, flowing gown, Alice wore slightly heavier eye makeup, giving her a sharp, alluring look.

With their hands entwined, Alex led Alice to the center of the floor, moving gracefully to the music.

They were a stunningly perfect couple that drew everyone’s admiration.

Lily stood by the pool, quietly watching. As more guests joined the dance floor, none could outshine Alex and Alice, who were the center of attention.

Ethan glanced coldly at the couple before picking up a glass of juice from a passing tray and handing it to Lily. "Don’t drink too much."

"Mm." 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

As Alex danced with Alice, his eyes subtly scanned the crowd, finally finding what he was looking for. His gaze flicked toward Ethan, his gentle eyes revealing no discernible emotion.

Lily sipped her juice and watched quietly.

"What’s wrong, Alex?" Alice asked, her hand resting on his shoulder as they danced. There was a hint of displeasure in her voice.

"Nothing." Alex smiled faintly, but his gaze involuntarily drifted back toward Lily, who stood by the pool...

She looked young and innocent in her champagne-colored, strapless dress, standing out from the crowd.

But didn’t she stop liking princess dresses?

Why is she wearing one today? Did Ethan make her wear it?

When the dance ended, Bill led Alex and Alice over to Ethan. "Alex, you young people should talk. Make sure to entertain Mr. Blackwood on my behalf."

"Yes, Father."

Alex replied warmly, then glanced at Lily, his eyes on the necklace around her neck. "The Tears of Airlie?"

Seeing the necklace, Alice’s courteous smile faltered slightly. Forcing herself to maintain her composure, she said, "Miss Anderson, you’re fortunate. Mr. Blackwood has such fine taste in gifts."

"It’s hardly worth much. Just a little trinket," Ethan said with a cold laugh, his tone full of mockery as he looked at Alex. "You should be ashamed, Carter, letting your fiancée sell off her engagement gift."

Ethan’s sharp tongue never held back.

"You—" Alice’s smile immediately disappeared. "You’re going too far!"

Alex merely chuckled softly, his smile never wavering. "Alice has always believed in sharing beautiful things with others."

As he spoke, Alex’s gaze again fell on the Tears of Airlie necklace around Lily’s neck, his expression momentarily distant.

Was this fate?

That the Tears of Airlie would end up around Lily’s neck...