30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 108: Ethan’s Public Declaration

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

Lily, avoiding Alex’s gaze, tightened her grip on Ethan’s arm.

"It seems Mr. Carter has received quite the refined upbringing at home—not the type to lose control and attack like a madman," Ethan said mockingly, raising his glass toward Alex with a cruel smirk.

Alice was furious but remained silent.

She understood that this was a conversation between men. If she interjected, it would only embarrass Alex.

Ethan’s gaze was filled with disdain as he looked at Alex, but Alex only smiled lightly in return, raising his glass. "I didn’t expect Mr. Blackwood to attend tonight."

B.E. (Blackwood Enterprise) had launched a series of attacks on Carter Group, but they were like punching a pillow—none had landed successfully.

B.E. likely suffered substantial losses this time.

Alex’s words made Ethan’s eyes narrow dangerously.

The two men, vastly different in temperament, locked eyes in a tense standoff.

The four stood by the pool—a strikingly handsome group—but each shared their thoughts.

The band’s light music floated through the air, filling every corner of the party.

After a long pause, Ethan let out a cold, disdainful laugh. "Congratulations, Mr. Carter, on becoming the second-largest shareholder of Carter International. But don’t assume holding shares will be enough to keep your company safe."

He had plenty of ways to bring Carter Group down.

"Is that so?" Alex smiled, raising his glass to clink against Ethan’s. "Let’s wait and see."

"Indeed."

After clinking glasses, Ethan took a sip of his wine.

Alice seized the moment to smile sweetly at Lily, raising her glass. "Miss Anderson, let’s toast to us both wearing the same necklace."

Lily looked at Alice, her expression turning cold.

Her words were hinting at something more profound.

Are both wearing the same necklace? What was she insinuating?

Lily didn’t raise her glass, and Alice immediately feigned displeasure. "What’s this? Miss Anderson won’t give me the honor?"

Both men’s eyes turned toward Lily.

Alex glanced at Lily before shooting Alice a warning look, silently urging her to stop.

But Alice pretended not to notice.

The atmosphere grew tense.

Lily pressed her lips together, just about to raise her glass to break the awkward silence, when Ethan’s disdainful voice cut through the air. "Sorry, Miss Johnson. She doesn’t drink with women who use their faces as a canvas."

The implication was clear—he was mocking Alice’s heavy makeup.

Alice’s eyes widened in anger.

Lily looked up and saw Alex’s brow furrow slightly. His ordinarily gentle voice took on a sharp edge. "Mr. Blackwood, I suggest you show some respect when you speak."

Alex was a gentleman.

But he wasn’t someone you could push around. He had the strength to shoulder anything that came his way.

Lily remained silent as if she were mute. Standing there with the three of them, she didn’t know what to say...

Just then, a servant approached Ethan and whispered something in his ear. "Mr. Blackwood, the item you ordered has arrived."

Ethan placed his glass back on a passing tray and turned to Lily. "Wait here. I’ll be back soon."

"Okay." Lily nodded obediently, watching him leave without asking any questions.

Alice clung tightly to Alex’s arm.

Lily turned to walk away, but Alex’s deep voice stopped her. "Lily..."

Just hearing her name made her chest tighten with pain.

She bit her lip and turned around, her face filled with confusion. "What is it?"

"You don’t look well. Are you feeling alright?" Alex asked gently, his voice as soft as ever.

Was her face really that pale?

It would be strange if her face weren’t pale in this situation.

"I’m fine," Lily replied softly.

From the corner of her eye, she saw the jealousy and hatred burning in Alice’s eyes, almost piercing through her.

Lily forced a distant smile before turning to leave. She walked over to a lounge chair by the pool, intending to sit down, but suddenly, someone shoved her from behind.

Caught off guard, she fell straight into the pool.

"Ah—"

The freezing water engulfed her instantly. Lily struggled to stay afloat, swallowing several mouthfuls of water, which made her feel like she might choke.

I can’t swim.

There was a loud splash.

Alex’s eyes widened in shock. He let go of Alice and dove into the pool, quickly swimming to where Lily was flailing and pulling her out.

The pool water blurred Lily’s vision, and her ears were filled with water, making her cough uncontrollably. Her hands instinctively clawed at the air, and her legs kicked wildly.

"Don’t be scared, Lily. It’s me..." Alex whispered gently, holding her close. "It’s okay, Lily. Don’t be afraid..."

Alex?

His voice was so gentle.

It was as if something calmed her heart, taking away her fear.

The commotion drew everyone’s attention. Guests started gathering around the pool to watch.

Within moments, the pool’s edge was crowded with onlookers.

Alex helped Lily out of the water, and a servant immediately rushed over with towels for both of them.

"Are you alright?" Alice walked over in high heels, standing beside Alex with a concerned expression. But her eyes flickered with jealousy as they landed on Lily. She shouted, "Miss Anderson’s bag is still in the pool! Someone, get it!"

Lily was about to say it wasn’t necessary, but a servant had already jumped into the pool to retrieve it.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Alex asked, his voice full of concern as he looked intently at Lily.

"I’m fine." Lily shook her head, wiping the water from her dripping hair with a towel.

The servant pulled her bag out of the pool and tossed it onto the ground. The zipper had come undone, and a small notebook fell out.

Four significant words were printed on the cover—The Mistress’s Rulebook.

The entire crowd gasped.

Nearly all the guests had gathered around, and the air was filled with murmurs of shock and disbelief.

Lily’s towel slipped from her hand and the moment she saw the notebook, her face drained of color. Her heart froze.

The coldness she felt now was far worse than when she had fallen into the pool.

She stood there, paralyzed.

I didn’t put that notebook in my bag. How did it get there?

Alex stared at Lily in shock.

"She’s a mistress?"

"Mistresses these days sure are professional—carrying around a Mistress’s Rulebook."

"She must be making much money off Ethan Blackwood, huh?"

"Probably more than what your dad built his empire on."

"Exactly. Look at how she’s dressed, acting all innocent."

"Women nowadays... Just sell themselves, and they’re set for life."

"Yeah, all they have to do is spread their legs and let a man have his way with them. Easy money..."

The sneers, disdain, and mockery came one after another, and the whispers grew louder and louder.

Lily’s face turned deathly pale.

She couldn’t bring herself to look at Alex. She didn’t know what his expression would be—disgust? Or maybe pity?

She had always known this day would come.

She was just a lowly mistress, and sooner or later, someone would expose that.

But she didn’t expect it to happen like this—not in front of everyone, not with Alex standing beside her.

Suddenly, she wanted to run away. She tried to dive back into the pool and escape everything...

How did it come to this...

Why did it have to happen this way?

Just then, a soft, mellow tune filled the air, followed by the sound of a saxophone playing a profound, moving melody...

Everyone by the pool turned toward the sound.

On the stage, Ethan stood at the microphone, playing the saxophone with his eyes half-closed, his posture relaxed and focused.

The lights shone down on him.

Tall and striking, his short hair neat and clean, Ethan’s handsome face had an almost devilish charm. The saxophone in his hands gleamed under the lights, looking as new as the day it was made.

He was playing a well-known song, Green Island Serenade.

The entrancingly beautiful music captivated the audience, which went silent.

In the stillness of the night, the saxophone’s sound was deep and calm, soft yet sorrowful, like an echo within an echo, drawing everyone’s attention.

Lily looked up at Ethan on the stage. She had no idea he could play saxophone.

His posture, his focus, his performance... It was far more romantic than that overweight Danish man she had once heard.

His long fingers moved gracefully over the saxophone keys, producing a melody that tugged at the heart.

The entire crowd remained silent when the song ended, still lost in the music.

Ethan casually set the saxophone aside and grabbed the microphone. His black eyes opened as he looked coldly at the crowd gathered around the pool. His voice was low but filled with arrogance.

"She’s my girlfriend. Anyone who dares call her a mistress again will be my enemy!"

The entire venue fell into stunned silence.

Lily stared at Ethan, completely frozen, unable to tear her eyes away.

"You can tell your father I’m your boyfriend."

"Do you have any idea how powerful your family is? How am I supposed to convince my father that the third young master of the Blackwood family is my boyfriend? That we’re planning to get married?"

"Is that all it’ll take? If I make everyone believe you’re my legitimate girlfriend, will you stop causing trouble?!"

Ethan’s words from the car echoed in her ears.

The Carter family’s celebration was a gathering of high society...

Yet, Ethan chose such a setting to declare her as his girlfriend publicly.

The entire upper-class circle would soon know that Ethan Blackwood had an official girlfriend...

Lily had never imagined that Ethan would make such a declaration, especially not in front of everyone.

At a moment when the crowd was mocking her for being a mistress—when even Alex remained silent—Ethan had stepped up and made his announcement.

Tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

Something was quietly blooming in her heart.

"Lily! Come here and hug me!" Ethan shouted at her from the stage, his voice loud and domineering through the microphone.

His arrogant attitude was unmistakable.

But for the first time, Lily didn’t find his arrogance off-putting.

It made her heart flutter.

Wiping away her tears, she let the towel wrapped around her shoulders fall to the ground and ran through the crowd.

Ethan’s lips curled into a triumphant smile as he leaped off the stage to meet her.

Lily ran straight into his arms, and Ethan wrapped her tightly in his embrace.

"Thank you, thank you," Lily whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Her slender arms held him tightly.

Ethan’s lips twisted into a wicked grin. "Lily, I don’t want to hear your thanks. Say you love me!"

Alex’s eyes lost their light by the poolside as he watched Lily rush into Ethan’s arms.

All the attention was on Ethan and Lily, and the crowd silently observed the scene.

It was like something out of a fairy tale—the princess had been ridiculed, but the prince had come to save her, and now they would live happily ever after...

All this time, Alex had thought that he would be the prince.

However, for the first time, Alex experienced the unbearable pain of losing everything as Lily passed him and ran to Ethan.