30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 117: Ethan’s New Game

Lily once believed there was a glimmer of hope when Ethan publicly declared her his girlfriend at the Carter residence. She even thought that continuing this path might not be so bad.

But it turns out it had all been just her wishful thinking.

Lily stood up from the carpet, preparing to shower, when there was a knock on the door.

"Knock, knock—"

Before she could respond, a maid’s voice came from outside. "Mr. Blackwood is hosting a gathering tonight, and Nanny said you’re needed to help."

Help?!

Was making 28 bowls of noodles not enough?

"I don’t want to go," Lily said plainly, turning to walk into the bathroom.

She hadn’t even filled the bathtub when there was a loud crash as the door was kicked open, followed by the sound of the door being forcibly slammed open.

Lily jumped in fright, only to see Cipher and several bodyguards blocking the entrance.

Luckily, she hadn’t changed clothes yet. What does Ethan want? To destroy her pride and trample on her body? Is that his ultimate goal?

"Smack—"

Cipher suddenly threw a stack of photos in front of her.

Lily’s gaze dropped to the floor, where the photos scattered. Her eyes widened in shock as she saw the pictures were of her uncle, aunt, and the magazine company.

"Mr. Blackwood wants Miss Lily to understand her current position," Cipher said flatly before turning and leaving.

Bastard!

Ethan Blackwood, you bastard!

Lily crouched down and picked up the photos, her fingers trembling slightly. Does he need to push her to the point of a mental breakdown to feel satisfied with his revenge?

The photos show her uncle’s daily activities—going from the magazine office, overseeing printing, interviewing various celebrities, and then returning home for dinner with her aunt.

Ethan had people following and photographing her uncle’s every move.

If she didn’t behave or do as she was told, he would target her uncle first.

He knew exactly how much she cared about her uncle. He knew... which meant this game was rigged in his favor.

After picking up the photos, Lily returned to the Blackwood estate. The villa was brightly lit, with rows of luxury cars parked outside. Elegantly dressed men and women entered the villa arm in arm.

When Lily stepped inside, a maid handed her a tray with glasses of wine and juice.

The grand hall was bustling with activity. The chairs had been rearranged, and the lighting was dimmed to resemble a nightclub, casting flashes of light everywhere. Well-dressed guests chatted in groups or danced wildly in the center. It was a midnight party.

A live band was playing energetic music from the staircase platform, their loud tunes making Lily’s ears ache.

"Thanks." A popular male model, Leo, grabbed a glass of wine from her tray.

"Could you get me some napkins?" a female celebrity demanded haughtily.

Lily had become a maid in every sense of the word.

She gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stay calm. It’s just being a maid—that’s nothing. She had grown up taking orders from her aunt; carrying a tray was nothing.

Ethan Blackwood was underestimating her.

She handed the napkin to the female celebrity and then glanced toward the small stage where Beth Samson was dancing wildly. She’s here too? Was tonight an entertainment industry party?

"A lady in Mr. Blackwood’s master bedroom needs a glass of lemon juice."

Another maid shouted over to Lily through the noisy crowd.

A lady in Mr. Blackwood’s master bedroom?

A bad feeling crept over Lily.

She looked around but didn’t see Ethan in the main hall. Is he trying to provoke me with another woman again? D-cup or E-cup this time?

How childish.

Lily placed a glass of lemon juice on the tray and walked upstairs. Unlike the noisy hall downstairs, the second floor was eerily quiet.

She took a deep breath, preparing to witness another sordid display of Ethan’s games, and pushed open the door to the master bedroom.

But there was no passionate scene as she had expected.

The master bedroom was empty. Even the bed was neatly made, without a single crease. The room was utterly silent.

Lily hesitantly walked in, looking around curiously. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Ethan by the open floor-to-ceiling window, pinning a slim girl against the glass and kissing her. He hadn’t even noticed Lily entering.

Lily had thought she was mentally prepared for something like this, but seeing it with her eyes still left her frozen.

Ethan had undone his tie and tossed it to the floor; his head lowered as he kissed the girl’s lips. The girl blushed deeply, her hands wrapped around his neck. The soft light from the bedroom illuminated them in a picture-perfect, almost cinematic scene.

"You’re getting better at kissing, making progress," Ethan suddenly chuckled, his sexy lips brushing against the girl’s cheek.

The girl giggled shyly. "It’s because Mr. Blackwood is a good teacher. Thank you, teacher."

"Call me Ethan," he said, gripping her chin as he smirked.

The girl nodded obediently. "Ethan."

"Crash—"

The sound of shattering glass echoed through the room.

Lily had dropped the tray, and the glass cups had smashed on the floor.

Both Ethan and the girl turned their heads at the noise. Ethan’s amused expression instantly darkened, his cold eyes fixed on Lily.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked, her voice soft and concerned, unlike the arrogant tones of Natalie Walker or Emily Prescott. Her large eyes were clear and innocent as she looked at Lily with worry.

Her eyes were like two big letters: Pure.

The girl stepped out of Ethan’s embrace and hurried over to Lily, smiling kindly as she bent down to pick up the broken glass.

Lily stared at the girl, unable to say a word.

"Ouch—"

The girl suddenly yelped in pain, blood trickling from her finger. "Ethan, I cut myself on the glass." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Ethan walked over, glaring coldly at Lily. "Well? Aren’t you going to get the first aid kit?"

Lily bit her lip and turned away to fetch the first aid kit from the cabinet.

"Hmm... Ethan, what are you doing?!" The girl’s soft voice rang out in surprise.

When Lily turned back, she saw Ethan kneeling on one knee, his mouth on the girl’s hand, gently sucking the blood from her finger. "Stopping the bleeding."

Lily froze.

A sudden pang of pain ripped through her chest, though she didn’t understand why...

She set the first aid kit before them, but Ethan didn’t glance at her.

The girl smiled politely and said, "Could you sweep up the broken glass, please?"

Lily didn’t respond. She turned and walked out of the room.

Ethan remained kneeling, his eyes following her stiff, retreating figure until it disappeared through the door.

His chest felt tight like something was blocking his way, and he could not vent it.

Lily walked down the stairs. While the second floor remained quiet downstairs, the music and revelry continued, the noise pounding in her ears.

Not wanting to stay any longer, Lily left the villa, shutting out the loud music and the people as she stepped into the cool night air.

She sat on the cold steps, staring blankly ahead.

All she could see was the image of Ethan licking the girl’s wound to stop the bleeding...

The girl must have been really moved. The first time Ethan had licked her wounds to stop the bleeding, she had been shocked, too...

A silver sports car slowly drove past the villa. Lily thought another guest was arriving for the party, so she stood up from the steps to avoid blocking the entrance.

The car door opened, and a tall, elegant figure stepped out. He stood beside the car, gazing at her from a distance with a gentle smile.

It was as if he had been waiting for her long.

Alex Carter.

Lily stared at him in surprise. What is he doing here, on Ethan’s territory?

"Lily..." Alex smiled warmly at her.

Lily shook her head. Does he know this is Ethan’s house? Ethan is a madman capable of anything. Why would Alex come here?

She was about to turn and return inside when she noticed Alex’s smile fade. He started walking toward her, step by step.

Panicking, Lily hurried forward to stop him.

Only two doormen were outside the villa, and they didn’t bother stopping her as she ran over to Alex.

When Alex saw her approach, his face lit up with a childlike smile, his voice gentle. "I knew you wouldn’t refuse to see me."

"What are you doing here?" Lily asked, opening his car door for him. "You need to leave."

If Ethan had found both of them here, things would have gone badly for them.

Ethan hated both her and Alex with a passion that ran deep.

"What’s wrong?" Alex noticed her unease and gently touched the bandage on her forehead. His elegant face filled with concern. "Lily, what happened?"

"Nothing, I’m fine," Lily pushed his hand away. "You need to leave."

"You don’t look fine." Alex frowned, his expression filled with worry. "Did Ethan do something to you? Is this about the stolen documents?"

Did something to her?

What Ethan had done to her was far beyond something.

"Please go, okay?"

"I’ll take you with me."

Alex said firmly, gently pushing her into the car. Lily, already weak, had no strength to resist. With a light push, she found herself seated inside.

She tried to open the door, but Alex got in beside her and locked the car doors.

"Alex, don’t do this."

Lily was panicking. Alex had no idea what kind of life she was living now or what threats she was facing.

Getting involved would do him no good...

Her face went pale with anxiety. "Alex, please... let me go."

"Lily, happy birthday."

Alex’s gentle voice cut her off, and he presented her with a large bouquet of pink plush toy flowers.

Lily’s eyes widened in shock.

Did he just say... happy birthday?

"I knew Ethan lived in Shallow Bay, so I spent a long time driving around here. I was so worried I wouldn’t be able to give you my birthday wishes in time," Alex said, placing the adorable bouquet in her lap.

Happy birthday?

How long had it been since someone said those words to her?

Today was her birthday? She had forgotten.

Tears rose in Lily’s eyes as she looked down at the plush bouquet. Her voice trembled, "I... haven’t celebrated my birthday in years."

Alex’s gaze was soft and tender as he watched her. He reached out and gently brushed her messy hair away from her face.

"Thank you," Lily said, forcing herself not to cry as she smiled.

"For nine years, every year on your birthday and mine, I’ve waited for you at the kindergarten." Alex’s fingers tenderly caressed her face, his eyes filled with a deep longing. "Why did you never come back to see me?"

Lily blinked through her tears, her voice heavy with emotion. "I didn’t know you still remembered me."

"I might forget everyone else, but I’ll never forget you, Lily." His fingers traced her soft cheek as he whispered, "You don’t look well. What happened? Is it about the documents? Let me talk to Ethan."

"Talk?"

"Yes. If Ethan wants to punish anyone, it should be me, not you. He shouldn’t be taking it out on a woman." Alex’s brows furrowed deeply as he looked at her, his voice filled with sadness. "Seeing you like this... it breaks my heart."

Tears spilled from Lily’s eyes, and she quickly turned her head to escape the warmth of his touch.

His tenderness was like a double-edged sword—she couldn’t get close to it, but she couldn’t escape it.

She couldn’t stay here any longer.