30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 49: Fury Unleashed

Lily frowned, gingerly touching her face as she stared at Emily Prescott and Natalie Walker with icy disdain. "You both know that I’m Ethan’s woman now. "If you dare point a finger at me, just imagine what he’ll do to you."

The two women froze, their movements slowing. Ethan’s cold, violent nature was well known even in this high-society circle. As long as they feared him, Lily would be safe.

"You don’t think Ethan still listens to you?" Emily sneered mockingly, though her slender legs remained rooted in place, unwilling to make a move.

Their apparent fear gave Lily the confidence to adopt the haughty demeanor of a favored concubine. "There’s no need to spell it out, is there?" she said with biting sarcasm. "Tell me, who got slapped today? Who left Blackwood Enterprises? It certainly wasn’t me."

Emily and Natalie exchanged glances, their pretty faces marred by anger and cynicism. Emily took an involuntary step back as Lily continued, "Of course, being ousted from B.E. is nothing compared to disfigurement. That’s a fate worse than death itself. Suppose the two biggest stars were to become unrecognizable. In that case, I wonder if you’d still be able to smile for the camera when the media comes calling."

Emily’s retreat was a sensible decision. This situation had spiraled out of control like a farce plucked from the script of a tawdry TV drama.

"This is ridiculous," Lily thought, exasperated by the needless theatrics that only delayed her search for the ring. "These scorned lovers are wasting my time with their games."

Just as she turned to leave, Natalie pounced, grabbing a fistful of Lily’s hair and yanking it violently. "I’m already hideous!" she roared, seemingly unhinged. "What more do I have to fear?"

Natalie’s unraveling caught Lily off guard, and she gripped her hair like a vice. "Natalie, you’re insane! If you value your life, let me go!"

But Natalie was beyond reason, dragging Lily towards the sink with maniacal strength. She forced Lily’s head down and twisted the faucet to unleash a torrent of icy water.

The frigid deluge’s shock pierced Lily’s heart like shards of ice. As she watched the nightmare play out, her vision became blurry.

"If ’EYL’ Weekly hadn’t exposed my scandal and ruined my reputation, none of this would have happened!" Natalie hissed venomously.

"Let go!" Lily pleaded, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Natalie’s once delicate voice had morphed into a guttural roar. "Thank you, I’m already dead in this industry!" You’ve ruined me!"

She wrenched the faucet again, releasing a scalding stream of hot water. In shock from the intense heat that was pouring down on her, Lily thrashed desperately.

"Lily, you’ve destroyed me, and I won’t let you live!" Natalie shrieked, pinning her down as the water inched towards a boiling point.

Emily watched the scene unfold with a cold detachment. If Natalie killed Lily, she could simply complain to Ethan. It would be a win-win for her.

The water grew hotter, and steam billowed around them like a noxious cloud. Lily kicked wildly, her stiletto heel connecting with Natalie’s knee.

"Ah!" Natalie howled in agony, her grip loosening as she tumbled to the ground.

Lily frantically lifted her head, terror gripping her as she saw the faucet belching clouds of scorching vapor. She had nearly met her demise at the hands of this deranged woman.

Pivoting sharply, Lily forced her heel into Natalie’s other knee.

"You vile creature!" she snarled, furious that this wretched woman would stoop so low. "Since you’ve become a public figure, you should be prepared to withstand public scrutiny. ’EYL’ didn’t ruin you; you ruined yourself with your actions!"

"You bitch!" Natalie shrieked from the floor, clutching her throbbing knees.

Lily glared at her with undisguised contempt. "And for the record, I hate you. If you want people to know the truth, then by all means, enlighten them yourself."

Leaving Natalie howling from the restroom, Lily stormed out, raking a hand through her damp hair. Her rage was palpable, yet she shivered from the chill that seeped into her bones.

As she pushed through another doorway, a pair of arms encircled her waist from behind—warm and unrelenting. Natalie’s hands again? Lily fumed, whipping her head around to unleash a torrent of vitriol.

But the words caught in her throat as she came face-to-face with Alex Carter’s gentle, introspective gaze. How could she have mistaken his tender embrace for Natalie’s vicious attack?

"Alex..." she whispered, stunned into silence as apricot eyes drank in the sight of him.

This couldn’t be real. Not this time, after all. Yet he stood, sorrow etched into his soft brow as he gazed at her with disbelief.

It was Alex—her Alex—holding her once more. Lily’s eyes pricked with tears, suspended in the fragile unreality of this moment.

The sound of her voice roused Alex from his reverie. A joyful smile spread across his lips as the arms around Lily’s waist slowly loosened their grip.

"Lily..." he murmured, his voice tinged with wonder and relief. "It’s really you."

Lily could only gape, her mind reeling from the emotions that had led to this improbable reunion. She had never imagined seeing Alex again under such bizarre circumstances.

Alex cradled her face with trembling hands as she remained frozen in stunned silence. He drank in every detail—her delicate features, her reddened eyes glistening with unshed tears—and marveled at the elegant beauty she had become.

"You look like you’re living well," he said softly, a faint smile on his lips. "Were you adopted by a wealthy family?"

The innocuous query snapped Lily back to reality with brutal efficiency. She averted her gaze, her only reply being a rueful smile as she deftly changed the subject. "How did you get here, Alex?"

His brow furrowed momentarily at her evasion, but he didn’t press the issue. "I’ve arrived to retrieve my fiancée. She’s attending a dinner party here."

The term ’fiancée’ fell like a stone, sinking heavily into the fragile raft of Lily’s budding optimism. It was as if a cold hand had reached into her chest and squeezed tightly, robbing her of breath. Of course, it was Alice Johnson to whom he had pledged his future. The immaculate socialite daughter of Astoria’s Prime Minister, with her perfectly coiffed hair and an air of refined elegance that seemed almost untouchable. The news was like a slap in the face, a harsh reminder of the world she was no longer part of - a world where alliances were forged not just through love but through power and prestige.

"I know," Lily said, struggling to maintain her composure as she summoned a beatific smile. "You and the mayor’s daughter are a perfect match. Congratulations."

But there was no joy in her hollow words—only a cavernous ache as anguished denial threatened to consume her. How could he rejoice over her feigned blessings?

Alex’s face was inscrutable as he studied her; his lips were a terse line. Their awkwardness was palpable, as neither could find the right words.

When the silence stretched unbearably, Lily grasped at conversational threads. "When’s the wedding? It’s been nine years; I never imagined you getting married so soon."

"Did you see the advertisements?" Alex cut her off, his gentle eyes burning with intensity. "I’ve been looking for you all this time."

The admission hung heavy, its weight threatening Lily’s tattered defenses. For nine agonizing years, he searched while she concealed herself like a specter.

Every time she allowed herself to linger on him, he drowned in thoughts of her, and she drowned in memories of their lost childhood.

When their eyes met, Lily saw the ghost of her thirteen-year-old self reflected in Alex’s wondering gaze. Until then, he’d been convinced she was a figment of his subconscious. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"But this time, I wasn’t drinking," he said as if giving voice to her ruminations. "I saw you—the real you."

Lily’s breath hitched at the raw vulnerability in his words. This reunion was as surreal for him as it was for her, like awakening from a shared dream.

In that instant, the outside world ceased to exist. There were no roles to perform, and there were no prying eyes. Lily and Alex were separated but untouched by time as he urgently insisted on bringing her close.

"Don’t go," he pleaded frantically. "Lily, don’t leave me again. No, not when I’ve finally found you."

Lily’s resolve faltered as tears spilled down her cheeks, dampening his suit jacket. How could she deny this fleeting connection?

But the ring on his finger was a harsh talisman, its diamond facets winking with unspoken warnings. She was unworthy of this tender reunion, a soiled vagabond to Alex’s privileged existence.

Brushing his ring with her thumb, she infused her tone with airy indifference to mask her turmoil. "Your ring—it’s tickling me."

Alex stiffened, realization dawning as his arms slipped away. "I’m sorry," he said simply, searching her face. "Did I offend you?"

"No..." Lily lied, forcing a tight smile to conceal her lie. "No, of course not."

The rift between them was expanding again, their reunion devolving into an awkward encounter between acquaintances.

Clearing her throat, Lily gestured toward the open door. "Shall we...?"

Without a word, Alex waved her inside, polite deference settling over his features as he sought to regain his equilibrium after their emotional tailspin.