30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 52: Feverish Longing

The following days brought a relentless fever, leaving Lily weak and exhausted. Despite the illness, she longed for fresh air and ventured downstairs, where the maids cleaned.

"Miss Anderson!" Nanny exclaimed, rushing to assist her. "You should rest more upstairs; the air downstairs is dirty from the cleaning."

Lily found humor in the notion, considering the immaculate state of the Blackwood mansion. Yet, she suddenly hungered and requested food.

"Yes, I’ll prepare something immediately," Nanny assured her before heading to the kitchen.

Lily stepped into the garden, a place she had yet to explore during her stay. The expansive lawn, the scent of flowers, and the tranquility of the space were a welcome change.

"Miss Anderson," a maid said, offering her a steaming cup of coffee. As she sipped the bitter yet fragrant brew, Lily reflected on her childhood with Alex, playing in the garden, the carefree laughter, and the protective gaze he always cast upon her.

Nanny returned with a meal, but the sight of the bland food dampened Lily’s spirits. She longed for something spicy to break the monotony of her current diet.

"Is the internet connection set up?" Lily inquired, shifting her focus to work.

"Yes, it’s all ready," Nanny began but was interrupted by a maid bearing a phone call from Ethan.

"I know it’s you," Ethan’s confident voice said. Why else would I have someone bring you the phone?"

Exasperated by his arrogance, Lily probed further asking for the reason behind his call.

A brief pause was followed by Ethan’s sudden outburst, "Lily! If you speak to me in that icy tone again, I’ll—"

Caught off guard, Lily moved the phone away from her ear. What had triggered his reaction? As far as she knew, she had always spoken in the same manner.

"I can’t help it," Lily replied innocently. "All this tasteless food has made my palate more delicate naturally."

Ethan’s laughter filled the line, baffling her. What was so amusing about her comment?

"Lily, are you complaining about the food?" Ethan asked, his voice laced with amusement.

"Should I praise the deliciousness of the meals?" Lily retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

To her surprise, Ethan didn’t erupt in anger but calmly asked, "What would you like to eat?"

"Spicy, the spicier the better," Lily responded without hesitation.

Ethan’s response was immediate, his tone stern. "You’re feverish and out in the wind? Get back inside!"

The call ended abruptly, leaving Lily with frustration and confusion. She returned to the room, her thoughts turning to the Carter Group and the recent scandal that had befallen them.

Lily knew she had to act. She began to craft a plan to shift the public’s focus, to portray Alex as a victim and garner sympathy. As she typed away on the laptop, she hesitated, her conscience torn between her duty to the truth and her desire to protect Alex.

She reached out to her uncle, Robert, for advice. His words were a stark reminder of the harsh realities of their world. "Lily, in this world, don’t give your heart to anyone, especially the Carters," he warned.

The revelation of the Carters’ lack of support during her family’s time of need was a bitter pill to swallow. It made her question the loyalties and the true nature of those she had once considered allies.

"Why does uncle speak like that?" Lily murmured to herself, the gravity of his words settling in. She watched as the veil of naivety from her earlier years lifted, revealing a profound comprehension of the stark truths hidden beneath the facade of their flawless world.

Uncle Robert, a man of genuine goodness, had always been the epitome of selflessness, yet his words now were tinged with resentment. "Hmph," he grunted, his voice heavy with frustration. "When your family faced ruin, where was Alex? Did the Carter family, with their sprawling mansion, extend any assistance when your father fell into the clutches of the Commercial Investigation Section?

Lily’s recollections of her family’s downfall were fragmented, a jumble of emotions and events from her early youth. She was, but a first-year student and her world was turned upside down by her father’s conviction for commercial fraud and illegal fund-raising, the sentence severe and unforgiving.

"Did the Carters not help?" Lily inquired, her voice wavering with uncertainty. At the time, she was lost, her mother gone, her father imprisoned, leaving her to follow her uncle into an uncertain future.

From that moment on, she was treated more like a servant than family, submerged in the mundane struggles of daily life, far removed from the world she had once known. And now, with the truth of the Carters’ indifference laid bare, Lily found herself at a crossroads, her heart heavy with the knowledge that the world she inhabited was far more complex and unforgiving than she had ever imagined.

In the heart of a bustling metropolis, Lily, once a high society figure, is now entangled in the complex web of familial obligations and personal desires. Her aunt treated her as a mere servant, immersed in the trivialities of daily life. Her uncle, a man of solid convictions, declared over the internet, "The Carter Group can’t avoid the investigation fast enough for fear that the inquiry department will turn its gaze upon them."

Lily had always believed the Carter and Anderson families to be exceptionally close, but had the Carters truly stood idly by in the face of adversity? Her uncle’s sigh echoed through the connection: "Lily, you’ve grown up now. You should understand the vicissitudes of life. You don’t need to protect the Carters."

The weight of these words settled heavily on her. Even families as close as the Carters and the Andersons seemed to prioritize their interests. "I understand, Uncle," Lily responded, melancholy. Still, let’s keep the news under wraps for now."

She was doing this for Alex, a man whose fate seemed intertwined with her own. Releasing the news might upset him, and not releasing it might embroil him in a scandal. She needed to find the best way to protect him.

"Alright then, think it over. When you decide to publish, give me a call," her uncle said, his voice softening with concern, "Lily, be careful out there and don’t overwork yourself."

"Okay, I will. You too," she replied, ending the voice call and turning to the scattered photos on her desk. Staring at a picture of Alex, she pondered what mattered most to him: love or career?

"Alex, what do you care about the most?" she murmured to the silent photo, but it offered no answers.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms enveloped her from behind, and Ethan’s familiar, masculine scent filled her senses. Startled, Lily dropped the photo. Ethan’s presence was as unexpected as it was unwelcome.

"Why are you back so early?" she asked, glancing at the time on her laptop. It was too early for dinner, and his return was uncharacteristic.

"Are you not happy, huh?" Ethan’s voice was a cold whisper, his breath hot against her neck as he pulled her closer. His kiss was possessive, starkly contrasting to the tenderness she had known with Alex.

"No, I’m not," Lily lied, her smile forced as she tried to turn away, but Ethan’s grip was firm. His lips were demanding, leaving no room for resistance.

Her gaze fell on the photo of Alex, his image a stark reminder of a different kind of affection. She tried to shift her focus, to ignore the heat of Ethan’s touch, but it was impossible.

"Lily," Ethan murmured, his voice a low growl against her ear. His hands were everywhere, a constant reminder of his dominance.

She ignored him, letting his kisses fall where they may, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion. Only when Ethan was away, working, did she have any semblance of freedom, confined within the walls of the Blackwood mansion.

Ethan’s question about the news article she was supposed to be writing brought her back to reality. "No, I haven’t written it yet," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I’ve been struggling with the wording."

"Then don’t write it. Let’s go," Ethan said, closing her laptop with a decisive snap and lifting her from her chair with an effortless motion.

"Where are we going?" she asked, her voice tinged with annoyance. She was not a puppet to be moved at his whim.

"Time for a meal," he stated firmly, his unwavering tone brooking no opposition.

"But it’s not dinner time yet," she objected, but Ethan was already ushering her towards the door. His choice to dine at home caught her off guard, especially considering his prior push for her to stick to bland meals. The ongoing clash over her appetite remained a lingering contention between them.

Ethan’s touch on her forehead, checking for signs of fever, was surprisingly gentle. "You’re getting better," he noted, his voice softening. "I can’t wait for you to recover fully."

Seeing the maids bowing deeply as Ethan descended the stairs was almost comical. Their reverence for him was as absurd as it was expected. His casual dismissal of them and the donning of white cuffs and gloves was a scene straight out of a play.

Lily’s jest about his lack of an apron was met with a cold retort, and Ethan’s subsequent anger was as predictable as it was unnecessary. His pride was a fragile thing, and her laughter was a sharp blade against it.

The transformation of Ethan in the kitchen was nothing short of astonishing. His usual air of authority was replaced with a focused determination as he handled the ingredients with a skill that belied his upbringing. The sight of him preparing a meal was as shocking as it was endearing.

"Did you learn to cook?" Lily asked, unable to hide her surprise. The idea of Ethan, the heir to the Blackwood Empire, taking the time to learn such a domestic skill was both perplexing and oddly charming.

His curt response, "A long time ago," only deepened the mystery. His life had been one of privilege and power; what need did he have for such an ability? 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

As the evening progressed, Lily found herself drawn into the rhythm of Ethan’s movements in the kitchen. The scent of the food he prepared was intoxicating, a stark contrast to the refined meals she was accustomed to. The flavors were bold and unapologetic, a reflection of Ethan himself.

The moment of truth arrived when Ethan’s homemade dishes were presented on the table. The spicy buffalo wings and creamy lobster bisque looked both comforting and exotic. Bright red hot sauce drizzled over each piece, hinting at their promised fiery kick.

As Lily tentatively took a bite, she was taken aback by the explosion of flavors. The buffalo wings danced on her taste buds with a perfect blend of heat and tanginess, leaving a lingering satisfaction in their wake. His abrupt and intense interruption abruptly halted her astonishment at enjoying Ethan’s cooking.

"Lily!" he boomed, his expression a mix of fury as he advanced toward her, "Are you disgusted?!" His command for her to stop eating was as commanding as it was perplexing.

Ethan’s anger was not just about her eating with unwashed hands; it reflected his concern for her health and well-being. His rough handling was a stark reminder of their relationship’s power dynamics.

As the evening wore on, Lily observed Ethan with a new perspective. His focus in the kitchen was unwavering, and she saw a different side to him in his silence. There was a steadiness to him, a sense of reliability that was as comforting as unexpected.

The evening ended with a moment of tenderness that was as surprising as it was unsettling. Ethan’s embrace was not a gesture of passion but a plea for comfort. His voice, low and hoarse, whispered, "Lily, hold me."

In his arms, Lily was reminded of another embrace filled with a different kind of longing and fear. The memory of Alex’s careful yet urgent hold contrasted sharply with Ethan’s neediness.

Two different men, two different embraces, and in the quiet of the night, Lily found herself caught between the past and the present, between what was and what could be.