30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 86: Slumbering Intentions

"I’m sorry...." Lily whispered as she stood by the bedside, her gaze fixed on his slumbering face. The night stretched on endlessly....

Ethan didn’t wake up until noon the following day. Lily had kept watch throughout the night, on the verge of asking the Nanny to call a doctor when he showed no signs of waking.

The first step to achieving one’s goals is to steel oneself for the necessary actions.

Relief washed over Lily as Ethan finally stirred. She sprang into action, assisting him out of bed, her voice taking on an uncharacteristic sweetness. "You’re awake? Are you hungry? Would you like some sweet and sour fish? Or perhaps some cookies; I’m quite adept at baking cookies...."

What had gotten into her today? When had she become so animated, reminiscent of Vanessa?

Yet her voice was a hundredfold more pleasing than Vanessa’s.

Ethan furrowed his brows, pulling her into his arms as he rose. His deep, still-drowsy voice held a hint of curiosity. "What time is it?"

"It’s lunchtime," Lily replied, sitting rigidly in his embrace, cautious not to reveal her inner turmoil.

"So late?" Ethan ran his fingers through her hair, glancing towards the sunlight streaming through the window. "I dozed off in the study last night...."

"Indeed," Lily nodded, her response slightly strained. "I saw you were asleep, so I turned off your call and helped you to bed."

He had gone two nights without sleep and was nodding off in the study even after reviewing the information.

In the early days of his venture in Asia, he had spent several nights in a row at the office, never dozing off during work.

At only twenty-six years old, he wasn’t seventy-six and shouldn’t be nodding off so quickly.

"You helped me to bed?" Ethan questioned, suspicion lacing his words as he encircled her with his arm, his large palm wandering.

This girl didn’t have an ounce of extra weight—could she have moved him?

"Mm-hmm," Lily affirmed with a vigorous nod.

Ethan turned her face towards him and kissed her, his fingers grazing her cheek, his brows knotting. "Why do you look so haggard?"

Could she not look haggard?

Worried he might have ingested sleeping pills, she had spent the night awake, naturally looking haggard.

"It’s fine, I just didn’t sleep well," Lily smiled weakly and said, "You get up and wash up. I’ll check what the kitchen is preparing."

"You just said you’d make cookies for me."

"Would you like them?" Lily struggled to free herself from his embrace and said in a saccharine tone, "Cookies, I’ll bake them right now."

"Mm-hmm." Ethan stared straight at her, a faint smile playing on his lips as he spoke appreciatively. "So thoughtful."

His praise always seemed to treat her like a well-behaved pet.

Lily forced a smile and turned to leave.

After watching over Ethan all night, she had yet to freshen up. She hurried to the bathroom downstairs, quickly brushed her teeth, and washed her face before entering the kitchen to prepare for cookie baking.

The three chefs in the kitchen were busy preparing lunch, and upon seeing her, they greeted in unison, "Miss Anderson."

"Mm-hmm."

Lily responded with a slight nod, gathered some ingredients for the cookies, and moved to the dining room. She began to mix and stir the components.

Every item in this house was of the finest quality, fresh and exquisite.

Even the cookie dough smelled more aromatic and tasted richer than those in stores.

Wearing clear, primary gloves, Lily focused on pouring the thick mixture into molds. She added a small, smiling doll face to a flat mold on a whim.

She hoped Ethan would be happier eating it. She hadn’t meant to give him sleeping pills.

It was his fault for targeting Alex.

For Alex, she would do anything.

"Working so diligently?"

Ethan’s deep, magnetic voice suddenly sounded.

Lily looked up to see Ethan leaning against the dining room doorway, watching her with interest. A wicked smile played on his lips, his hands casually tucked into his pants pockets. He wore a V-necked sweater, revealing his enticing collarbone.

He seemed in high spirits; those sleeping pills had provided him a restful night’s sleep.

"You can eat them once they’re baked."

Lily offered a dry smile as she carried the mold into the kitchen to place it in the oven, removing her gloves as she walked out.

Ethan remained leaning against the dining room doorway. "Come here, let me embrace you."

Lily hesitated but obediently approached him.

Ethan enveloped her in his arms, his palm aimlessly rubbing the crown of her head. His voice dripped with unmasked satisfaction. "Learning to be clever, becoming increasingly well-behaved."

The bruises on her face hadn’t faded yet, and she remembered the consequences of disobedience well.

Only this time, she felt a degree of guilt towards Ethan.

Ethan’s mercurial treatment of her had left her increasingly conflicted. She was searching for a definition of her feelings towards him, whether they were animosity or gratitude.

"Mr. Blackwood, lunch is served."

A chef emerged and announced respectfully.

"Let’s eat." Ethan guided her to the table and seated her. In a rare good mood, he even served her a dish.

Lily ate in silence, not uttering a word.

The Nanny suddenly entered from the dining room. "Mr. Blackwood, the plane is ready."

"Is the luggage prepared?"

"It was prepared last time. You and Miss Anderson can depart at any moment, " the Nanny replied.

Hearing her name, Lily looked up in surprise. "Are we going somewhere?"

"To Charité Hospital, where the world’s most advanced medical equipment and doctors will aid your recovery from stomach issues." Ethan put down his cutlery and spoke earnestly.

He still remembered sending her to Europe.

The Nanny mentioned ’you and Miss Anderson,’ which implied....

"Are you accompanying me?" Lily asked, aghast.

"What, not pleased?" Ethan raised an eyebrow, displeased, and questioned sarcastically. "Who was it that tearfully begged for my company last time?"

Who tearfully begged.

Last time, fearing Ethan would deal with Alex again, she had pleaded to stay by his side.

Yet, he still had a comprehensive plan to attack Carter Group ready. Whether he accompanied her or not was meaningless.

She couldn’t comprehend the specialized terminology in that business offensive, but hopefully, Alex would know how to handle it after reading it.

"No, it’s not that," Lily spoke softly.

"What do you mean? Are you not unhappy, or do you not wish for my company?" Ethan wouldn’t let her off the hook and continued to press.

"...." Lily stared helplessly at his handsome, sinister face when she suddenly heard the oven ding and seized the opportunity to stand up. "The cookies are baked."

Watching her busy back as she dove into the kitchen, a smile again played on Ethan’s lips.

"Mr. Blackwood is in high spirits today, " the Nanny commented with a smile, pouring water into the cup in front of him.

"Not bad." Ethan gave a low chuckle, took a sip of water, and stood up. He wiped his mouth with a paper towel and raised his voice. "Lily, bring the cookies with you. We’ll fly to Denmark first."

"Oh...." Lily responded.

Eventually, it was time to head to Europe.

On second thought, Lily turned her head and asked, "Can I go back and speak with my uncle?"

"There’s no need for that," Ethan dismissed her request.

Overbearing man.

The Nanny followed them to the airport and rode in the car. She sat in the passenger seat and chatted with Lily without a word.

Ethan began reviewing the plan to attack Carter Group again, his slender fingers holding a pen and occasionally circling something.

"What are you writing?" Lily asked as she deliberately moved closer to Ethan.

"Revising the plan," Ethan didn’t glance up, continuing his revisions.

"I heard yesterday that annexing Carter Group is a financial loss for Blackwood Enterprise, so why persist?" Lily inquired in a hushed tone, worried she sounded too deliberate.

"I do it because it pleases me."

Talking to Ethan often made her feel foolish. He didn’t care about potential losses as long as he could take Carter Group.

Is his hatred for the Carter Group that profound?

The car suddenly halted. The Nanny looked ahead and sighed. "Oh dear, a traffic jam."

At those words, Ethan raised his eyes to look ahead, his brows faintly furrowing.

"Mr. Blackwood, I’ll go check what’s happening."

The driver immediately exited the car and ran ahead to investigate the situation.

The car was oppressively silent, so Lily pressed the window button for some air. The wind blew in, causing the papers in Ethan’s hand to flutter and create some noise.

Ethan looked at her, put away the information, and handed it to the Nanny. He reached out and embraced her, lowered his head, and kissed her cheek. "Why did you open the window?"

"The car is stuffy."

"Am I ignoring you with my work?"

His thoughts consistently defied the norm, and she had hoped that he, the golden master, would ignore her, ideally ignore her completely, exclaiming, "Lily, I’m tired of playing with you!"

Then, she could joyfully roll her bags and leave no need to worry about anything.

"No," Lily gave a fake laugh.

Ethan’s kisses wandered from her neck to her face, his lips lightly pressing against her delicate skin as if savoring a delicacy. His hands, however, were not so innocently trying to burrow inside her sweater....

Lily hastily pressed his hand. "You said you wouldn’t touch me for five days."

"You know what I mean by ’touch’..." Ethan couldn’t get enough of kissing her face, light kisses falling on her cheeks and between her ears.

This man, full of mischief!

It had to be the final step for him to consider it ’touching.’

Then what were all the kisses and caresses before that? What was the point of the kisses and touches beforehand?

Ethan helplessly kissed Lily. The Nanny sat in front, occasionally snickering and turning away from them.

"Don’t do this...." Lily leaned back against him. Ethan brushed her long hair back and kissed her earlobe as usual.

Side by side, a black sports car slowly rolled down its window.

The two cars were about two meters apart.

Alex’s mild but miserable face fell into Lily’s line of sight.

Lily’s head instantly went blank as she stared blankly at Alex’s familiar face.

How did this happen?

Alex’s brown eyes quietly looked at her, unblinking, the pain in his eyes unusually evident.

The wind outside the window blew past, his short, flaxen hair floating slightly.

His face turned even paler.

"Lily...." Ethan murmured behind her, his tongue licking and flicking her ear.

Lily snapped out of it, hastily struggling out of Ethan’s arms to close the car window in a panic.

"What’s wrong?" Ethan discontentedly pulled her back into his arms, holding her with one hand and ruffling her hair with the other. "Is your bangs longer?"

"Is it? Get it cut next time."

Lily absentmindedly replied, peering out through the closed car window.

Alex stared blankly at their car for a long time, then suddenly stepped out of his car, strode towards their car, bent down, and knocked on their window.

Lily was so frightened she stopped breathing.

Ethan raised his eyes unhappily at Alex, reflected in the car window, and sneered. "Alex."

Ethan released Lily and opened the car door to step out. Lily was busy pulling his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Sit tight; I’ll be right back."

Ethan quickly pressed her back. His long and slender legs stepped out of the car door and casually slammed it shut. The action was a one-two punch; she couldn’t stop it.