30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 91: A Shocking Encounter

A Baroque-style church came into Lily’s view, and she almost instinctively shouted, "Stop."

The sports car screeched to a halt.

Ethan’s hands rested on the steering wheel as he turned and glared at her. "What’s going on?"

Hearing Ethan’s voice snapped her back to reality. She glanced at the church and shook her head, casually saying, "It’s nothing; let’s go."

Ethan followed her gaze and coldly remarked, "Do you want to go to the church?"

"Not anymore," Lily forced a smile.

Her reaction was merely a reflex.

As a child, she had always waited to be Alex’s bride. Her mother told her that Baroque-style churches were perfect for solemn yet fresh weddings where she and Alex could vow their love in such a church.

Back then, she only considered wearing a beautiful wedding dress and never considered what the church might look like.

Her mother showed her many photos of churches, and she thought she didn’t care. Yet, when she caught a glimpse of one just now, she recognized it instantly.

The Baroque church’s exterior was unremarkable, yet she recognized it immediately.

Perhaps deep down, she believed her mother’s words—that having a wedding vow in such a church would be perfect.

"Get out of the car."

Still lost in her thoughts, Lily was startled when Ethan suddenly appeared by her car door.

He unfastened her seatbelt and forcefully lifted her out of the car, saying, "If you want to see it, then see. What’s there to think about?"

She had just been reflexively reacting.

Ethan dragged Lily towards the church. Inside the Baroque church, the decor was lavish, with marble columns lending a solemn atmosphere and paintings, reliefs, and sculptures adorning the walls.

The addition of light-colored paint and colorful decorations made the entire church dignified yet fresh, just as her mother had described.

There weren’t many people in the church; only about a dozen worshippers were praying.

A nun was speaking in English at the front.

Ethan made Lily sit on a nearby chair and asked her, "Do you understand what the nun is saying?"

Lily shook her head honestly.

"She’s discussing a passage from the Bible." Ethan listened as the nun spoke and translated for Lily.

His magnetic voice resonated in her ear.

His unique aura flowed in front of her.

Lily quietly watched him, listening intently to his translation. She had to admit, this man had a lovely voice.

As Ethan’s voice echoed, Lily slowly looked toward the large cross at the front of the church, symbolizing solemnity.

Even though she might never have had the opportunity to walk down the aisle in a sacred wedding dress in this lifetime, it was nice to see it once today.

"Bang—"

The church door suddenly slammed shut with a heavy thud.

Ethan’s voice cut off abruptly, his gaze turning cold.

Lily was surprised and turned to look back, but Ethan’s hand suddenly pressed against her neck, pulling her into his embrace.

Her neck was painfully constrained, and Lily struggled to speak, "Ethan, you’re hurting..."

"Bang—"

A loud gunshot silenced her voice.

"Ah—ah—"

The church’s worshippers and nuns fell into chaos.

Lily trembled as she was pressed into Ethan’s embrace. He held her tightly, whispering, "Don’t stand up."

With that, Ethan released her and stood up straight, his figure unwavering.

From the gap between the seats, Lily saw a foreign man lying on the floor in the front row, his eyes wide open and unmoving, blood gushing from under his head, streaming towards her.

"Ah..."

Lily gasped in shock and covered her mouth with trembling hands.

This foreign man had been shot in the back of the head, meaning the bullet had been fired from behind.

If Ethan hadn’t pushed her down just now, it would have been her lying there with a shattered head.

How could it be that it was fraught with terrifying danger as soon as they arrived in Europe?

"Mr. Ethan Blackwood."

Lily suddenly heard a chorus of respectful voices.

Are they calling Ethan?

"It’s fine now; stand up." Ethan pulled her up, wrapped an arm around her, and placed her in front of him.

She pressed close against his chest, listening to the powerful rhythm of his heartbeat, pounding steadily.

"Go over there! Everyone over there! Put your hands on your heads!"

Suddenly, a batch of men in black emerged, brandishing guns as they commanded the worshippers and nuns in English to squat against the wall with their hands on their heads.

They certainly had the demeanor of a gangster.

Lily felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. Hearing gunfire twice in one day was too much for even the most robust heart to withstand.

"Ethan, did you not expect me to find you so quickly?"

An old voice suddenly boomed through the church’s speaker system, shaking the entire building.

The hand on her shoulder suddenly tightened.

"Father." Ethan unwillingly spoke up.

Lily’s eyes widened in shock. This elderly yet powerful voice belonged to Ethan’s father.

Lily couldn’t help but look around, but she didn’t see any older man like that.

"Little girl, you need not search; you won’t be able to see me."

The deep voice echoed again within the church.

Lily looked toward the front in astonishment, only to see a man in black aiming a camera at them and filming.\

"Father." Ethan tightened his grip around her, coldly saying, "Not a single hair on her head should be touched."

"I certainly won’t touch your precious baby. It’s normal for a man to have a few women by his side." The older man laughed indifferently.

"Then who was that shot fired at just now?" Ethan’s tone became sharper, his eyes scanning for the best chance to escape.

He had guessed that coming to Europe would not be peaceful.

But he didn’t expect his second brother and father to arrive so quickly.

It was only the first day...

"That was just a test for my son, whom I haven’t seen in five years. I wanted to assess whether your skills are still as sharp as they used to be," the older man said in a nonchalant manner, as if the topic were as mundane as discussing the weather."That was merely to test my son, whom I haven’t seen for five years, to see if your skills are still as sharp as they used to be," the older man spoke casually as if discussing the weather.

Lily suddenly realized that the reason the Li family had achieved such a powerful status was not without reason.

The Blackwood family, from father to son, could have been better.

Which family uses gunfire to open conversation between father, son, or brothers?

Ethan held her tightly, as if afraid that if he weren’t careful, he would lose her life, always keeping her protected against his chest.

"I came to Europe for personal matters." Ethan held her as they walked into the church aisle.

The man in black with the camera followed them closely.

A ring of black men stood in the church, their expressions solemn.

"I know it’s for this woman’s stomach illness." The older man’s disdainful voice echoed in the church, loud and powerful. "Doctor Joel is the best doctor at Charité Hospital; never hires outsiders. You want to take this woman to have him check her over, right?"

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I suppose you should return empty-handed after seeking Doctor Joel today." The older man smiled cruelly. "Haha, Doctor Joel is my guest; as soon as I pull the trigger, his life will be forfeit..."

Immediately after, a man’s cries for help echoed from within, "Help! Help!"

Upon hearing that, Lily’s heart constricted in fear as she blankly looked at Ethan.

The members of the Blackwood family were all more terrifying than the last.

She had always thought that she had witnessed the worst and cruelest aspects of humanity through Ethan.

Only to discover that his father was an even more terrifying figure.

"What do you want me to do?" Ethan asked coldly.

He should have realized that his trip to Europe would be more complex and should have secured Doctor Joel ahead of time.

"Ethan, it’s been five years since we last met; you should at least come to pay your respects," the old man said slowly, intertwined with Doctor Joel’s cries for help.

"Understood," Ethan replied impatiently.

"And..." The older man suddenly shifted his tone. "The Blackwood family values decorum greatly; you haven’t returned in five years, making me lose face in front of my uncles, making them think I can’t even manage my son."

As his words fell, Ethan’s body jerked suddenly.

Lily was puzzled when she suddenly saw the men in black walking toward them. Fear surged through her, and she pressed closer to Ethan.

"Go, sit down over there."

Ethan pushed her away forcefully, his voice as cold as ice.

The shove caught Lily off guard, and she stumbled into a chair while biting her lip in pain.

"Bang—"

A punch resounded behind her.

Lily whirled around in shock, only to see Ethan’s face get smashed and twisted, a cut appearing at the corner of his mouth.

The men in black put away their guns and started raining punches on Ethan, kicking him mercilessly; every ounce of their force was brought upon him.

The abruptness of this scene left Lily speechless.

Ethan didn’t fight back, allowing them to beat him. His fists were clenched tightly, steadfastly standing straight despite the barrage.

"What are you doing?!"

Lily was about to rush forward when Ethan glared at her fiercely, "Sit back down!"

In the next moment, Ethan was forced down to one knee, a humiliating sight she had never seen on him.

She didn’t understand.

Wasn’t he the Third Young Master of the Blackwood family? Even if he were merely an illegitimate child, he was still a rightful heir to the Blackwood family.

How could a father have someone beat his son like this?

"This wine is nice, haha..."

The older man’s voice once again reverberated within the empty church as if speaking to someone beside him. Then, in a respectful voice, he said, "Yes, Mr. Blackwood, from 1980."

His son was being beaten like this, and he still had the leisure to drink wine?!

Lily suddenly felt her entire worldview and perspective on life turned upside down.

In this world, how could such a father exist?

Watching Ethan get beaten down time and again, she suddenly recalled the time when she was locked up in kindergarten, trembling from the cold when he appeared in front of her.

When she was locked in the detention room crying, it was also he who appeared just in time to rescue her.

She set off a fake fire alarm in the mall, and he returned to find her.

And once again, now...

"Enough!" Lily shouted, stepping forward to stop them, but she was met with Ethan’s fierce glare. "Lily! Go back!"

She didn’t want to have to collect his corpse.

Rushing towards the man in black holding the camera, Lily shouted, "He’s your son! Why are you treating him like this?! Are you insane? No father is as cruel and heartless as you! Release him now!"

"Haha..." The elder scoffed dismissively, followed by the sound of sipping wine, then said, "Our Blackwood family values rules..."

"Valuing rules means beating your son to death?!" Lily interrupted him loudly. "You just resent him for not visiting you in five years? You complain he’s unfilial, but you’re the one who raised him this way! As a father, don’t you bear any responsibility?!"

"..." The older man fell silent.

"I know you’re a formidable figure, dominating Europe’s economy, but a father who only knows how to beat his son... is a downright scoundrel!" Lily said word by word.

The man in black immediately pressed a gun to her temples while holding a camera in the other hand.

This was the second time she had a gun pointed at her head today.

The feeling was thoroughly terrible.

"Lily!" Ethan roared from behind, his voice straining. "If you so much as touch her, I will kill you all!"