30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 267: Ethan’s Panic

Ethan Blackwood’s hand trembled, and the glass of milk slipped from his grip, shattering on the lawn. In a single stride, he rushed forward, kneeling to scoop Lily Anderson up from behind without a second thought.

His large hands pressed tightly against her body, unintentionally amplifying her pain.

"Ah..."

Lily bit her lip, but a cry of pain still escaped her. Her once-flushed face quickly turned ghostly pale, sweat pouring down her forehead as the light drained from her eyes.

"What’s wrong?!" Ethan demanded, his voice tense with urgency.

Still crouching, he held Lily on his lap, supporting her weight as best as possible.

"I’m fine... ugh..." Lily tried to suppress the pain, but her features contorted with agony. Large drops of sweat blurred her vision as they streamed down her face.

Seeing her like this, Ethan held her even closer, pressing her head against his shoulder. His strong hand wiped the sweat from her face as he said, "I’m taking you to the hospital—right now."

"I’m fine," Lily said weakly, her voice trembling.

With the help of a maid, Nanny stood up and began fumbling through Lily’s pocket, retrieving the pain relief injection. She prepared the syringe and donned gloves to administer it.

"Give it to me!" Ethan barked, his commanding voice sharp and brooking no argument as he snatched the syringe from Nanny’s hands.

Rolling up Lily’s sleeve, Ethan injected the painkiller into her arm with swift precision.

Smack!

He tossed the used syringe aside with force, then stood up with Lily cradled in his arms. His brows furrowed deeply, his expression a mix of worry and fury. "Why are you all just standing there?! Get the car ready!"

"Y-yes, Mr. Blackwood..." stammered one of the maids as she hurried off.

Ethan carried Lily out of the garden, his steps firm and urgent. The tension in his body was palpable, and his evident panic tugged at Lily’s heart.

"Don’t be so tense... I’m okay..." Lily murmured, her pale lips trembling as she spoke.

"Shut up!" Ethan growled, his tone sharp, as he placed her into the car and barked at the driver, "Drive!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Even inside the car, Ethan refused to let go of her. He held her tightly on his lap, his long fingers trembling as they gripped her. He was terrified.

Lily leaned against his chest, waiting for the strength to return to her legs. The car sped through the streets, but Ethan’s arms only tightened around her, almost to the point of suffocation. Occasionally, he would lower his head, brushing his face against her neck—a silent gesture of reassurance, though his hands continued to shake.

Tears streamed down Lily’s face, not because of the pain but because of Ethan. This side of him, more anguished than she could bear, broke her heart. Aiko Nakamura’s death had clearly shaken him deeply, leaving him more fearful than ever before.

Reaching out, Lily grasped his trembling hand, attempting to steady it. "Ethan..."

Ethan didn’t respond with words. Instead, he held her even tighter. She could feel the rapid, forceful thudding of his heartbeat against her.

Lily was admitted to a private hospital’s intensive care unit. Fortunately, her condition wasn’t severe.

When the doctor informed them that she was stable, Ethan visibly relaxed. Leaning against the wall, he exhaled a heavy sigh of relief.

From her hospital bed, Lily watched him quietly, unsure of what to say.

Aiko Nakamura’s death had hit Ethan hard. He had been so confident in obtaining the antidote. Still, Aiko’s passing had rendered all his plans futile—she had taken the formula to her grave.

"You’re staying here until the baby is born," Ethan said, stepping to the foot of her bed. His voice was low and resolute.

"Staying here until the baby is born?!" Lily echoed, surprised. "Didn’t you say we’d leave soon?" Waiting until the baby was born would mean a significant delay. Too much could happen in that time.

"We’ll leave after you’ve given birth and completed your postnatal recovery," Ethan replied.

But it wasn’t the same...

If they delay too long, the central authorities might summon Ethan for questioning, and Mr. Blackwood would undoubtedly grow suspicious.

"Ethan, I’m really fine. Flare-ups from the AuroraVirus are normal," Lily said earnestly. "Can we leave now?"

"We’ll leave after the baby is born," Ethan repeated, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"Why?"

"Do you even know what kind of life you’ll live with me?" Ethan asked, his voice steady but laced with gravity. "It’ll be a life of constant upheaval, under fake names, always on the run. The old man won’t let us go. We can’t just hide away in one place and live in peace. Do you understand?"

Lily leaned back against the headboard, listening quietly. She reached out a hand toward him. "Sit down. I want to talk to you."

Ethan glanced at her, his expression cold, but he still sat by the bed, letting her take his uninjured hand.

"Ethan, the antidote for the AuroraVirus, has been studied by experts for years without success. Now Aiko is gone. This is a reality... we have to accept," Lily said softly. Her tone was calm, her expression devoid of emotion, as though she were talking about someone else’s life.

"My hair will fall out, bit by bit. I’ll be bedridden for over nine years. During that time, our child will depend entirely on you..." Lily’s voice was steady as she continued, "This burden is enormous. I’m a heavy, crushing weight..."

A weight that could destroy everything Ethan had built—his life, his career. Everything he had worked for would be abandoned because of her.

Suppose the AuroraVirus were guaranteed to claim her life within a year. In that case, she might have cherished every moment they had together. But nine years...

What kind of love could endure that?

What should she do? What could she do?

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!" Ethan’s sharp gaze locked onto her as he cut her off coldly.

Was this woman thinking about leaving him again?

Lily straightened her posture, cupping his face with both hands. She looked into his eyes, speaking clearly and deliberately, "Ethan, I’m serious. This is my reality. Things will only get worse—that’s just how it is. Please, don’t be so tense, okay?"

Was she trying to comfort him?

She was the one afflicted with the AuroraVirus, the one enduring the pain and suffering. And it was all because of him—because he had brought Aiko Nakamura into their lives. Now, she was the one paying the price.

Ethan would rather be the one suffering, rather than see her or their child bear the consequences.

"As long as you don’t abandon me, I’ll cling to you like glue, never letting go," Lily said with a smile, her eyes sparkling. "So instead of feeling sad or worried for me, you should feel sorry for yourself."

"Because you’re the one who has to take care of a sick patient like me for over nine years. You’re the truly pitiful one," she added with a laugh. "I already feel bad for you..."

She was smiling, trying to make Ethan laugh.

But as Ethan stared at her, tears began to well up in her eyes, spilling over despite her efforts to hold them back.

"Lily Anderson!"

Ethan lowered his head and kissed her lips, his movements erratic and desperate. His deep voice murmured against her, "I love you, Lily. I love you..."

Lily’s tears fell even more complex as she let Ethan kiss her with a fierce intensity.

His kiss was passionate and forceful, as if trying to prove something to them.

Lily could barely see Ethan’s face through the blur of her tears. She could only feel the burning, possessive fervor of his kiss.

Ethan.

I love you, too—I love you more than anything. I don’t want to see you broken over me, and I don’t want you to suffer for me for over nine years...

Deep down, letting you go would be the best choice. But I can’t. I can’t let you go. I can’t let you go, even if it means making you endure nine years of hardship. Maybe I’m just too selfish...

I love you. I really do.

Lily wrapped her arms around Ethan’s shoulders. The two of them clung to each other at the edge of the hospital bed as if the world around them didn’t exist.

For a long, long time, they didn’t let go.

Lily stayed in the hospital to rest and prepare for the baby. The film still had one or two scenes left to shoot, which the assistant director completed.

She never returned to the set. Her brief career as a director came to an abrupt end.

Occasionally, she would go online to check the edited footage of The Best Future to see how the post-production was progressing.

The film had become wildly popular even before its release—but not for the reasons she had hoped. Instead of genuine interest in the movie, the buzz centered around the death on set and the rumors labeling her as Ethan’s mistress.

This was not the outcome she had envisioned. It was veering further and further from her original intentions.

And she was powerless to change it. Some even accused the production of orchestrating the scandals for publicity...

Eventually, Lily stopped looking at the news altogether. Each time she saw the tidal wave of negative press, she felt a fresh wave of frustration. The smearing didn’t just tarnish the film; it also targeted her and Ethan.

It dragged Ethan’s name through the mud, too.

Aiko Nakamura’s advertisements for sports drinks suddenly surged in popularity. Discussions online became even more vicious, with rumors spreading that Aiko had died from abuse, pointing fingers at the production team—and at Ethan.

The kidnapping incident hadn’t even blown over yet, and now this.

"Miss Anderson." Nanny entered the room carrying a large tray of food. "Come eat something."

"I want Ethan to make duck-blood vermicelli soup," Lily said, throwing off her blanket and getting out of bed. She glanced outside. "The weather looks nice today."

"It does. Would you like to go for a walk?" Nanny asked with a smile.

"Sure," Lily replied, wearing a large down coat over her hospital gown. She left the hospital with Nanny to soak up the sun and breathe fresh air.

As she moved her heavy body, Lily asked, "Nanny, has anything happened at home lately?"

Nanny’s expression immediately became guarded. "What do you mean by that, Miss Anderson?"

Her reaction... Did something actually happen?

"I was just wondering. If the central authorities can’t find evidence, will they stop summoning Ethan? If that’s the case, he won’t have to appear in court, right? But what about those innocent hostages? What will happen to them?"

"They can’t be kept locked up forever..."

"Miss Anderson, I wouldn’t know about such matters. Mr. Blackwood never discusses these things with me," Nanny replied with a chuckle.

"Oh," Lily nodded, stretching her limbs. When she turned around, she saw a refined man standing by a far-away pillar.

Alex Carter.

Their eyes met, and Alex walked toward her with a worried expression. "Why are you in the hospital?"

"I’m here for prenatal care," Lily said with a smile.

Alex visibly relaxed, his expression softening into a gentle smile. "As long as you’re alright."

"What brings you here?" Lily glanced at the medicine bag in his hand. "Are you unwell?"

"Just a minor cold," Alex said, his gaze shifting toward the chairs on the lawn. "Shall we sit for a while?"

Lily had no objection and nodded. The two of them sat down to chat.

"I’ve been following the recent news. It’s not looking good for you and Ethan," Alex said with a frown. "Who exactly was Aiko Nakamura? The articles about her are all over the place—very convoluted."

Lily was silent for a moment before letting out a bitter laugh. "She’s the one who infected me with the AuroraVirus."

At this, Alex immediately tensed up. "And the antidote..."

Lily shook her head. "She hated me. Even in death, she refused to reveal the formula."

"And now..." Alex’s expression darkened as he looked at her, his voice filled with concern.