30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 276: One Kiss, An Eternity

Lily Anderson’s eyes were hazy with unshed tears as she looked at Ethan Blackwood. His deep, dark eyes held something she couldn’t decipher. Suddenly, he leaned down again and captured her lips in a kiss.

He didn’t ask for her permission—his kiss was both domineering and gentle.

One kiss and the world seemed to stand still.

Lily didn’t know how long it lasted before Ethan finally let her go. Her lips were already slightly swollen.

"Ethan..."

"Come on, let’s go have some fun!" Ethan said, lightly tapping the brim of the hat she was wearing. Before she could respond, he scooped her up out of the chair.

"I can walk alone," Lily said, sliding out of his arms. Before leaving the amusement park, she couldn’t help but glance back at the lights hanging from the trees. They twinkled like stars, and the chiming of the wind chimes created a melodious song, soft and pleasing to the ear.

The glowing sign, L&E, stood out like Sirius in the night sky, outshining all the surrounding stars...

It was the brightest, the most dazzling.

That night, Ethan took her to several places, all of which they had visited before.

They watched the cityscape from a casino ship...

They sat by the roadside, watching the traffic flow endlessly...

They spent a long time at Lily’s film studio base, counting how many of the props were genuine antiques...

At first, Lily thought it was a coincidence that Ethan had chosen familiar, relaxing places to revisit. But when it was almost dawn, and Ethan drove her to the city’s outskirts, she realized it couldn’t be a coincidence. Everything had been meticulously planned. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

The air was thick with a white mist.

A long stretch of barbed wire fence bordered the roadside. Nearby, lush bamboo forests stood vibrant and green year-round, and in the distance, a jade-green lake shimmered faintly.

Ethan exited the car, leaning casually yet handsomely against the door. His low, magnetic voice broke the silence. "Lily, do you remember this place?"

"Of course," Lily replied, her voice steady as she gazed at the barbed wire. She opened the car door and stepped out, leaning slightly against the hood. She was still wearing Ethan’s oversized coat. "That day was the first time we met. The one wearing your jacket back then was Natalie Walker."

That day marked a turning point in her life—a moment when everything had changed.

It was the most humiliating day of her life. She had been threatened and violated by a stranger, the shame carving itself into her very bones, leaving a scar that could never be erased.

It was the worst beginning she could have ever had with Ethan.

"Yes, I was a complete bastard!" Ethan said with a self-deprecating laugh.

If it hadn’t been for him, she wouldn’t have fallen to that point...

Lily stared quietly at the barbed wire. She didn’t need to touch it to know it was cold—cold as ice.

"At that time, I thought you were a devil straight from hell," Lily said.

Even though she couldn’t leave Ethan now, the events of that day would never become a fond memory in her life.

Humiliation, followed by the loss of her dignity.

These were things she had endured—degrading and shameful things. Under his threats and coercion, she had been trapped with no way out.

"A devil?" Ethan let out another cold laugh. Straightening up, he walked to the barbed wire and ran his long fingers over it. "Where exactly was it? Here? Or here?"

Lily stared at his tall figure in shock.

Was he seriously trying to pinpoint the exact spot?

What spot?

The spot where he had violated her?

What was wrong with him? He knew she didn’t want to revisit that day, so why was he bringing it up now?

Ethan’s long fingers paused on the barbed wire, a wicked smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I still remember. You were wearing a white dress that day. Very innocent."

Innocent, like someone who had no idea how the world worked, with eyes full of pride and disdain.

The moment he saw her, he had wanted to conquer her completely.

Looking back now, he indeed had been a bastard.

The mist swirled around them. He was only wearing a thin shirt, his lips curved in a cold smile.

Lily suddenly found herself unable to understand him. She said softly, "I don’t want to talk about this."

What was the point of bringing it up?

Was it to remember what she had worn that day or to relive how he had pinned her against the barbed wire and taken her by force?

"Alright, we won’t talk about it," Ethan agreed. He turned around and leaned his entire body against the barbed wire, his dark eyes fixed on her. "Didn’t you have something you wanted to ask me?"

Lily hesitated for a moment, leaning against the hood of the car. She lowered her gaze, and after a long pause, she finally asked, "Our son... what did he die from? Was it because he was premature?"

If he said yes, she would believe him.

She would still believe him even if it took a hundred lies to cover the truth.

Ethan laughed suddenly, the sound sharp and mocking. "Our son? Are you sure he was our son?"

Lily’s face went pale. She thought she must have misheard him...

What was he saying?

"Do you know why I took you to the Skyline Hotel?" Ethan asked coldly, his demeanor suddenly changing.

"When we went there the first time, you met Alex behind my back. You were speaking intimately with him outside the restroom, right, weren’t you?" Ethan said, walking toward her. His voice was as cold as ice.

"Ethan, what exactly are you accusing me of?" Lily felt as though her heart had been plunged into a glacier.

What did he mean by this? Was he accusing her of carrying Alex’s child?

"You know exactly what I’m accusing you of!" Ethan snarled, slamming his fist onto the car. His cold eyes bore into her pale face, devoid of any warmth. "You know very well what you and Alex have done!"

Lily stared at him in disbelief. "Ethan, do you even realize what you’re saying?!"

What was wrong with him?

Hadn’t he been confident from the beginning that the child was his? Why was he suddenly questioning whether their son was his?

What about everything he had done before—his care for her, his protection, everything he had said and done... Was it all a lie?

"When we were on the casino ship, you left with him. That night, the two of you stayed in his seaside villa. Are you telling me you didn’t do anything?"

"Before that, you left the hospital in his car and disappeared for two days. Are you telling me nothing happened?!"

"And today—or rather, yesterday—you fought with me, drove off, and used that as an excuse to meet him in private! Isn’t that right?!"

So he had followed her yesterday? Then why hadn’t he shown up?

"I didn’t—"

"Don’t even try to deny it! You expect me to believe you just ’ran into him’ on the street? Do you believe that excuse? Do I?!" Ethan’s interrogative tone was sharp and unrelenting, as though he were cross-examining a criminal.

His cold voice sent shivers down her spine.

Lily stared at him in disbelief, searching his face for any warmth or sign of the man she thought she knew.

But she saw nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"I’m innocent. Yes, I liked Alex, but nothing ever happened between us," Lily said, trying to remain calm as she explained.

Maybe he had seen her with Alex yesterday and was speaking out of anger. Yes, that had to be it. He was just angry.

If she explained clearly, everything would be fine.

"Nothing happened?!" Ethan laughed coldly, his sharp gaze piercing her. "Do you really think I’d believe that? I’ve never believed that child was mine!"

StillLily’s wrapped in his coat, Lily’s hands clenched tightly at the sleeves, shaking violently.

She was so close—so close to slapping him across the face.

So he had never believed her... Then what did all his words mean? Were they all fake?

Lily’s face turned even paler.

"The child was born. Wouldn’t you do a DNA test?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Why would I need a DNA test? To have hard evidence of my humiliation?" Ethan shouted as if he had anticipated her question.

"He’s your son!" Lily shouted in frustration, suddenly realizing something. "If you doubted it, why did you let me have the baby?"

"From the moment you left, I decided to take everything out on you!" Ethan said coldly. "Even if it weren’t for the AuroraVirus, I wouldn’t have let that child live!"

Ethan’s words explained everything. They said Alex’s comments.

The child... had indeed died because of the AuroraVirus.

Lily stared at him, stunned. "You knew the baby had AuroraVirus and wouldn’t survive, yet you still made me carry him to term?!"

Why did he do this?!

To give her hope and then throw her into the depths of despair?

"Yes!" Ethan leaned over the car hood, his face inches from hers. His dark eyes were filled with malice as he said coldly, "Lily, this is the price of your infidelity!"

Slap—

Lily’s hand shot out without thinking, landing a hard slap across his face.

Ethan didn’t dodge. He took the slap squarely, then let out a mocking laugh. "Good. Lily, we’re even now."

Even?

What did he mean by "even"?

Lily stared at him, trying to understand. As though reading her thoughts, Ethan opened the car door and looked at her disdainfully. "Lily, we’re breaking up."

Breaking up?

"To be precise, I don’t want you anymore!"

Ethan let out a cold laugh, got into the driver’s seat, and started the car. He looked at her, standing there in shock. "What’s wrong, little rabbit? Never been dumped by a man before? Move out of the way—I’m leaving."

There was arrogance in his smile, a wickedness... and an utter lack of emotion.

Lily felt like she’d been struck by a hammer as she stared at the man in the driver’s seat. Was this Ethan Blackwood?

No, it couldn’t be.

This couldn’t be Ethan...

"You’re not moving?"

Ethan scoffed, reversing the car, shifting into gear, and speeding off. The sports car roared past her, the wind from its passing brushing against her face.

Lily staggered back a step, staring blankly as the car disappeared into the distance.

He had said... we’re breaking up! He had said, I don’t want you anymore!

Thud—

Lily collapsed onto the roadside, her mind reeling. What was he saying? Why had he suddenly decided to break up with her? He had once risked his life to protect her, taking bullets for her... Was it all just for revenge over her so-called betrayal?!

She had thought Ethan was trying to comfort and cheer her up over their son, an entire night of outings. But it turned out it had all been a setup for their breakup.

It couldn’t be true...

It wasn’t true. Ethan wasn’t like this...

This wasn’t the Ethan who had spent an entire night building models for her, who had risked everything to kidnap people to save her father, who had been gravely injured for her...

Were all those things lies?

He had promised her three months. He had said he would take her away and marry her...

Now, three months had passed. Their son was gone. And he wanted to leave her...

No. It couldn’t be. There had to be a reason. Ethan wouldn’t do this to her. He wouldn’t...

Lily sat limply by the roadside, trying to stand but finding her body weak and unresponsive.

A flashy orange sports car pulled up in front of her. It was one of the branded vehicles under Blackwood Enterprise.