30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 319: No More Lies

If Lily ever found out, he had already killed Alex Carter—

She would blame herself for that, too.

Ethan didn’t understand.

Why did she insist on carrying every burden?

Why did she act like every sin was hers to bear?

Did she really think she could survive under that weight?

Lily lowered her gaze and stepped forward.

Ethan walked beside her, their footsteps echoing through the empty hospital corridor.

The silence stretched between them, heavy and unspoken.

Outside, the cool air brushed against her skin.

She finally exhaled, voice barely above a whisper.

"You should go back."

Ethan stopped.

His brows furrowed.

"Go back?"

Was she serious?

Since their breakup, this woman had chased after him relentlessly.

She had fought so hard to win him back.

And now, she was telling him to leave?

"You’re busy," Lily continued, her expression blank, her voice hollow.

"I don’t want to waste your time."

Ethan said nothing.

His silence weighed heavier than words ever could.

Lily knew.

She knew this was the end.

There was no future for them.

Her guilt had swallowed her whole—

And she could never stand beside him again.

She turned toward him, memorizing his face.

Etching the sharp lines of his jaw, the intensity of his gaze into her mind.

If she was going to keep living—

Then, this face would be the only thing keeping her going.

"Goodbye."

Lily forced the word past her lips.

Then, without waiting for a response, she turned—

And walked away.

The ground was littered with paper airplanes.

Scattered across the pavement, being swept away by a janitor’s broom.

Lily stared at them, her mind distant, her steps slow.

One foot in front of the other.

Moving forward.

"Lily—"

Ethan’s voice cut through the night.

She didn’t stop.

Didn’t turn.

But then—

A hand grabbed hers.

Before she could react, strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

The force of it knocked the breath from her lungs.

Ethan’s chin rested against the top of her head, his grip unyielding.

Holding her in place.

Lily’s heart stilled.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her eyes burned.

She had dreamed of this embrace.

Had ached for it.

But now...

She was too afraid to accept it.

She tilted her head slightly, blinking away the stinging in her eyes.

"Don’t worry," she whispered.

"I won’t do anything reckless anymore."

So he didn’t have to hold her like this.

Didn’t have to be afraid for her.

It was enough that he had been here today.

The fact that he had come back at all...

That was already more than she had expected.

Ethan tightened his hold on her.

"You wanted to be with me."

His voice was low, rough.

"Why are you giving up now?"

Lily closed her eyes.

Her throat ached.

She shook her head.

"I don’t deserve you."

Ethan’s grip hardened.

He spun her around, his hands gripping her arms.

His eyes burned into hers.

"You’re the only one who deserves me."

He leaned in.

His lips descended toward hers.

Panic surged through her.

Lily stumbled backward, her eyes wide, her breath shaky.

She tried to hold it in—

But the tears fell anyway.

Ethan reached for her again.

Lily took another step back.

"Ethan, stop."

Her voice cracked.

"I won’t do anything to hurt myself. You don’t have to pity me."

His expression darkened.

"Pity?"

His tone was sharp.

"You think this is pity?!"

Lily clenched her fists.

"If I hadn’t been on that rooftop today—"

Her voice trembled.

"Would you have come looking for me?"

"If I hadn’t climbed onto that rooftop today,"

Lily’s voice was quiet but unwavering.

"Would you have come looking for me?"

Ethan froze.

He didn’t answer.

Lily let out a soft, bitter laugh.

"That’s what I thought."

Her lips trembled.

"You don’t have to stay with me. I won’t do anything reckless anymore. You don’t have to worry."

She meant it.

She really did.

Because Ethan had already done more than enough.

He had come today.

He had stopped her.

He had even been willing to die with her.

That was already more than she had ever dared to hope for.

Anything beyond this...

She had no right to ask for it.

No right to want him to stay.

"Lily—"

"Ethan, thank you."

She cut him off, her voice soft but firm.

"Thank you for not hating me. Thank you for coming today. You’ve done enough. You don’t have to do more."

At least now she knew—

That in this world, there was still one person who didn’t want her to disappear.

Her vision blurred.

Tears welled in her eyes, making his face hazy, indistinct.

So she turned away.

She started walking.

One step.

Then another.

Behind her, Ethan watched.

His chest ached—

A slow, suffocating pain that wouldn’t let up.

She walked across the scattered paper airplanes, the colorful remnants crumbling beneath her feet.

Her figure—thin, fragile—swayed as she moved slightly.

She looked like she could collapse at any moment.

She was once proud.

Once stubborn.

Once untouchable.

Now, there was nothing left of that girl.

Nothing but an empty shell.

And he had done this to her.

Ethan’s fingers curled into a fist.

His chest tightened.

His breath came shallow.

Then, suddenly—

"Lily!"

His voice boomed through the open space.

Lily’s steps halted.

She didn’t turn around.

He didn’t wait.

Didn’t give her a choice.

In three long strides, he closed the distance between them.

His hand latched onto her wrist, yanking her back with force.

His hands cupped her face, his grip firm, unyielding.

And before she could say a single word—

His lips crashed against hers.

"Mmph—!"

Lily stiffened.

Her eyes widened.

Ethan didn’t let go.

Didn’t give her space to breathe.

His kiss was deep, desperate, unyielding—

A silent plea, a demand, a punishment all at once.

She tried to push him away.

Her hands pressed against his chest, struggling, resisting—

But he didn’t let her go.

His arms wrapped around her, locking her in place.

The world around them disappeared.

The people passing by.

The curious stares.

None of it mattered.

Just him.

Just her.

The heat between them was the wild, uncontrollable force that neither could fight anymore.

Lily’s breath shook.

She didn’t know if it was from the kiss or from fear.

Because she knew—

If she let herself fall now, she could never climb back out.

Ethan pulled her closer.

His lips moved against hers, deepening the kiss, taking everything from her.

His breath mingled with hers, his scent wrapping around her like a cage.

"Stop—"

She tried to say it.

But the second her lips parted, he took advantage of it.

His tongue swept inside, stealing the words before she could speak them.

The heat was overwhelming.

The force of it is devastating.

Somewhere above them, from a hospital window—

Tommy Blackwood watched.

His expression was unreadable, his fingers rubbing his temple in frustration.

"He won’t let go," Tommy muttered under his breath.

"No one can stop him now."

Ethan pressed Lily against a nearby tree, shielding her from prying eyes.

His body caged hers in, his kiss turning harder, rougher, more desperate.

Like he was trying to brand her.

Trying to make her understand.

Trying to make sure she never walked away again.

Lily’s hands shook.

Her resolve crumbled.

But the question still echoed in her mind—

If she hadn’t climbed onto that rooftop today...

Would he have ever come for her?

Ethan wouldn’t let go.

No one could stop him.

If he wanted to burn, then he was willing to drag her into the flames with him.

His lips were rough, desperate.

His kiss tasted of salt and sorrow, of pain and longing.

It was overpowering—

Too much.

Too intense.

Too real.

"No—"

Lily’s protest was swallowed before it could fully form.

Ethan kissed her harder, claiming her as if trying to erase everything that had come before.

As if trying to brand himself into her soul.

His love had always been like this.

Unforgiving when he left.

Overwhelming when he came back.

Slowly...Lily stopped fighting.

Her body stilled.

She let him kiss her.

Let him take—Until time itself felt like it had stopped.

When he finally pulled away, their eyes met.

Dark against hollow.

Fire against nothingness.

Ethan lowered his head, pressing soft kisses against her tear-streaked cheeks.

His voice was low, rough.

"Lily, stop crying if you still want to be with me."

Lily blinked.

Confusion flickered in her gaze.

"Why do you keep changing?"

She didn’t understand.

One moment, he pushed her away.

The next, he pulled her back.

Every time, it was his choice to make.

Ethan’s lips pressed into a thin line.

He exhaled sharply.

"Do you want to be with me or not? Forget everything else."

Lily hesitated.

Then, softly, she asked—

"Did Alex force you to leave me?"

Because she had always suspected it.

And now, she needed to hear the truth.

Ethan’s jaw tensed.

His dark eyes flickered.

"Yes."

A beat of silence.

"But it wouldn’t have changed anything."

Lily’s breath caught.

"What do you mean?"

Had Alex actually forced him?

Or had Ethan already made up his mind to leave?

He didn’t answer.

Instead, his voice dropped lower.

"Lily, stop running. Do you want to be with me or not?"

Lily flinched.

Her fingers curled into fists.

She took a slow step back, shaking her head.

"No, Ethan."

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I don’t deserve you."

Ethan’s patience snapped.

His grip tightened.

"Only you deserve me."

She didn’t have time to react.

Didn’t have time to think.

Nowhere to escape.

"What do you mean, ’this is the end’?"

His voice was sharp, cutting.

"I don’t allow it to be the end."

Lily swallowed hard.

"Why do you always get to decide?"

Her voice wavered, but the question was genuine.

"Why do you think you can control everything?"

Ethan’s expression darkened.

"You think I pity you?"

Lily’s lips parted.

But before she could speak—His following words shattered her completely.

"Tell me, Lily—"

His voice was low, almost dangerous.

"Did you willingly sleep with Alex Carter?"

Lily’s breath left her lungs.

Her chest tightened.

Ethan’s gaze bore into her.

Unrelenting.

Demanding.

"Answer me."

A single command.

A single truth she had spent too long avoiding.