30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 253: A Brother’s Warning

After wrapping up for the day, Lily Anderson sat in the study reviewing the footage they had shot. Grace had indeed poured her heart into her performance. Children weren’t always naive; they had unique interpretations of life.

The scene had turned out beautifully, just as it was.

"Lily Anderson! Get in here and massage my shoulders!"

A commanding voice rang out from beyond the door, the unmistakable magnetic tone belonging to Ethan Blackwood.

He was back!

Lily quickly shut off her computer, feeling excited as she headed out. This time of day was the only moment in their parallel lives where their paths intersected. The rest of the time, he was busy with his work, and she was busy with her film.

Lily had been silently counting down the days, waiting for the three months to pass.

Ethan lay sprawled on the bed, his long legs dangling over the edge. He was still wearing his leather shoes.

"Tired?" Lily asked as she walked over and removed his shoes, placing them neatly on the floor.

"Not at all," Ethan replied, still lying on the bed. He pointed to his shoulders. "Massage my shoulders."

"How am I supposed to do that with you lying down?"

"Climb on and do it."

"I’m pregnant, remember?" Lily said, patting her now prominent belly.

"It’s fine. I don’t mind your weight," Ethan replied nonchalantly.

"..." Lily smacked him lightly on the back. "I’m pregnant. I can’t bend over like that. Have some common sense!"

"Hmm?" Ethan rolled onto his side, propping his head up with one hand as he gazed quietly at her. He reached out, pinching her chin gently. "You’ve gained weight."

"Disgusted?" Lily asked, raising a brow. Her workload hadn’t been light lately, but her weight had steadily increased due to the pregnancy and Nanny’s diligent care with her cooking.

"Not at all." Ethan pulled her into his arms, his face close to hers. He inhaled deeply as if savoring her scent. His voice, deep and sensual, brushed against her ear. "How’s your body holding up? Have you had any symptoms of the AuroraVirus?"

Her condition was the most pressing concern for him right now.

"No, maybe I’m part of the group that experiences delayed symptoms," Lily said with a soft smile, though her eyes avoided his. She leaned against his arm, staring at the ceiling as guilt flickered across her face.

She just needed to make it through these three months, finish this film, and open the door to her career as a director—while also closing a Chapter of her life.

"Good."

Ethan kissed her face gently, his lips landing in lingering touches as though savoring her. When he reached her lips, the kiss deepened. His tongue teased hers, claiming her in a slow, fervent entanglement.

"Mm..."

Lily responded to his kiss, soft moans escaping her lips.

"Wow... so passionate..." The door suddenly burst open. Tommy Blackwood leaned casually against the doorframe, clicking his tongue in mock admiration as he watched the scene. "Brother, even with a pregnant woman, you’re still this... enthusiastic. Impressive."

Tommy exaggeratedly raised his brows and gave them a thumbs-up.

Lily immediately turned her face away in embarrassment, burying it in the pillow.

Ethan’s eyes darkened with annoyance as he glared at Tommy. "Don’t you know how to knock?!"

"I got a key from Nanny. Figured I didn’t need to knock. Didn’t expect to walk in on such a fiery scene. What’s next? Tearing off clothes?" Tommy dangled the key before him, looking immensely pleased with himself. "See? Smart, right?"

"You looking to die?!" Ethan got up from the bed, grabbed Tommy by the collar, and yanked him inside. He slammed the door shut, cutting off the plainclothes soldiers outside.

"Brother, brother, come on! We’re family! No need to get physical..." Tommy quickly pleaded, having taken quite a few punches from Ethan recently. He was all too familiar with his younger brother’s temper.

"Tommy Blackwood, if you dare barge into my room again, I’ll gouge your eyes out!" Ethan’s tone was ice-cold, his grip tightening.

"How was I supposed to know you two would be... uh, setting the house on fire before sundown? Not bad, right? I just learned that phrase," Tommy said innocently, though his tone was anything but.

He learns idioms starting with this kind of context?!

"You even know the difference between day and night?" Ethan sneered disdainfully.

Tommy pretended to think deeply before shrugging and slapping Ethan’s shoulder. "You’re right; we brothers don’t pay attention to the time of day. When the mood strikes, that’s all that matters..."

Listening to their banter, Lily felt the artistic enlightenment she had gained earlier at the set... come crashing down.

"Get out!" Ethan barked.

"Father wants to see us," Tommy said with a shrug, his tone suddenly more serious.

Ethan fell silent.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Lily noticed the shift in Ethan’s expression. His gaze darkened, growing unreadable and profoundly deep. His face betrayed no emotion, leaving her unable to guess what he was thinking.

Ethan and Tommy left together. Just hearing that their father wanted to meet them made Lily uneasy.

Every time his father got involved, it always led to trouble.

Not wanting to dwell on her thoughts, Lily returned to the study to review the day’s footage. Halfway through, a knock sounded at the door.

"Come in."

"Miss Anderson..." Nanny stood at the door, hesitating. "Would you like to come take a look?"

"Take a look at what?" Lily paused the footage.

"Mr. Blackwood and the Second Young Master are arguing again."

When don’t those two argue? Lily thought. They constantly bickered.

Still, she followed Nanny toward the viewing room. The plainclothes soldiers had been pushed far back, and Nanny cracked the door open just enough for Lily to see inside.

Tommy stood by the window. "You think sneaking behind Father’s back is enough to run away with Rabbit? Even if you change your names and faces, Father will still find you."

"That’s none of your business. Just help me cover for now," Ethan replied coldly, standing behind the sofa.

This wasn’t their usual playful bickering.

Lily noticed Ethan’s serious and stern expression, matched by Tommy’s unusually grave demeanor.

"Cover for you? From the moment you stepped through the Blackwood family’s doors, you should’ve known you’d never escape Father’s control," Tommy snapped. "I’ve done what you’re trying to do. I abandoned all my assets, erased every trace of myself, changed my name, and tried to disappear. And in the end..."

Lily’s eyes widened in shock.

Ethan had abandoned his assets? How was that possible?

"I’m not like you," Ethan said coldly.

"The only difference is that Rabbit isn’t dead yet!"

Bang—

Ethan’s fist shot out, striking Tommy and sending him crashing. Blood trickled from the corner of Tommy’s mouth as he slowly got up, wiping it with the back of his hand. He stared at Ethan and said, "You know exactly what I mean. Father said you two can’t be together. You’ll never have a chance."

"Shut up!" Ethan glared at him, his voice sharp with anger. "I don’t need you to teach me how to accept my fate!"

Tommy looked at him for a long moment before speaking in a low voice. "I’ll cover for you as much as I can. If you need to find who’s responsible for this, get the antidote, or transfer all your funds into hidden accounts, do what you must. But I can’t guarantee how long I can keep it from Father."

Ethan’s gaze flicked up, meeting his brother’s.

"The excuse about negotiating with the central government? It won’t hold for long. Father will figure it out sooner or later."

After a pause, Ethan finally said, "Brother."

Tommy let out a bitter laugh. "Hearing you call me ’brother’ is rare. I just don’t want you to end up like me." With that, he turned to leave, stopping when he saw Lily standing at the door.

"Hi... Rabbit!" Tommy grinned, throwing her a playful air kiss before walking past her.

Hearing this, Ethan turned sharply, his eyes locking with Lily’s. There was a flicker of surprise in his gaze.

Lily forced a smile and said, in an unrelated tone, "Didn’t you say you could sense me within two meters? Didn’t notice me eavesdropping?"

Ethan’s expression remained cold. "We’re three meters apart."

Within two meters, he could always sense her. But they were three meters away this time—just enough to slip past his notice.

Lily and Ethan sat side by side in the garden behind the villa. She leaned against his shoulder out of habit. The weather had grown colder, and the evening was beginning to settle in. The flowers in the garden had changed to a different bloom for the season.

Neither of them spoke.

"Lily Anderson."

"Hmm?" Lily responded softly, her gaze unfocused as it settled in the distance.

"I can handle everything."

"Hmm." She nodded firmly.

"What’s with the half-hearted response?!" Ethan frowned at her dismissive tone.

"Don’t you regret it?" Lily asked quietly. "Blackwood Enterprise Asia-Pacific is your empire. Won’t you regret giving it up?"

"Lily Anderson, I don’t want you worrying about this mess."

"If my AuroraVirus can’t be cured... if we can’t escape... if we end up like your brother..." Lily trailed off, her voice faint, as though it could be carried away by the wind.

"There’s no ’if,’" Ethan interrupted her firmly. "I told you, just give me time."

"Okay." Lily nodded obediently. She had no objections to his promise. She wasn’t afraid to wait—only fearful that the outcome wouldn’t be as they hoped.

"Mr. Blackwood, Miss Anderson," Nanny approached, holding a phone. "Miss Anderson, it’s for you."

"Thank you, Nanny."

Lily took the phone and placed it to her ear. "Hello, this is Lily Anderson."

"It’s me," said a cultured male voice on the other end—Alex Carter.

It had been a long time since she had spoken to him. The last time was at her father’s funeral, where he had helped her immensely, but things ended on a sour note because of Ethan.

"Congratulations on your wedding," Lily said with a smile. "Are you back from your honeymoon?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she felt Ethan’s body stiffen beside her. Looking up, she saw his face dark with jealousy, his gaze smoldering as though ready to pick a fight.

"Yes, I just got back. Alice is hosting a small gathering tonight. I’ve already sent you an invitation. Would you like to join us for a little relaxation?" Alex asked warmly.

"A gathering?" Lily asked, surprised.

"You missed our wedding, so consider this a post-honeymoon gathering for friends. Will you honor us with your presence?" Alex’s warm voice carried a note of anticipation. "You and Ethan are both welcome."

Hearing his polite and earnest invitation, Lily glanced at Ethan’s increasingly stormy expression and cautiously replied, "Let me check with him, okay?"

"Sure, I’ll wait for your reply," Alex said gently before bidding her goodbye and ending the call.

Lily lowered the phone, feeling a little strange.

Why didn’t he say, ’Alice and I will be waiting for you both?’ It must have just been a slip of the tongue...

"What do you mean, ’Let me check with him’?" Ethan growled, glaring at her. He would’ve smashed the phone in her hand if he weren’t holding himself back.