30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 288: The End of Hope

"I was just thinking," Lily said, her voice faint and laced with fatigue, "AuroraVirus is just like Ethan. It keeps giving me these tiny glimmers of hope, making me think everything can still be salvaged... but in the end, it’s just disappointment after disappointment..." She coughed uncontrollably, unable to stop.

Alex reached out and gently patted her back, his touch soothing. "You’ve caught a cold. You should be resting, not running around in the wind."

Alex escorted Lily to the seaside villa. "You go in and rest. I’ll head to the hotel to grab your luggage."

"Thank you," Lily said sincerely. As she turned to walk inside, she paused and looked back as if something had just occurred to her. "What about your wife...?"

"I’ll let her know," Alex said with a bitter smile.

Even now, she was worried about disrupting his family.

"Alright," Lily nodded, her gaze drifting toward the villa.

The white villa stood by the sea, exuding a strong fairytale-like charm...

At one time, this house had been her dream. Suddenly, she realized she didn’t love it as much as she thought.

Opening the gate, Lily walked inside. The door to the villa opened promptly, and Butler Aston, dressed impeccably in his formal attire, greeted her with a deep bow. "Miss, welcome home."

Welcome home.

Lily froze for a moment. Butler Aston had always regarded her as the mistress of this villa.

"Hello, Aston."

"Woof woof!"

A large white dog came bounding out from inside and stopped at Lily’s feet, wagging its tail and sticking its tongue playfully. A faint smile broke across Lily’s face. "Bobi still remembers me." 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"Of course, Miss. You’re his owner," Aston replied, stepping aside with a gesture of invitation. "Miss, is there anything you’d like to eat? I’ve prepared some fruit."

"Thank you."

Lily responded politely, patting Bobi on the head as she walked inside. The villa hadn’t changed at all—still, the same fairytale-like setting, filled with dreamy and whimsical details.

Sitting on the princess-style sofa, Lily watched as Bobi obediently crouched at her side.

Having not seen her for a long time, Bobi nudged closer to her, affectionately nuzzling her. Around its neck hung a necklace with a pendant—a miniature Samoyed model she had bought previously.

Alex had hung it around Bobi’s neck...

Everything Alex did for her, she could never repay.

"Miss, here’s some fruit," Aston said as he placed a fruit platter on the milky white coffee table before her, then stood straight, awaiting her instructions.

Lily picked up a piece of fruit and handed it to Bobi, who wagged his tail happily and leaned against her like a child.

Lily’s gaze dimmed. If her son with Ethan were still alive, he would cling to her just like this, seeking her affection...

"Miss, will you be staying here long-term?" Aston asked respectfully.

Long-term?

She had no plans for anything long-term.

"We’ll see," Lily replied. "I’m taking Bobi out for a walk."

"Very well, Miss."

Lily led Bobi along the beach. The vast ocean stretched endlessly before her, waves lapping gently at the shore. Seabirds circled low in the sky.

The sea breeze brushed against her face, soothing and refreshing.

Bobi walked ahead with a regal air, occasionally glancing back at her and waiting patiently whenever she lagged behind.

Lily trailed slowly after him, her clothes fluttering sideways in the wind. She coughed a few times, her energy waning.

After walking for a long time, Lily grew tired and sat down on the sand, facing the endless expanse of the ocean. Bobi circled around her before sitting down, mimicking her posture as it gazed at the sea, tongue lolling out.

"Lily."

Alex’s voice came from behind her.

She turned to see Alex approaching. He sat down beside her with a gentle and poised demeanor. "Shall we go inside? You’re still recovering from a cold; you shouldn’t be out in the wind."

"This warm breeze feels nice," Lily said, forcing a faint smile.

"Then I’ll sit with you a little longer. I’ve brought all your luggage over," Alex said, his voice as gentle as ever.

"Thank you."

"When I’m feeling down, I come here. Looking at the sea always helps me feel better," Alex said softly.

"Alex, can I ask you for a favor?" Lily said, her gaze fixed on the horizon. The sea breeze made her mouth dry, and she coughed a few times.

"Do we need to use the word ’favor’ between us?" Alex gently patted her back.

"Tomorrow is Ethan’s first court hearing. I want to attend the trial," Lily said quietly. Trials for such high-profile cases were not open to the public, but with Alex’s influence, he could make it happen.

Ethan again.

The rare occasion when she asked for his help, and it was still for Ethan.

How many times must she be hurt before she would let go? How many setbacks would it take for her to give up on Ethan completely?

"If it’s too much trouble—"

"It’s no trouble. Leave it to me. I’ll go with you tomorrow," Alex said with a smile.

"Thank you," Lily said, managing a weak smile.

She had no idea what would happen in court tomorrow... Had the authorities uncovered any evidence? Did Ethan have a plan to win?

"Lily."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing," Alex said, stopping himself.

Lily glanced at him, puzzled, but didn’t press further. She turned her gaze back to the ocean and sat silently, occasionally exchanging a few words with Alex.

Sleepiness crept over her, and Lily gradually dozed off, her head drooping as she closed her eyes.

Only after a long while did Alex notice she wasn’t responding. Turning to look, he realized she had fallen asleep.

She sat there quietly asleep, her head bowed, arms wrapped around her knees, her posture perfectly still.

Alex embraced her, letting her head rest against his shoulder. One arm held her securely while his chin rested lightly on her hat.

The warmth of her body filled him with longing, and the faint fragrance of her hair intoxicated him.

Holding her like this, with her so calm and quiet, felt like a scene from a past life.

Alex lowered his head, planted a feather-light kiss on her hat, and pulled her closer. Though he felt a sense of contentment, his heart ached deeply...

When would she stop mentioning Ethan’s name?

When would she truly belong to him, wholly and completely?

Alex held her close, his eyes slowly closing as he savored the peaceful moment. Bobi circled around them, sometimes pacing and sitting nearby, watching them intently.

In the distance, a tall young woman stepped out of a red convertible. She stood silently, her hand trembling as she clutched her handbag.

Alex sat by the sea, holding Lily close, their heads leaning against each other. The scene was so picturesque it could have been from a romantic drama—so beautiful it was heartbreaking. That man was her husband, and the other... was the woman her husband loved the most.

Tears streamed down Alice Johnson’s face. She didn’t dare to confront them anymore. She couldn’t expose them because the result would always be the same: her husband would abandon her.

After watching for a long time, Alice returned to her car and sped away.

The next day, the courthouse was surrounded by a massive crowd of reporters, packed tightly together.

Lily and Alex stood in the upstairs hall of the courthouse, looking out the window at the sea of people below. Countless camera flashes lit up the scene, and media from around the world were present.

"Have you heard anything?" Lily asked.

"Are you referring to evidence against Ethan? That’s classified information. It’s not easy to find out," Alex replied calmly, his eyes fixed on the media below. A faint glimmer appeared in his gaze.

Lily nodded, silently hoping the authorities hadn’t uncovered anything incriminating.

She glanced at the clock in the hall. There were still twenty minutes until the trial began. "Should we head in now?" she asked.

"Alright," Alex nodded, walking with her away from the window.

The courthouse hall was bright and spacious, its tranquility broken only by the faint echo of their footsteps.

Suddenly, a group of people hurried past them, heading downstairs. Alex paused and turned to Lily. "Wait here a moment."

He jogged over to the group, speaking with them.

As Alex had introduced earlier, the middle-aged man leading the group was the judge for today’s trial.

Could something have changed with the case?

Lily followed and caught up, just in time to hear Alex frown slightly as he asked, "What’s going on?"

"Orders from above. Mr. Carter, we need to go handle some formalities for Ethan. Excuse us," the man replied hurriedly before the group left.

Lily noticed the strange expression on Alex’s face and asked, "Alex, is something wrong?"

"The trial has been canceled," Alex said, turning to her, his eyes dark and unreadable.

Canceled?

"Canceled? Is it a postponement?" Lily asked, confused.

"No, it’s not a postponement. They’ve decided not to pursue the case against Ethan anymore," Alex replied, calm and composed. "Apparently, they’ve arrested the real kidnappers. It was one of the businessmen involved."

A businessman?

But weren’t those businessmen initially detained by Ethan?

Had the authorities completely cleared Ethan now? Had Blackwood Enterprise been entirely exonerated?

Lily suddenly recalled what Victor Blackwood had once said to her. Could Victor Blackwood have pressured Ethan to leave her in exchange for resolving the case?

No...

Would Ethan really abandon her just to resolve this case?

Wasn’t he the one who had decided to leave everything behind, even Blackwood Enterprise, to be with her?!

Ethan... Which of his words were true, and which were lies? Lily could no longer tell.

"They mentioned handling Ethan’s formalities earlier, didn’t they?"

Which meant Ethan was downstairs?!

Without waiting for Alex to respond, Lily anxiously ran downstairs. Alex watched her hurried figure, his gaze growing colder.

When Lily reached the lower floor, she saw Ethan walking out, surrounded by a group of people. His jacket was slung casually over one shoulder, his tall figure standing out strikingly among the crowd. His handsome face and cold demeanor commanded attention.

The judge and his entourage were all bowing and nodding deferentially in his direction.

Ethan glanced at them with disdain. "Get out of my way and stop blocking me," he said coldly.

Still as arrogant and domineering as ever.

The straight-haired woman walking beside him immediately turned to the judge. She said, "Apologies, sir, but you’re in Mr. Blackwood’s way. Would you like to discuss road etiquette with our legal team?"

The woman appeared to be in her late twenties and dressed professionally. Her demeanor was confident, capable, and quite attractive—she was most likely Ethan’s lawyer.

The judge, clearly intimidated, quickly stepped aside and bowed repeatedly. "Please, go ahead."

Lily was about to step forward when she suddenly saw Ethan lower his head and lift the woman’s chin. He gazed at her with an appreciative smile, his expression playful and flirtatious. "Smart."

Lily froze, halting as if her feet were rooted to the ground.

"Not at all. It’s just my duty," the woman replied, her professional composure giving way to a faint blush as she stared back at Ethan.

"I like smart women," Ethan said with a mischievous smirk, raising an eyebrow. He tilted her chin and leaned down, pressing his lips against hers in a bold and passionate kiss.

The woman seemed momentarily stunned but quickly responded by wrapping her arms around his neck and eagerly returning the kiss.

Lily stood there, stunned, her feet glued to the ground. She wanted to turn away, but her eyes refused to move.

Her chest felt like it had stopped beating.

Her vision was filled with the image of Ethan and the woman, locked in an intense kiss.

Ethan’s kiss was wild and commanding, filled with a sensuality that left no room for doubt. The woman’s face flushed deeply, her body pressing closer against his chest until there was no space between them.

Lily thought she might suffocate.

But she couldn’t look away. She watched as they shared a passionate, almost theatrical French kiss. She couldn’t tell how long it lasted—only that Ethan’s lips moved against the woman’s with a practiced ease, exploring and dominating.

His lips were so sensual... even his kiss carried an irresistible allure.

Suddenly, someone tugged at her hand from behind, but Lily didn’t react. Her eyes remained fixed on the scene in front of her.

They were only separated by four white pillars. From this distance, she could see everything—Ethan’s kiss grew more profound and heated, their breaths mingled, and the woman’s gasps filled the space.

Lily felt like a spectator in her own nightmare.

It wasn’t until much later that Ethan finally broke the kiss. The woman’s lips were swollen and red as if painted with lipstick.

"Let’s go," Ethan said casually, turning to leave. His gaze briefly swept over Lily’s frozen face, and it seemed he had just noticed her for a moment. His lips curled into a mocking, dismissive smile before he walked away without another glance.

The group around him followed in his wake, their steps quick and obedient.

Lily stood there in a daze, watching his figure grow smaller and smaller. That was the man she knew so well; she loved with every fiber of her being. The same man who had once promised to marry her...