30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 291: A Heart Full of Memories

The fullness Lily had managed to gain during her pregnancy had all disappeared. She couldn’t afford to lose any more weight...

Ethan Blackwood collapsed onto the bed, his deep-set eyes fixated on the chandelier above. His phone suddenly rang. He grabbed it absentmindedly. "What is it?"

"Mr. Blackwood, you mentioned last time that you wanted to see the edited version of the movie as soon as it was finished, along with the behind-the-scenes footage. We’ve already arranged for it to be delivered to your residence," the voice on the other end stammered nervously.

The movie...

The film Lily had directed—the only one she had managed to complete.

"Got it," Ethan said coldly, ending the call and tossing the phone aside.

He lay there for three seconds before his eyes snapped open. He shot up from the bed and dashed out of the room. Rushing downstairs, he saw Tommy Blackwood entering with his arms wrapped around a woman, kissing her passionately. Without hesitation, Ethan kicked him aside.

Tommy, having grown accustomed to his brother’s violent outbursts, held the startled woman close to comfort her. "Don’t worry, don’t worry. My brother’s been acting crazy lately."

The woman, however, was too distracted to care. Her eyes followed Ethan as he stormed out, and she gasped in admiration. "He’s even more handsome than he looks on TV. Perfect! He’s my dream man!"

"Am I not handsome?!" Tommy protested, his hands wandering over her body.

"It’s not the same. He has the most perfect face. But me? I prefer someone with pure heritage," the woman teased, giggling as she melted into Tommy’s arms. She let out playful moans as his hands roamed over her.

Frustrated, Tommy leaned down to kiss her again, but before he could savor the moment, he was shoved aside once more—this time with such force that their teeth clashed, drawing blood.

Tommy clutched his mouth in pain and turned to see Ethan storming upstairs, clutching a package tightly.

What could possibly be so urgent?

Ethan burst into his room and immediately inserted the USB drive into the TV. The screen lit up, and the footage began to play. It wasn’t the movie’s final cut but a meticulously edited compilation of behind-the-scenes moments.

The opening shot featured Lily holding the hand of the young lead actress, smiling warmly at the camera.

Lily leaned down, whispering a few words to the little girl. Then, in unison, they both said, "We hope to create a film filled with love that gives hope to people facing adversity. This is our movie, The Best Future!"

She wore a thick coat that concealed her pregnant figure and a white wool hat that made her look youthful and radiant.

Her voice was soft and clear...

Her smile was genuine, and her eyes sparkled with a light that only appeared when she spoke of her dreams...

The scene shifted to Lily directing the child actors, patiently guiding and communicating with them. One of the young actors had burst into tears, unable to come out of character.

Lily spent a long time comforting the child, but the little one continued to sob uncontrollably.

On-screen, Lily turned to the camera and said with a wry smile, "The goal is to show hope, but everyone’s been caught in such a heavy atmosphere while shooting. It’s been hard to manage."

"Maybe I should buy some afternoon tea so everyone can take a break and recharge a little," she muttered to herself, speaking directly to the camera.

Her tone carried a hint of helplessness, but from the beginning, her eyes radiated that unmistakable light—so captivating that it was impossible to look away...

Ethan stepped closer to the TV, leaning slightly as he reached to touch the screen. His chest tightened, his heart pounding wildly.

Lily.

His woman.

Up close, her face filled half the screen. The footage transitioned to snippets of the actors’ lighter moments, with Lily occasionally appearing in the background.

Initially, she addressed the behind-the-scenes camera out of habit, sharing her thoughts. But over time, she grew more engaged with the rest of the team, laughing and chatting freely...

Her laughter was so beautiful, so enchanting... Did she still laugh like that now?

Lily, are you still holding on?

"Director Anderson, is Mr. Blackwood scary at home?" a voice from off-screen suddenly asked, likely one of the crew members.

On-screen, Lily was reading the script. Hearing the question, she looked up and laughed, her eyes brimming with joy. Even her tone turned sweet. "Not really. He can be pretty scary when he’s mad, but most of the time, he’s fine."

The person beside her immediately chimed in with a sigh. "Really? Every time I see Mr. Blackwood, I don’t even dare to breathe. He’s so handsome, but those eyes of his... Whenever he looks my way, I feel like I’m about to get fired."

Lily laughed even harder, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "His eyes can be intimidating, but he’s fine otherwise. Really, he’s fine."

The others made a few more comments, and Lily laughed again, earnestly defending him but with a hint of exasperation.

Were his eyes really that scary?

Why did she laugh so happily when people said he was intimidating?

Ethan paused the footage, his fingers tracing the screen. His touch followed the contours of her face, brows, delicate nose, and soft pink lips...

His chest felt like it was about to burst, his heart pounding so fiercely it seemed ready to break free.

The light in her eyes was captivating.

Lily.

Ethan’s long fingers lingered on her smiling face. She had been so genuinely happy in that moment.

Lily, what matters most to you?

Lily... Could you smile at me like that again?

Lily... Could you not hate me so much? Just a little less hatred would be enough.

Lily...

His Lily...

Could he still find her again? Could he get everything back?

Ethan stared at her face on the screen, tears streaming down his own. His ordinarily handsome features were now etched with sorrow.

In the luxuriously decorated master bedroom, Ethan’s tall figure was silhouetted against the television. His long fingers rested on her smiling face on-screen. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted a single tear as it fell...

Seabirds flew freely in the sky, where the sea met the horizon. Waves rolled in one after another, crashing against the shore with a rhythmic "whoosh, whoosh."

Lily sat curled up on a swing in the garden beside the white villa. The swing swayed gently as she hugged her knees, staring blankly ahead. That woman’s voice on the phone still echoed in her ears.

"Alright, once I finish this case, I’ll come to keep Mr. Blackwood company, okay?!"

"You don’t need to send a car for me. My client’s coming to pick me up anyway. But you ripped my stockings earlier, and now it’s so cold walking around like this..."

He had ripped her stockings... How far had they gone? Where had it happened? In the master bedroom? On the sofa? In the kitchen? Another woman lying in his arms—what would he be like?

Ethan must have been thoroughly enjoying himself...

He had long since discarded her.

He no longer had to care about her feelings.

Tears streamed down Lily’s face as she buried her head deeper into her knees, hugging herself tightly as if trying to find a shred of warmth for her frozen heart.

"Miss, the sea breeze is strong. Please come inside," Aston said gently, holding a coat as he approached.

"I’ll stay a little longer."

"At least wear this," Aston said, draping the coat over her curled-up figure.

"Thank you," Lily murmured, turning her face away to discreetly wipe her tears.

Once she signed the stock transfer papers, she would leave this place. There was no longer any reason for her to stay...

Staring at the vast ocean in the distance, Lily’s thoughts drifted back to the blue dress a straight-haired woman had been wearing. She couldn’t stop her mind from conjuring fragmented images...

Her heart ached uncontrollably.

Returning to her room, Lily glanced at the suitcases in the corner. She hadn’t let Aston help her pack. What was the point of taking these things with her?

What meaning did they hold now?

Opening one suitcase after another, Lily knelt on the floor, sifting through its contents. Inside were photos of her and Ethan—candid shots, posed portraits...

Ethan had never liked solo pictures, so all the photos were of them together.

Every time they took photos, Ethan would hold her close. If she complained that the poses were too repetitive, he would lean in to kiss her instead...

She had managed to snap one photo of Ethan smiling. It was taken while she was in the hospital awaiting delivery. She sat on the hospital bed, and Ethan sat beside her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders for the picture.

She had clung to his arm, saying, "Ethan, tell me a joke."

"..." Ethan had given her a deadpan look, raising an eyebrow as if to ask, Do I look like someone who tells jokes?

"Then let me tell you a joke," she had offered.

"I don’t want to hear it."

"...Why not?"

"Because it won’t be funny."

"Then what would make you laugh?!" Lily had asked, frustrated that his expression remained so stoic like someone owed him a lifetime of debt.

"Kiss me."

Without hesitation, Lily kissed him on the cheek. "There, I kissed you. Now laugh."

She had wanted to capture a photo of him smiling.

"Did I ever say I’d laugh just because you kissed me?" Ethan had retorted with a cold snort, fiddling with the camera and occasionally leaning in to kiss her, taking intimate photos.

"Then I won’t take any more pictures," Lily huffed, turning her head away in mock annoyance. Who wanted lovey-dovey photos with someone who always looked like a poker face?

"Then kiss me again." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Ethan had teased her nonchalantly, and Lily had turned back and kissed him without thinking. She moved so quickly that their lips had almost clashed.

Ethan had been momentarily stunned by her compliance. Perhaps it was the determined look on her face that made him laugh. His dark eyes filled with affection as he gazed at her.

Lily quickly reached up and pressed the shutter on the camera in his hand.

The photo captured the two of them gazing into each other’s eyes. Ethan’s smile was natural and healing, unlike his usual cold and mischievous demeanor...