30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 307: Was It All a Lie?

To Alex, Lily was a lifelong dream—his reason for everything.

He had searched for her for nine years, pouring time, money, and resources into finding her.

Nothing in this world mattered more to him than Lily.

Not his company.

Not his marriage.

Not even his unborn child.

"Stop overthinking," Alex said, his voice tight with restraint.

Alice let out a bitter laugh. "Don’t lie to me anymore." Her voice was hollow, defeated. "You can use me however you want—just don’t leave me. Please."

"Alice—"

"Do you know how happy I was when you said you’d marry me?" Her body trembled. "Even if I knew it wasn’t real—even if I knew you never truly cared—I was happy."

Her voice broke.

"I told myself I didn’t care who was in your heart. I convinced myself I could live with the illusion. But why... why did you have to shatter even that?"

Alex remained silent.

Alice wiped at her tears, her voice shaking. "Is Lily really that special? Special enough for you to throw everything away? Your company, your family—even your father, who’s still being held captive?"

She let out a broken sob. "I’m not the one who needs to calm down, Alex. You are."

A staff member, holding a cup of coffee, clearly headed for the breakroom.

Lily quickly shook her head, signaling them to leave.

The staff member hesitated, glanced toward Alice’s raised voice, then nodded and walked away.

By the time Lily turned back, she had missed what Alex had said.

All she saw was the same unreadable expression on his face.

And it shocked her.

Alex had always been composed, warm—like steady sunlight.

The only time she had ever seen him lose control was when she had tried to end things after the Centennial Gala.

That had been the one moment he had indeed broken.

She had thought he had let go after that.

But now she realized—

He had never let go.

"I wish you had never saved me," Alice whispered, her voice trembling.

Tears streamed down her face. "I wish I had died that day instead of feeling the pain of being abandoned all over again."

Alex’s expression flickered.

Then, without a word, he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

His voice was quiet. "I’m sorry, Alice."

—

Sorry?

After everything—after all the years she had waited, after all the nights she had spent convincing herself that maybe he would one day love her—

All she got was sorry?

Her body shook with sobs.

"Don’t go," she begged, her fingers clinging to his shirt. "Please, Alex. Don’t leave me."

She sounded like a child, helpless and desperate.

Lily watched as Alex closed his eyes.

He wasn’t as cold as before.

There was something there—maybe not love, but something.

"Alice," he murmured, gently wiping her tears away. "You deserve better. If you let me go, you’ll be happier."

Lily felt her chest tighten.

Was he really planning to leave her for good?

Alice’s face turned deathly pale.

She shook her head violently, tears streaming down. "No... no, I can’t. If I lose you, I have nothing left. Do I have to die for you to look at me?"

"That’s enough," Alex’s voice turned cold.

"I’m not threatening you," Alice whispered, stepping back.

Then—

Before anyone could react—

She grabbed a knife from the breakroom countertop and aimed it at her throat.

Lily’s breath caught.

Alex moved instantly.

In one swift motion, he grabbed her wrist and struck her hand, forcing the knife to clatter onto the floor.

The sharp clang echoed in the silence.

"Don’t play these childish games," Alex said, his voice ice-cold.

Alice looked up at him, tears blurring her vision. "Then tell me what to do. Please tell me what will make you stay. Just tell me, Alex."

Alex’s gaze was unwavering as he spoke.

"I don’t love you, Alice."

Each word was slow. Deliberate.

"I never have."

—

Alice’s face drained of all color.

Her knees buckled, and she stumbled back, barely catching herself against the water dispenser.

"You..." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Alex looked at her, his expression calm.

"I’m not a good man. You should be glad to be rid of me." He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Choosing me was the worst mistake of your life."

Alice swayed, her body trembling.

"Then why?" she choked out. "Why are you leaving with her? What about our baby? You don’t even care about our child?"

She cradled her stomach, staring at him with shattered hope.

Alex’s gaze flickered toward her stomach.

His expression darkened.

Then, after a long pause, he finally spoke.

"Alice..." His voice was eerily calm. "Get rid of the baby."

—

The world seemed to stop.

Alice felt like she had been struck by lightning.

Her body went numb.

She stared at him as if she didn’t understand the words.

"You..." Her lips trembled. "You don’t even want our child?"

Alex’s expression was unreadable.

Lily couldn’t breathe.

Alice’s hands trembled. "Why? Why is she worth this? Why is Lily worth throwing everything away? She doesn’t even love you!"

Alex’s voice was steady.

"You don’t want to know the answer."

"I do."

His gaze darkened.

"I like to turn off the lights," he said slowly, "because every time I make love with you... I was thinking of her."

—

A sharp thud.

Alice collapsed onto the floor.

Her fingers dug into the carpet as she gasped for breath, her mind spiraling.

What was she to him?

What had she ever been to him?

Alex stood over her, unmoving.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he kicked the knife further away.

"Alice, think about this carefully," he said quietly. "I’m not worth your tears."

Then he turned to leave.

Alice’s voice trembled behind him.

"What about her?" she whispered. "What is Lily to you?"

Alex’s steps didn’t falter.

"She’s nothing."

He paused, then added, "She’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted."

—

He stepped out of the breakroom—

And locked eyes with Lily.

Shock flickered across his face.

Lily stood frozen, staring at him.

The man in front of her—the man she had once thought she understood—

Felt like a stranger.

Alice turned, following his gaze.

The moment she saw Lily, something in her snapped.

"You—" Her voice rose into a hysterical scream. "You just won’t let him go, will you?!"

Her eyes burned with fury. "Can’t you live without a man?! He’s my husband!"

She lunged.

Alex’s expression darkened.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Lily’s wrist and pulled her into the elevator.

Alice tried to follow, her hand swinging wildly toward Lily’s face—

But Alex blocked it.

Without so much as a blink, he shoved Alice back.

The elevator doors slid shut.

Lily stood there, breathless, watching Alice collapse onto the floor through the narrowing gap.

The last thing she saw—

Was the look of absolute devastation in Alice’s eyes.

And for some reason...

It made her shiver.

"Are you okay?" Alex turned to her, concern in his eyes.

Lily couldn’t answer.

Her breath hitched, and before realizing it, she stepped back, pressing herself against the elevator wall.

She was afraid.

Of him.

Alex’s smile faltered, turning stiff. "What’s wrong? Do I really seem that terrifying to you?"

Lily stared at him for a long time before finally speaking, her voice hoarse.

"She... she’s pregnant. How could you push her?"

This wasn’t the Alex she knew.

It couldn’t be.

Had she misunderstood? Was this all just a nightmare?

Because indeed—indeed, the man standing before her wasn’t the same Alex she had once trusted.

"We can talk about that later," Alex said, forcing a small smile. But his complexion was unnaturally pale now. "But you... I thought you went home. Why did you come back?"

"I followed Alice upstairs."

His eyes darkened. "You heard everything?"

Lily stiffly nodded.

She didn’t look away from him—neither his handsome, composed face nor his warm brown eyes framed by dark lashes.

His soft, clean-cut ash-blond hair.

The faint scent of mint that clung to him.

This was Alex.

And yet, standing here now, Lily only felt like she was looking at a stranger.

Every suspicion she had tried to push away...

Was it all true?

The exposure of Ethan’s base.

The humiliating news articles.

Her father’s death.

Had he been behind it all?

"Alice would say anything to make me stay," Alex said smoothly, his voice gentle. "You shouldn’t take her words seriously."

The elevator doors slid open.

Before Lily could react, Alex grabbed her wrist and pulled her out.

His grip was firm. Too firm.

She instinctively tried to pull away, but he didn’t let go.

His hold was tighter than ever—unrelenting.

"Alex, you’re hurting me," she protested, frowning.

But he acted as if he hadn’t heard her at all.

He dragged her out of the Carter Group building, opened the car door, and pushed her inside before sliding into the driver’s seat and starting the engine.

The tension in the car was suffocating.

Alex reached out and turned on the music, letting soft piano notes fill the space.

Lily immediately reached over and shut it off.

"Lily..." Alex exhaled, looking at her helplessly.

"I want the truth."

Her voice was steady, but her hands clenched into fists in her lap.

Alex chuckled softly. "What truth?"

"There’s no truth to uncover. Alice is desperate—she’ll say anything, do anything to keep me from leaving." His tone remained light, almost amused. "Do you really believe her over me?"

—

Believe.

Ethan had once asked her that same question.

Back then, she had trusted Alex unconditionally.

Never once doubted him.

But now?

Now, she wasn’t sure.

Because faith and truth weren’t always the same thing.

"You weren’t like this before," Lily said quietly, turning to look at him.

"You would never have pushed a pregnant woman."

"She’s your wife, Alex. Have you really become this heartless?"

His smile finally faded.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his expression deep and unreadable.

"Lily, love isn’t always what it seems," he murmured.

Lily swallowed hard.

"Yes. I once thought you really wanted to marry Alice."

She bit her lip.

"Then I convinced myself that maybe... maybe it was just loneliness. You needed someone to fill the emptiness, and if being with Alice made you happy, I would wish you both well."

Her voice cracked slightly.

"But how did we end up here?"