30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 320: Destined to Love

Ethan’s voice was sharp, each word forced through clenched teeth.

"Fine. Then tell me, Lily—did you willingly sleep with Alex Carter?!"

His words cut like a blade—raw and unforgiving.

Lily flinched.

Her lips parted—

But she couldn’t answer.

Because the truth was too painful to say aloud.

Ethan’s fists tightened.

"You keep calling yourself dirty—"

His voice was low, dangerous.

"But if you’re dirty, what does that make me?!"

His past wasn’t clean.

His sins weren’t light.

Compared to him, she was a blank slate—

Yet she insisted on shouldering all the blame.

Lily’s gaze dimmed.

She said nothing.

Did nothing.

Just stood there, a hollow shell of the woman she once was.

"Forget it, Lily."

Ethan’s tone hardened.

"Forget everything that happened. Alex Carter is dead. A dead man won’t stand between us."

Lily let out a breathless laugh—

Soft, broken.

"I can’t forget."

She would never forget the night Alex had ripped her world apart.

Would never forget the moment she had opened that door, wearing his shirt, and seen Ethan standing there—

Watching her with eyes full of betrayal.

She was a joke.

It’s a pathetic, tragic joke.

Tears slipped silently down her cheeks.

"I’ll make you forget."

Ethan’s voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.

He pulled her into his arms, locking her against his chest. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Forget Alex Carter. Forget everything except me."

Forget?

How was she supposed to forget?

How was she supposed to erase the voices that haunted her?

The way Alice had screamed at her—

"Why weren’t you the one who died?!"

"Alex’s child... is gone."

Lily’s voice was barely above a whisper.

Ethan stiffened.

His grip on her tightened.

"And what does that have to do with you?!"

His frustration boiled over.

"Why the hell are you mourning his child?! Why do you feel guilty for something that did nothing to do with you?!"

Lily’s head rested against his shoulder.

She felt so small, so fragile, as she whispered—

"Alex said I pushed him to this. Alice said I should have died instead."

Ethan froze.

His breath hitched.

A slow, burning anger ignited in his chest.

Alex Carter was dead.

Alice Mitchell was gone.

But their words still chained her down, still tore her apart.

"Lily."

Ethan’s voice was hoarse, raw with emotion.

"If death is the only answer, then I’ll die for you."

His arms tightened around her as if trying to shield her from herself.

To carry the weight, she refused to put it down.

To take every wound as his own.

Lily trembled.

Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.

"Don’t be good to me, Ethan."

Her voice cracked.

"Please, don’t be good to me."

"If I’m not good to you, who will be?"

His voice was gentler now but no less firm.

"Who else deserves my love if not you?"

Lily’s breath hitched.

Her body weakened against him.

Her lips trembled with words left unsaid.

She was so tired.

So unbearably tired.

Her mind drifted.

Her body swayed.

Her knees buckled—

And she collapsed.

Ethan caught her instantly, his arms tightening around her.

His heart pounded in his chest.

"Lily?"

No response.

Her breathing was shallow.

Her body was limp.

His stomach dropped.

He had seen this before.

AuroraVirus- The virus was still eating away at her.

If she didn’t start treatment soon—

She would lose the ability to walk.

He had already almost lost her once today.

He wasn’t about to risk it again.

With a sharp inhale, Ethan lifted her into his arms.

The crowd that had gathered around them murmured in curiosity.

But the second Ethan glared, his eyes cold and deadly—

People quickly looked away.

"What the hell are you looking at?!"

His voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

The crowd scattered.

Ethan didn’t hesitate.

Didn’t stop.

Didn’t look back.

With Lily cradled in his arms, he strode away.

Because no matter what it took—

He would bring her back to life.

The crowd parted instantly.

Ethan strode forward, Lily cradled in his arms. His expression was cold, indifferent to the murmurs around them.

But when he caught sight of people holding up their phones, aiming their cameras in his direction—

His eyes darkened dangerously.

Without hesitation, he set Lily down momentarily, pulling out his phone.

The call connected in seconds.

"Tommy, get down here and handle this."

His tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

A sigh came from the other end.

"Are you sure this is the path you want to take?"

Years of careful planning.

Years of distance, of sacrifice.

And now, everything had come full circle.

Was he prepared for that?

Ethan’s grip on the phone tightened.

There wasn’t even a second of hesitation.

"I’ve already chosen."

"Alright. Good luck."

Tommy’s voice was calm, resigned.

"I’ll take care of the crowd."

Ethan ended the call without another word.

And without glancing at the onlookers, he lifted Lily back into his arms and walked away.

At 30 Days Memorial Hotel – Presidential Suite-

Ethan sat in a chair beside the bed, watching her sleep.

His gaze never wavered.

Her face was still streaked with the traces of dried tears.

Her nose was slightly red, her breathing soft.

Slowly, his hand extended, fingertips tracing the bridge of her nose, brushing against her long lashes.

She stirred.

Her eyelids fluttered open, hazy from sleep.

The moment their eyes met, Ethan smirked.

A slow, wicked curve of his lips.

Lily’s heartbeat skipped violently.

She shut her eyes again, convinced she was dreaming.

But when she reopened them—

He was still there, still watching her.

Still smiling.

That same intoxicating smile.

The one that made it impossible to think.

The one that made her forget everything else.

The air between them shifted and Thickened.

Swirled with something unspoken, electric.

Ethan’s fingers moved again, lazily tracing her cheek.

"Awake?"

His voice was deep and rich.

The kind that wrapped around her like a slow-burning fire.

Reality crashed back into her.

The weight of the past.

The memories she couldn’t erase.

Lily sat up, blinking at her surroundings.

Her eyes landed on the small, cheerful tomato plushie hanging from the wall.

Smiling, Carefree.

Untouched by pain.

A thought hit her all at once.

"This is... 30 Days Memorial Hotel."

Ethan leaned back slightly, smirking.

"You don’t like it?"

Lily’s gaze remained on the plushie.

Her voice was quiet.

"I like it."

Because even if the way he gave it to her had been unpleasant—

He had still thought of her.

He had still chosen her.

Ethan studied her for a moment.

"Did you sleep enough?"

His fingers still lingered on her skin as if reluctant to break contact.

Lily hesitated before nodding.

"Yes."

"Good."

In one swift motion, Ethan stood.

And before she could react, he scooped her into his arms.

"Where are we going?"

Her voice was hoarse, still laced with sleep.

His answer came without hesitation.

"To help you forget Alex Carter."

His dark eyes held hers—unwavering and uncompromising.

He wasn’t joking.

He wasn’t giving her a choice.

His warm palms cupped her face, steadying her.

His touch was firm but careful as if grounding her to reality.

As if making sure she understood.

Lily’s breath hitched.

Her heart pounded.

Because for the first time—

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to forget.

"I’ll help you forget Alex Carter."

Ethan’s voice was low and steady—his dark gaze locked onto hers.

He wasn’t joking.

His hands moved to adjust her hat, his palms lingering as they cupped her face, his warmth seeping into her skin.

Forget Alex Carter?

Lily’s breath hitched.

"What do you mean?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Ethan didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he pulled her closer, his arm wrapping around her shoulders, tucking her against his chest.

"Is there anywhere you want to go?"

Anywhere?

Lily’s lips parted—

The answer slipped out before she could stop it.

"I want to go back to the past."

Ethan froze.

The easy confidence on his face flickered, his brows pulling together.

"The past?"

Lily nodded.

"There are too many things I regret," she murmured.

"If I could go back, I’d change everything. I’d be better. I’d be quieter. Maybe then my mother would have loved me more. Maybe then she wouldn’t have had an affair with Alex’s father. Maybe then... none of this would have happened."

Ethan’s expression darkened.

She kept going—

"I wouldn’t have given you that coin. You could have stayed with your mother. Maybe you wouldn’t have had to suffer."

Maybe then, he could have been happy.

Maybe then, her heart wouldn’t have changed.

Maybe then, Alex wouldn’t have changed.

Maybe then... everything would have been different.

"That would have been the best ending, wouldn’t it?"

Her voice was soft.

Almost like she was trying to convince herself.

Ethan’s jaw tightened.

His voice was sharp—

"Back to when?"

"When we were kids."

The words had barely left her lips before she found herself pushed down onto the bed.

Lily gasped, blinking up at him in shock.

"Ethan—?"

What had she said wrong?

Ethan towered over her, his hands pressing into the mattress on either side.

"And what about me?"

His voice was low, dangerously quiet.

"Lily, are you saying you regret meeting me?"

Lily hesitated.

Wouldn’t things have been better if they had never met?

Wouldn’t they have lived different lives?

Wouldn’t that have been... easier?

"You should be the one who regrets it," she murmured.

"Not me."

Ethan tensed.

His knee pressed onto the bed, bringing him closer.

His hands landed on her shoulders, pushing her down, forcing her to look at him.

And before she could react—

His lips collided with hers, filled with intensity. It was a passionate, desperate, and possessive kiss.

As if he was trying to burn his existence into her.

As if he was trying to erase every doubt in her mind.

His teeth scraped against her lower lip, biting down just enough to make her gasp.

But the moment she opened her mouth, he deepened the kiss—demanding and unrelenting.

His breath was ragged when he finally pulled away, his forehead pressing against hers.

His voice was a growl—

"Lily, no one gets to go back. You were always meant to meet me. You were always meant to love me. Not him."

His grip on her tightened.

"And if you dare regret me—I’ll make sure you never forget again."

Lily stared at him wide-eyed.

His gaze burned—

Unwavering.

"Get up."

Ethan suddenly stood, his tone brisk.

Before she could react, he scooped her up effortlessly, cradling her against his chest.

Lily flinched.

Her mind immediately went back to that night on the yacht—

To Alex Carter.

He gently touched her skin, feeling the warmth and softness beneath his fingertips.

The suffocating helplessness enveloped her, making it difficult to see a way forward in the darkness.

Panic surged through her.

Her body stiffened, instinctively trying to pull away.

Ethan’s grip tightened.

"Don’t move."

His voice was firm, steady—nothing like Alex’s had been.

He wasn’t trying to control her.

He was holding her together.

"I want to be alone," she whispered.

She didn’t want to relive the past.

Didn’t want to think.

Didn’t want to feel.

Ethan scoffed.

"Who said I’m taking you to vent?"

He adjusted his grip, holding her closer.

"You wanted to go back to the past, didn’t you? Then we’ll start over. From the very beginning."

Lily blinked, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Ethan smirked, lips curving into something almost dangerous.

"I’ll show you what it means to be fated."

And with that, he carried her out.

Because if she thought she could erase him—

She was dead wrong.