30 Days of Passion and Revenge-Chapter 321: The Past Won’t Fade

"Who said anything about venting?"

Ethan scoffed, tightening his hold on her as he strode toward the car.

"You wanted to go back to the past? Then, we’ll start from the very beginning. I’ll show you what it means to be destined."

Start over?

What did he mean by that?

Lily barely had time to process before Ethan’s car sped down the road, carrying them far from the city—

Far from the pain, far from the ghosts of their past.

Or so she thought.

When they finally stopped, Lily’s breath hitched.

The moment she saw the stretch of metal fencing, the familiar bamboo forest just beyond—

Her entire body froze.

This place.

He had brought her here.

Her hands clenched into fists.

She could still hear the echoes of that night—

The way he had broken her.

The way he had walked away.

And now, he had brought her back?

"Why did you bring me here?"

Her voice came out quiet but firm.

Ethan remained in the driver’s seat, one arm resting lazily on the steering wheel. He tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable.

"That night—" he murmured, gazing at the fencing.

"No one should have been here. So why were you?"

Lily’s breath caught.

She knew what he was asking.

Their first meeting—

Or rather, their first meeting in nine years.

"I was here all night."

Her voice was almost a whisper.

"You just didn’t notice. You were too busy flirting with Natalie Walker."

Ethan’s gaze snapped to hers.

A slow smirk curled at his lips.

"Then it was fate," he declared.

"You waited for me."

Lily didn’t respond.

She didn’t want to.

Because being here—reliving this moment—was suffocating.

"And you?"

Her voice was flat, empty.

"Did fate bring you here for me? Or were you just here to sleep with Natalie?"

Silence.

Ethan’s smirk faltered.

And for the first time in a long time—

He had no response.

The next second, he pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Lily blinked, startled.

"Where are you going?"

No answer.

Ethan walked past the fence, past the bamboo trees—

Straight toward the lake.

Lily’s stomach tightened.

What was he doing?

Without hesitation—

He jumped in.

"Ethan!"

Lily jerked forward, shoving the car door open.

Her heart pounded as she rushed toward the water’s edge.

The lake was freezing—

The wind was sharp against her skin.

A second later, he emerged, dripping and soaked to the bone. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead as he ran a hand through it, pushing back the strands.

Water dripped from his jaw, tracing down his neck—

Despite the cold, he didn’t shiver, flinch, or move.

He just stared at her.

Unwavering.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Lily’s voice was sharp, frantic.

Ethan exhaled, the breath leaving his lips in a slow mist.

"If I stay here all day—"

His voice was rough, low.

"Will you finally forget about Natalie Walker?"

Lily froze.

The weight of his words settled on her chest, pressing down until she could barely breathe.

He was trying to erase that memory for her.

Trying to rewrite the past.

Trying to prove that she was the only one who mattered.

Lily’s throat tightened.

Her hands trembled at her sides.

Because for the first time—

She didn’t know what to say.

Ethan stepped closer.

Water dripped from his clothes, soaking into the ground with each slow, deliberate movement.

His eyes never left hers.

"Why are you doing this?"

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Ethan’s lips curved slightly—

Not in amusement, but something softer.

"Because you still care."

Lily’s breath hitched.

Her chest ached.

And for the first time in a long time—

She didn’t feel like running.

She just felt tired.

She looked away, focusing on the distant horizon.

"It doesn’t matter anymore."

Ethan oversaw her.

His expression is unreadable.

Then, after a moment—

"It matters to me."

Lily swallowed hard.

Her fingers curled into fists.

And without another word—

She turned and walked back to the car.

Ethan didn’t stop her.

Didn’t call after her.

Didn’t try to force her to talk.

He just stood there—

Dripping wet, freezing, waiting.

Because he knew—

Even if she wouldn’t admit it yet—

She wasn’t ready to let go either.

The car door swung open.

Ethan slid into the driver’s seat, his clothes soaked, water dripping onto the leather.

But he didn’t care.

He barely even noticed.

His dark eyes flicked toward Lily, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"So? You really don’t remember anymore? If not, then where to next?"

Lily hesitated for only a second before answering.

"Shallow Bay."

Ethan’s smirk vanished.

His fingers tapped against the steering wheel, his expression unreadable.

"Shallow Bay? What’s so special about that place?"

As if he didn’t know.

Lily didn’t respond.

Because he knew exactly why.

Nine years after their first meeting—

That was where they had seen each other again.

Where she had sold herself to him.

Where she had become his mistress.

"Not happening."

Ethan’s voice was firm, shutting down the idea before she could even argue.

He ran a hand through his damp hair, flicking away water droplets.

Lily frowned as some of them splashed onto her skin.

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

His tone left no room for debate.

"Next place."

Lily exhaled slowly, her fingers tightening in her lap.

"Then where do you remember the most?"

Ethan glanced at her briefly, then back at the road.

"You tell me."

Lily hesitated.

Then, softly, she said—

"The French restaurant. On Valentine’s Day."

Ethan’s gaze snapped to hers.

He raised a brow.

"That night? When I came back from Japan?"

Lily nodded.

"That night."

A slow smirk curled at his lips.

His fingers reached for her hand, thumb brushing over the delicate teardrop-shaped gem resting on her ring finger.

In the sunlight, it glowed faintly, shimmering like liquid silver.

Ethan studied it for a long moment before murmuring—

"All this over a ring? You really remembered it that much?"

Lily swallowed.

She did remember.

Because back then, she had told him—

"If you don’t plan to marry a woman, never give her a ring."

But what if he had wanted to?

What if he had no choice?

Ethan’s gaze darkened as he traced the gem with his fingertip.

"You never took it off."

A statement, not a question.

Lily remained silent.

Because it was true.

Even though it wasn’t a wedding band—

Even though it didn’t mean what it should have meant—

She had never been able to take it off.

Ethan’s smirk deepened.

"So? That’s the memory you hold onto?"

There was something almost teasing in his voice.

But before she could answer, his smirk faded.

His eyes searched hers.

"Or is it something else?"

Lily hesitated.

Then, quietly, she admitted—

"It’s not the ring I remember the most."

Ethan’s expression shifted.

"Then what?"

Lily exhaled.

"I remember seeing my... ’sponsor’—"

Her voice was flat, detached.

"—having an affair with a married woman."

Ethan stilled.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then, slowly, he leaned back against the seat, tilting his head slightly as he studied her.

"That’s what you remember?"

His voice was unreadable.

Lily nodded.

"It left an impression."

She didn’t know why.

She hadn’t cared back then.

Hadn’t even felt jealousy.

But somehow—

Every time Ethan had been with another woman, the images had burned into her mind.

Never fading.

Never leaving her alone.

Ethan’s jaw tightened slightly.

Because he understood.

He knew what she was really saying.

"And you think I didn’t feel the same way?"

His voice was rough.

"You think I forgot what it was like to see you in Alex’s shirt?"

Lily flinched.

Her fingers curled into fists.

Because that night—

The night Alex had taken everything from her—

She opened the door to Ethan, standing on the other side.

And he had turned and walked away.

Ethan exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face.

Then, without another word, he started the engine.

"Fine. Let’s go to the damn restaurant."

Lily blinked.

"You’re actually taking me?"

Ethan shot her a smirk.

"What? You thought I’d back out?"

He reached over, fingers grazing the ring on her hand once more.

"I want to see it for myself. The place that left such a deep impression on you."

Lily’s chest tightened.

Because something told her—

This time, the past wouldn’t be the only thing they had to face.

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

"Lily, you get jealous way too easily."

His tone was teasing, but the challenge in his gaze was clear.

She had claimed she didn’t care.

She had claimed she had forgotten.

But the way she reacted told him otherwise.

And yet, she still tried to push it aside.

"Let’s just go back," she murmured.

She didn’t want to keep reliving the past.

Their beginning had never been beautiful.

Ethan studied her for a moment.

Then, abruptly, he asked—

"Where to next?"

Lily hesitated.

"I don’t know."

Ethan smirked.

"Then I do."

And with that, he started the car.

One hand remained tightly wrapped around hers as if refusing to let go.

"At least change your clothes first," Lily said softly.

Ethan squeezed her fingers lightly.

His smirk deepened.

"Are you worried about me?"

Lily glanced away.

"Of course."

The car jerked to a sudden stop.

Before she could react, Ethan turned toward her, his body shifting—

And the next second, his lips were on hers.

His kiss was deep, unrelenting.

His soaked clothes pressed against her, the cold seeping into her skin—

But all she could feel was him.

Lily didn’t resist.

Didn’t move.

Didn’t push him away.

But she didn’t respond either.

Ethan pulled back slightly, his thumb grazing her cheek.

"Lily."

His voice was low, rough.

"You’re like a damn block of wood—at least react."

Lily didn’t answer.

Her gaze was still distant, empty.

Ethan’s jaw clenched.

His forehead dropped against her shoulder, his breath warm against her skin.

He inhaled as if trying to breathe her in deeply, reminding himself she was honest, alive, still here.

Not just a hollow shell.

Not just a ghost of the woman he loved.

The car finally pulled up to 30 Days Memorial Hotel.

Ethan didn’t let go of her as they walked inside.

His sharp gaze flickered toward her slightly damp clothes.

"Come on," he murmured, pressing a kiss against her temple.

"Let’s take a bath together."

Lily froze.

"What?"

Ethan smirked.

"A bath. You, me. Together."

His tone was lazy, but the glint in his eyes was anything but.

Lily took a small step back.

"Go take your bath."

"Together."

"No."

"Together."

"No."

Ethan huffed, clearly losing patience.

"Fine. I’ll carry you in."

He moved toward her, arms outstretched—

But Lily flinched back, pressing a hand against her forehead.

Her fingers brushed against the bandage there.

Her voice was quiet but firm—

"I have a wound. I should be careful."

Ethan stopped.

His smirk faded.

For just a second, something vulnerable flickered in his gaze.

And then, with a sigh, he muttered—

"Fine. You win this time."

But the way he looked at her said otherwise.

Because deep down, he wasn’t finished fighting for her.

Not even close.