Hai Zhiyuan's voice was calm but carried the unmistakable weight of authority. "You should've at least talked to us before making such a big decision."
Hailey opened her mouth before Ethan could respond. "Grandpa, please don't blame him. It wasn't his fault—it was me. I was the one who insisted on the divorce. Ethan just agreed because I wouldn't stop pushing."
There was a brief silence.
Ethan stood there, unmoving, his expression unreadable. Inside, though, he let out a silent, bitter laugh.
She was still shielding him. Even after all of this… she was still trying to protect him in front of her family.
How ironic.
How typical of her.
Haixiong, who had been holding back, finally spoke up, his tone full of frustration. "Hailey, you're being impulsive and immature. Do you really think marriage is a joke? Do you know how many women would beg to be in your position? And you're just throwing it all away like it's nothing?"
Hai Zhiyuan raised his hand sharply, cutting him off. "Enough."
The command was clear, and the room instantly fell silent again.
His eyes shifted back to Ethan. "Since the divorce agreement has already been signed, then we won't make things more difficult. But this shouldn't be settled behind closed doors. Ethan, let's arrange for both families to meet soon. You were married. At the very least, we should part with some dignity."
Ethan nodded politely, his voice even. "Of course."
"And once that's done, you can proceed with the legal filing," Hai Zhiyuan added, then paused, his gaze sweeping over both of them. "But I hope neither of you regrets this decision."
"I won't," Hailey said without hesitation.
Ethan remained silent.
He didn't deny it. He didn't agree either.
That silence said more than words ever could.
The conversation was over. Hai Zhiyuan had made his position clear. With a weary sigh, he stepped back and instructed the housekeeper, Zhang Ma, to stay behind and care for Hailey. Then, without another word, the rest of the Hai family exited the room, leaving the air heavy with unfinished emotions.
Now, the room was quiet again—unbearably so.
Just Hailey and Ethan.
The two people who were once supposed to build a future together now stood on opposite ends of the same battlefield, drained of warmth, drained of hope.
Hailey looked at him, her voice soft but firm. "So, you really plan to go through with it? You're agreeing to divorce me now?"
Ethan turned his face toward her, his lips curling into a faint, icy smirk. "After the little performance you put on in front of your grandfather? How could I not?"
Hailey's brows furrowed. "Performance?"
"You staged it well," he said coldly. "That breakdown—the trembling, the tears, the desperate cries—it was all perfectly timed. You knew he'd come running. And just like that, you got exactly what you wanted."
Hailey stared at him, stunned.
So that was what he thought.
He believed everything she'd said and done in that moment of trauma was an act—a calculated performance meant to manipulate her grandfather.
A bitter taste filled her mouth, but she didn't argue. Not anymore.
Let him believe what he wanted.
Maybe it was easier this way.
"If that's what you want to believe," she said quietly, "then fine. I won't waste time trying to change your mind."
Ethan's expression didn't shift, but his tone grew sharper. "We were never meant to be together, Hailey. That was clear from the start. You forced this marriage. And now, you're the one forcing the end of it. So congratulations. You got what you wanted."
Hailey's heart tensed, but her voice remained steady. "We're not compatible, Ethan. It's better for both of us if we part ways now."
His eyes darkened. "Then remember this—after today, we're done. You and I will have nothing to do with each other."
She gave a single nod. "That's what I want too. Don't worry—I won't be bothering you again."
He stared at her for a long second, as if trying to memorize this version of her—the one who finally stopped chasing him.
"Good," he said with deliberate coldness. "Then let me give you something before you go."
Hailey looked up, confused. "What?"
"You'll finish the design project I assigned you," he said flatly. "Once it's complete, I'll make sure you're offered a direct admission slot to any university in C City. No entrance exams, no qualifications needed. Just pick where you want to go."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you serious?"
"It's the least I can do," he said, voice void of warmth. "Consider it my farewell gift. For old time's sake."
Hailey sat frozen, not sure what to say.
All this time, she thought he'd forced her into that design work to control her, to keep her in his orbit even as things fell apart. But now…
Now she wasn't so sure.
He was giving her a future. A chance to walk away, not just from the marriage, but from everything she'd sacrificed for it—seven years of chasing shadows, of loving someone who'd never loved her back.
A strange ache spread through her chest.
"Why are you doing this?" she whispered, almost to herself.
But Ethan didn't answer.
He was already walking toward the door. He paused only once, his hand on the knob.
And when he turned, his eyes weren't cold—they were wounded.
"I meant it," he said quietly. "After this, we're strangers. Don't look back."
The door shut with a soft click, and just like that… he was gone.
Hailey sat motionless, her heart pounding against her ribs.
So, this was how it ended.
No more fights. No more late-night tears. No more hoping he would turn around and love her the way she'd always loved him.
Just silence.
Just goodbye.
And somewhere deep down, she knew he still hated her—not because she had wronged him, but because she had mattered.
Because she'd left a mark.
And now, he would carry it with him, whether he admitted it or not.