As soon as Ethan Yu stepped into the living room, Hailey's voice rang clearly in the air—a voice that carried no hesitation, only firm finality.
"I've made up my mind. I'll be moving back to my family home starting today. There's no reason to keep staying here anymore."
A flicker of coldness passed through Ethan's eyes. That one sentence seemed to suck all the warmth out of the room.
Madam He turned her head in surprise just as she spotted her son by the door. "Oh, Ethan, you're home."
Hailey stiffened. She instinctively turned toward the doorway, only to meet the same pair of eyes that had haunted her dreams—dark, deep, and now, utterly unreadable.
Ethan's voice was calm, but distant. "Why did you call me here?"
Madam He quickly stood and offered a strained smile. "It's nothing urgent. I just thought, since everyone's back, maybe we could have dinner together."
"I've already eaten," Ethan replied, cool and indifferent. "You all go ahead."
He turned as if ready to leave that instant, his figure cutting sharp through the tense air. His rejection was not just of dinner—it was of everyone in the room, especially her.
Seeing him about to walk away, Madam He hurried to stop him. "Come on, since you're already here, just sit and eat a little. It's rare for us to be together as a family."
"I said I've eaten." Ethan's tone was icy, not bothering to look at anyone as he turned his body slightly, still keeping a distance.
Madam He was clearly not giving up. She turned to Hailey. "Hailey, come on, let's eat together."
Hailey offered a soft but firm smile. "Thank you, Mom, but I've got something to do tonight. I'll be heading back now."
Both of them were refusing. Both voices overlapped, saying the exact same thing: "I'm not staying for dinner."
Even a fool could see it—they simply didn't want to sit at the same table.
Mr. Yu, the patriarch, finally spoke, voice thunderous with authority. "That's enough! Your mother went through the trouble of preparing dinner. Both of you, sit down and eat!"
With the most respected voice in the family giving the order, neither of them dared to disobey.
The dining table was lavishly set with all kinds of exquisite dishes—each one a sign of the effort put into this family gathering.
But Hailey could barely taste a thing.
Across the table, Ethan ate in silence, poised and elegant as always. Yet he never once looked at her. Not even a glance. His deliberate coldness cut deeper than any harsh words could.
He didn't want to see her.
But truth be told, she didn't want to see him either.
After forcing herself to finish half a bowl of rice, Hailey set down her chopsticks, mustering a polite smile. "Dad, Mom, thank you. The food was wonderful, but I really have to get going."
Madam He reached over, gently holding her hand. "Eat just a little more, sweetheart."
A small pang pierced Hailey's heart.
Her mother-in-law had always treated her kindly, always with genuine warmth and affection. She had once imagined growing old in this family, with Madam He as her second mother.
But those dreams had long turned to dust.
"Thank you, Mom. Really. I've eaten enough. And it's getting late—I should go."
She stood and bowed slightly in thanks, about to take her leave.
But just as she was speaking, a servant rushed in, slightly flustered.
"Madam, your car… something's wrong with it. We just heard a loud pop. It's the tire—it blew out!"
Hailey froze mid-step. "A flat tire?"
How could that be?
The servant nodded solemnly. "Yes, ma'am. Not sure what happened, but the tire just burst."
Hailey was speechless.
Across the room, Ethan and Mr. Yu turned to look at Madam He at the exact same moment.
Madam He blinked innocently. "Really? That's so strange! What a coincidence. But don't worry, Hailey, I'll have it fixed right away. You should ride back with Ethan. He was going home anyway."
Ethan's eyes darkened. "Send a driver."
But Madam He shot him a glare. "Send a driver? You're still her husband—how can you let someone else drive her home? Go with her. Or better yet, just stay here tonight! The wedding suite is still cleaned every day, waiting for you two. It's perfectly livable."
Hailey's heart skipped a beat. "Mom, that's really not necessary. I'll just call a cab."
"Nonsense! Why should you take a cab when your husband's right here?"
"I… I'm not staying at the Yu residence anymore. I've already moved back home," Hailey confessed quietly, each word feeling like a crack in the ground beneath her feet.
A moment of silence followed.
Ethan's jaw tightened slightly, his brows twitching almost imperceptibly. But he said nothing.
"You moved out?" Madam He echoed, her voice caught between surprise and hurt. "When? Why didn't you tell me?"
Hailey lowered her gaze. "I didn't want to worry you. It's just… easier this way."
"Hailey, no matter what happens between you and Ethan, this will always be your home," Madam He said with unexpected firmness.
"I know, Mom. Thank you."
She turned again, trying to make a quick exit before anyone else could stop her.
But of course, Ethan stood and strode after her.
He wasn't going to let her leave like that. Not this time.
As they stepped out into the cool night air, Hailey kept her eyes forward, her heels clicking against the stone path.
"Wait," he called behind her.
She stopped, but didn't turn around.
"Was moving out your decision? Or did someone push you to do it?"
Hailey finally looked at him, eyes calm, voice flat. "It was mine."
"Why?"
"Because it's time. We signed the divorce papers, didn't we? What else is there to say?"
The night wind swept between them, full of unspoken pain and suffocating memories.
Ethan's fists clenched at his sides.
He had wanted to hurt her by being distant. He had wanted to force her to back down by staying cold.
But now, watching her walk away again… he wasn't so sure if he could endure it.
Not again.
Not this time.