What Hailey couldn't understand—what she would never forget—was that Ethan had never once doubted Lin Xin'er. Not only did he show no concern about her past, but instead, he had looked at her with even more admiration and compassion.
He respected her even more after learning that she was an orphan.
And how could he not? An orphan girl, rising from nothing, becoming Easton's top designer by sheer talent and grit—so young, so accomplished—it was almost impossible not to be impressed.
Back then, Hailey had tried to expose Lin Xin'er's past, thinking it would knock her down a peg in Ethan's eyes.
Instead, she had only elevated her.
That day, after yet another failed attempt to gain Ethan's attention or approval, Hailey had returned home and smashed several vases in her room out of sheer frustration. She had screamed into her pillow, cursing her own foolishness.
She'd been so stupid. So naive. So desperate.
Remembering the hot-headed, reckless version of herself from her previous life made Hailey's stomach twist. She didn't want to go back to that place. That version of her was long gone.
Now, standing in a sterile police observation room, she was someone else entirely.
"May we see the suspect?" Ethan's lawyer asked calmly.
The officer nodded. "Of course."
Ethan tilted his head toward Hailey and spoke in his usual cold, commanding tone. "You two wait here."
His words were short, clipped, not a request but an order.
This wasn't something he wanted her involved in. He didn't want her to see something that might trigger more trauma. That man—whoever he was—wasn't worth her attention.
But Hailey stepped forward, her tone firm. "I want to see him too."
Her voice was steady, without room for negotiation. There was steel in her gaze.
Jo Ning chimed in, standing beside her. "Me too."
Ethan narrowed his eyes slightly but didn't argue. He understood now—this wasn't just about curiosity. This was about closure.
So he led them both inside.
The room they entered had one-way glass. From their side, they could see the suspect, but he couldn't see them.
Hailey stood behind Ethan, peering through the glass window.
And in that moment—her breath caught in her throat.
There, behind the glass, stood a face she hadn't expected to see.
A face that sent a cold shiver down her spine.
Her eyes widened. Her whole body stiffened. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no sound came out. No one saw her reaction, as she was standing just behind Ethan.
Jo Ning leaned forward, her expression tightening. "That's Wang Qiang. He was one of my classmates in university."
The officer nodded. "Miss Jo, are you certain it was him that night?"
Jo Ning studied the man carefully for a few moments, then nodded firmly. "I'm almost sure. I didn't get a perfect look that night, but… yes. I believe it was him."
Ethan's eyes turned glacial. He fixed Wang Qiang with a stare so cold, it could've frozen steel. Then, without turning, he instructed his lawyer, "You know what to do. Make sure he's dealt with—properly."
Those last words came out with unmistakable menace.
The lawyer nodded. "Understood. Leave it to me."
He already knew exactly what Ethan meant—maximum charges, no leniency, no loopholes.
Hailey's hands clenched into fists.
Ethan turned slightly to check on her—and was startled.
She wasn't just upset. Her entire face had turned pale, eyes burning with an uncontrollable fury. Her gaze at the suspect was laced with such pure, seething hatred, Ethan found himself taken aback.
She looked like she wanted to kill him with her bare hands.
"What's wrong?" Ethan asked, narrowing his eyes.
Hailey's gaze never left Wang Qiang. Her voice came out cold and flat. "Don't let him get away with this. Not even a little."
Ethan frowned. That intensity—there was something about it that didn't add up.
"Of course," he said. "I'll make sure he pays."
This man had dared hurt her. Dared hurt his woman. No matter what their current relationship was, Hailey was still his wife—at least on paper—and that meant this bastard was as good as dead.
Hailey's eyes narrowed. "People like him shouldn't get to keep breathing."
Ethan froze.
That wasn't just anger.
That was a death sentence.
He looked at her, this time truly seeing her. Her posture was rigid, her face was pale, but her eyes—God, her eyes—were filled with a venomous rage that chilled him to the bone.
It was personal.
Too personal.
Was it possible…?
His voice was low, but sharp. "Hailey. Did he do anything else to you that night?"
She blinked, caught off guard.
Before she could respond, Jo Ning quickly jumped in. "No! Ethan, I told you already—nothing else happened. Hailey wasn't hurt in that way. I swear, everything I told you before was the truth."
She looked frightened—terrified he would assume the worst.
She knew how much Ethan valued purity, how a single misunderstanding could spiral into disaster. "Please believe me. I was there. He didn't… do anything more. Really!"
Ethan studied her, his eyes probing for lies.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his tone still skeptical.
"I swear it on my life!" Jo Ning said earnestly. "Hailey wasn't touched like that. We both fought back. He didn't get the chance."
There was a long pause. Ethan finally gave a small nod.
But inwardly, he was still uneasy.
If nothing happened, then why did Hailey look like she wanted the man dead?
Why did her hatred run so deep it felt like it had been carved into her bones?
Hailey didn't answer the question.
She couldn't.
Because it wasn't just about Wang Qiang.
It was about what he represented.
He was a symbol of everything she had suffered in her previous life. Of the nights she had been silenced, ignored, unprotected. Of a man she had once loved who never believed her cries, who always protected someone else.
This time, she wouldn't be silent.
This time, she wouldn't be the victim.
She turned and walked out of the room, not saying another word.
Ethan watched her go, the icy feeling in his chest growing heavier.
Something was off.
Something she wasn't telling him.
But for the first time in a long time… he found that it mattered.
And that realization unsettled him more than he cared to admit.