To be precise, it was Ethan Yu who had been shoved violently.
And Hailey Tang, who was standing beside him, was pushed away along with him.
Crash!
The chandelier came crashing down—shattering into pieces as it struck Lin Xiner.
Screams echoed through the banquet hall.
Ethan and Hailey turned around in shock, their eyes catching the harrowing scene just as it unfolded.
Lin Xiner had fallen to the ground, her arm crushed by the chandelier. Blood flowed freely, staining her dress. Her delicate face was contorted in pain, pale as a ghost.
But the suddenness of the accident had frozen everyone in place. For a moment, no one dared step forward to check on her.
Ethan Yu snapped out of it first. With a long stride, he rushed over and crouched beside her, frowning deeply. "Are you alright?"
Lin Xiner's entire arm was soaked in blood…
She lifted her head weakly and looked at him, not answering his question. Instead, she asked with trembling breath, "President Yu… are you alright?"
Ethan paused.
Despite being so badly injured, the first thing she did was worry about him.
He quickly looked up and barked out, "Has anyone called an ambulance?!"
"It's on the way!"
"I… I'm fine…" Lin Xiner mumbled feebly, then suddenly collapsed against him, unconscious.
Ethan frowned, hesitated for only a moment, then swept her into his arms and strode quickly toward the exit.
Lin Xiner was his employee, and more importantly, she'd gotten hurt trying to save him. As her boss, there was no way he could just leave her behind.
That's what everyone else thought—Ethan Yu was simply doing the responsible thing.
Everyone… except Hailey Tang.
Having lived through a past life, no matter what happened between Ethan and Lin Xiner in this one, Hailey couldn't stop herself from doubting them.
From wondering—what if there was more between them?
Just like in her last life, every little sign, every small rumor, would spark suspicions in her heart.
Even though she claimed she no longer cared, she still couldn't suppress those thoughts.
She stood there, motionless, her expression pale.
But it wasn't because she felt upset about Ethan saving Lin Xiner.
What distressed her was realizing—she was still sick. Very sick.
In her last life, it was her overwhelming paranoia that ruined her.
And now she was terrified… terrified that this life was going to repeat the same tragedy.
She knew better than anyone that as long as she remained married to Ethan Yu, her heart would never truly be free of him.
He was her natural nemesis. In his presence, her defenses were always on the verge of collapsing.
And if—just if—she started falling for him again…
Would it mean that she was doomed to be destroyed once more?
If everything ended the same way as her last life, then what was the point of being reborn?
The moment Hailey thought of her previous life's pitiful ending, every cell in her body trembled with fear.
The mere thought of reliving that fate in this life made her face grow paler, her body begin to shake slightly…
Someone nearby noticed something was wrong. "Mrs. Yu, are you alright? You don't look so good."
Hailey glanced around in a daze. Her vision darkened, and in the next instant—she collapsed unconscious.
…
Dawn broke.
In the quiet of a VIP hospital room, Hailey slowly opened her eyes and was met with the sight of a pristine white ceiling.
The faint scent of disinfectant told her immediately where she was.
She turned her head slightly—and saw Ethan Yu sitting beside her bed, his head propped against his hand, eyes closed as he dozed lightly.
His suit jacket hung neatly on the armrest of a chair. His dress shirt looked wrinkled, with the top three buttons undone and sleeves rolled up. A shadow of stubble darkened his jaw—he hadn't shaved.
He had stayed by her side all night.
Hailey moved slightly, and the motion stirred the lightly sleeping man. He woke up at once.
Seeing her eyes open, he leaned closer and asked in a low, husky voice, "How do you feel? Do you want me to call the doctor?"