Ten days.
It had already been ten full days since Hailey Tang had walked out the door—and never looked back.
For most people, ten days wasn't a long time. But for Ethan Yu, it felt like an eternity. He told himself it was just the sudden change that made him uncomfortable. After all, he'd gotten used to her being around. Used to her hovering presence, her unconditional attention, the way she always made herself available with just a word or even a glance.
Back then, she would've shown up outside his office with homemade lunch, even if he never asked. She'd drop everything just to see him for five minutes.
But now? She had disappeared without so much as a backward glance.
It wasn't like Ethan missed her. No, absolutely not.
He was just… adjusting.
That's all.
Adjusting to not having her pestering him. Adjusting to the silence.
He sat in his expansive office, bathed in the glow of city lights, and tapped a pen against his desk absentmindedly. Eventually, he sighed, pulled out his phone, and opened a message from his lawyer.
The subject line read: Draft of the Divorce Agreement.
Right. Divorce.
She wanted it. He would give it to her.
He was never one to beg for something that was already broken. This marriage had been a mistake from the start—hurried, emotionless, transactional. He had only married her to fulfill certain obligations. Now that those obligations no longer mattered, it was time to end it.
Besides, he had bigger things to focus on.
The New York bidding war was fast approaching. The project would launch his company, Eastern Holdings, into a completely new league. Once he secured that contract, there would be no going back. His empire would be untouchable.
So yes, he'd already made up his mind: after New York, he'd hand Hailey the divorce papers and walk away for good.
But what he didn't realize… was that Hailey had already guessed his plan.
Back in B City, Hailey sat at a desk under the warm light of a study lamp, furrowing her brows over a half-finished architectural sketch. Her fingers were smudged with graphite and the eraser was already worn down.
Designing was hard.
Especially for someone like her, who had never even made it to college. She didn't have the technical background or formal education. All she had was determination… and a sharp memory of what Ethan's designs had looked like in her past life.
Her original plan was simple: just copy one of Ethan's award-winning works from the future and tweak it a little. Easy, right?
Wrong.
The more she sketched, the more she realized—Ethan's cold, rigid style just didn't feel like her. The designs were technically brilliant, but lacked warmth. She kept adjusting details, adding her own flair. Eventually, the piece had evolved so far, it barely resembled Ethan's work anymore.
Now she wasn't sure if she'd just ruined something perfect, or if she had accidentally created something uniquely hers.
She bit her pencil in frustration.
It had to be good. It had to be.
This design competition was her only ticket to freedom. If she won, she'd have enough money to pay for school, start over, and finally cut ties with Ethan Yu on her own terms.
No more depending on anyone.
No more waiting for someone else to decide her fate.
Across the city, another young woman was also hunched over a drawing board: Lin Xin'er.
Unlike Hailey, Lin Xin'er had gone through proper education. She was an orphan, and life had never been kind to her. Since childhood, she had believed in one thing: only the best get chosen. Only by being perfect could she seize opportunities that others took for granted.
That belief had shaped her into a tireless overachiever—and now, it had made her fall for Ethan Yu.
He was everything she had ever dreamed of: powerful, handsome, respected.
And utterly unreachable.
Still, Lin Xin'er wasn't one to give up. If there was a wall, she'd climb it. If there was a rival, she'd outshine her.
She saw this design competition not just as a career opportunity, but a stepping stone—to get closer to Ethan, to earn his respect, and maybe, just maybe, his affection.
So while the world slept, Lin Xin'er drew her lines with practiced grace, every stroke filled with ambition and obsession.
She smiled to herself as she imagined walking beside Ethan one day, the perfect power couple in the public eye.
Hailey, on the other hand, was staring blankly at her sketch, wondering if she should just start over.
Everything about this project felt like a gamble. Her skills, her time, her self-worth. But there was no turning back now.
The only way out… was through.
Knock knock.
Her grandfather's voice called from the hallway. "Xiaotang, you still awake?"
"Yeah," she answered quickly, slipping her sketches into a folder. "Coming!"
She joined her grandfather in the living room, where their old friend Mr. Tao was already sitting with a blanket over his knees. They played a few rounds of chess and shared stories of their youth, and Hailey found herself smiling again.
Here, in this quiet home, life felt simpler. Kinder.
Mr. Tao was terminally ill. His cancer had progressed to the point where every day he woke up was a small miracle. His only family—a grandson in the special forces—hadn't been able to visit in months.
And yet, with Hailey and her grandfather around, he laughed more. He smiled more. He had company. That mattered.
They didn't talk about Ethan.
They didn't talk about the past.
And for the first time in a long time, Hailey didn't feel like crying when she went to bed.
She felt… hopeful.
Maybe, just maybe, she could build a new future with her own hands.
Even if her lines weren't perfect. Even if her path was messy.
She'd find a way.