"I said, it's nothing."
Hailey Tang's voice was dull, like someone speaking through fog. She didn't even look up at Ethan Yu, didn't offer her usual glare or snarky comment. She just sat there, wrapped in a blanket of apathy.
For a second, Ethan thought he'd walked into the wrong house. This wasn't the Hailey he knew—the one who could argue with a stone wall and win, who could throw a tantrum and make it look like performance art. This version of her looked like someone had flipped a switch and drained all the color out of her world.
He narrowed his eyes. "You call this nothing? You've been sitting here like the world ended. What's going on?"
Hailey didn't answer. She stood up slowly, like every movement cost her effort, and mumbled, "You're meddling too much."
With that, she turned and walked upstairs.
Ethan stood frozen, frowning as he watched her go. Meddling? He scoffed under his breath. "You think I want to meddle?" he muttered, genuinely annoyed now.
Fine. He didn't care that much… except he clearly did. Because he couldn't stop himself from calling out, "By the way, I'll transfer the money later."
It was the 500,000 yuan prize she was supposed to win in the company's design competition. He hadn't announced her name publicly to avoid accusations of favoritism, but he'd always intended to give it to her.
She didn't even pause on the stairs.
"No need," Hailey replied flatly. "I don't want it anymore."
The words hit harder than he expected. Ethan's brows drew together. She doesn't want it? She had been so excited about that prize. What the hell happened to her?
That evening, Ethan worked late in his study. When he finally returned to the bedroom, he found Hailey wrapped in the quilt like a burrito… not on the bed, but curled up on the couch, her back to him.
He hesitated. Was she asleep? Or just ignoring him?
In the end, he didn't say anything. If she wanted to sulk, fine. She'd snap out of it tomorrow—probably. Hopefully.
The next morning, before heading to work, Ethan left her a note on the dining table:
"I've transferred the 500,000 yuan. Don't do anything stupid."
Hailey glanced at the note with a deadpan expression, then muttered a simple "Oh." No reaction. No joy. Not even sarcasm.
By now, even the housekeeper, Aunt Zhang, was getting worried.
That day, Hailey spent the entire afternoon on the couch, flipping through TV channels without watching anything. The shows she used to binge religiously—cheesy dramas with over-the-top romance and handsome CEOs—now bored her. She'd watch for five minutes, then doze off, wake up, nibble on junk food, then sleep again.
She didn't even go to deliver lunch to Ethan.
At the office, Ethan sat at his desk waiting a little longer than usual for her to show up with one of her quirky bento boxes. She didn't.
He checked his phone. No message.
Not even an emoji.
By 3 p.m., he got tired of pretending it didn't bother him and drove home.
When he stepped into the villa, the first thing he saw was Hailey sprawled across the sofa like a bored cat, a blanket tangled around her legs, the TV flashing random commercials she wasn't even watching. Empty snack wrappers littered the coffee table, and a small trash bin sat nearby, filled with tissues and instant noodle cups.
Ethan's eye twitched.
Before he could say anything, Aunt Zhang rushed over, whispering in a panic, "Sir, I think something's really wrong with Miss Hailey. She hasn't eaten a proper meal all day, hasn't spoken more than five words. She keeps zoning out and napping. Don't you think—maybe she's pregnant?"
Ethan almost choked.
"Pregnant?!"
Aunt Zhang looked serious, almost hopeful. "Well, the last time something like this happened to my niece, she was pregnant with twins. Maybe Miss Hailey's going through the same thing!"
Ethan quickly composed himself. No. That was impossible. It had been… what? Weeks? Months since they last slept together?
Still, he didn't want to argue. He just gave a low sigh and said, "Call a doctor."
Aunt Zhang nodded excitedly. "I knew it! I'll call right now!"
When the doctor arrived, Hailey was awake but still lying on the couch like a discarded doll. She didn't protest the check-up. In fact, she barely reacted.
"Miss Tang, open your mouth."
She did.
"Now look straight ahead," the doctor said, flashing a light into her eyes. Then he took her pulse, checked her blood pressure, her heart rate… Everything. It felt more like a routine health screening than an emergency.
Ethan watched quietly from the side, arms folded, expression unreadable.
"Well?" he finally asked.
The doctor sighed and shook his head. "She's physically fine. No signs of illness or pregnancy. I'd say it's emotional. Her mood is severely depressed."
Hailey blinked slowly. "Told you."
Ethan looked down at her—really looked at her—and for a split second, something tightened in his chest.
She wasn't playing games. This wasn't a trick to get attention.
She was genuinely lost.
When the doctor left, the living room was quiet again.
Ethan didn't move. Hailey didn't either.
Finally, he asked, "Is this because of the design competition?"
She didn't answer.
"I told you I'd give you the prize money. I kept my word."
Still no response.
"What else do you want?" he said, a little frustrated now. "Why are you acting like your life's over?"
Hailey finally turned her head and looked at him. Her voice was soft and empty. "Because I don't know what I want anymore."
That threw him.
She sat up slowly, brushing her messy hair out of her face.
"All my life, I thought loving you was my purpose," she said. "Last life, this life, every life. I loved you like it was the only thing that gave me meaning. But now… I don't love you anymore. And without that, I don't know who I am. I don't know what I'm supposed to do."
Ethan stared at her, stunned.
She doesn't love me anymore?
He wasn't sure why that sentence hit harder than it should've. He should be relieved, right? After all, she'd always been a handful. But instead, all he felt was a strange, cold ache settling in his chest.
She stood up, not looking at him. "Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything drastic. I'm just… figuring things out."
And with that, she walked past him and up the stairs.
Ethan remained rooted to the floor, his mind spinning.
Pregnant?
No.
But maybe something even more dangerous was happening.
Hailey Tang was starting to grow up—and for the first time, she was looking for a life that didn't revolve around him.
And the scariest part?
He wasn't sure how he felt about that.