The phone call connected.
On the other end, Ethan Yu's voice came through, low and calm. "You made it back to City C?"
Hailey Tang took a deep breath. Her fingers tightened slightly around the phone. "I came back early. Don't you have anything to say about that?"
There was a long pause. Then Ethan spoke, voice steady and indifferent. "Not really. It's fine that you came back. You wouldn't have been able to do much if you stayed anyway."
That stung.
Hailey laughed bitterly. "Right. I'm useless in your eyes. Always have been. So tell me, why did you even bring me to New York in the first place? Was it fun? Was it exciting for you to play me like that?"
"I wasn't playing you," Ethan said quietly. "It was a last-minute decision not to let you attend the final bid meeting."
Hailey sneered. "And without me there, you won. Right?"
He didn't deny it. "Yes, we won. But you helped too. Don't forget that."
"I don't want your crumbs," she snapped. "You won, great. Now do me a favor and sign the damn divorce papers when you get back. Otherwise, I'll go ahead and announce our divorce myself. Don't blame me for going public."
Ethan didn't respond for a second. Then he said coolly, "You do realize it's not that easy to divorce me, right?"
Hailey's blood boiled. "What the hell does that mean?"
"I'm saying, if you're so desperate to get a divorce, then you can handle breaking the news to both our families. That's on you."
"What?"
But the line had already gone dead.
Hailey stared at her phone in disbelief.
What the hell did he mean, on her?
Divorce was a two-person matter. They were both in this marriage—so they should both be responsible for ending it. But of course, Ethan had to be difficult.
Still, she had to admit… she was the one pushing hardest for the divorce.
Which meant the nightmare of dealing with their families now fell squarely on her shoulders.
She groaned and rubbed her temples. Just thinking about it gave her a headache.
She remembered how long it took her to convince her grandfather to let her marry Ethan in the first place. It had been a months-long campaign of begging, negotiating, and wearing him down.
And now?
She was going to tell him she wanted a divorce?
She might not make it out alive.
When she returned to the Tang family estate, the sun was already dipping low in the sky. The old stone villa looked as timeless as ever, cloaked in ivy and memories.
As soon as she walked in, her grandfather, Old Master Tang, came out to greet her.
"Hailey! You're back already? Didn't you say you'd be staying in New York a few more days?" His eyes twinkled with joy as he walked over and took her hand. "Where's Ethan? Didn't he come with you?"
Hailey forced a smile. "I flew back early. Ethan's still in New York—he has a few more things to handle."
Old Master Tang's brows lifted with interest. "So? Did the bidding go well?"
Hailey nodded. "It went perfectly. They won."
"Ha!" The old man let out a belly laugh, his voice echoing through the marble halls. "I knew it! That boy is something else, isn't he?"
Yeah, he is, Hailey thought bitterly. Something else entirely.
"He's going to be one of the richest men in Asia," Old Master Tang went on proudly, pacing as he spoke. "And not just that—he's young, brilliant, good-looking. He'll be a legend! The whole world will know his name."
Hailey stayed silent.
"To be his wife… you'll be the envy of every woman alive, my girl."
She looked down at her hands. "Grandpa…"
He turned. "Yes?"
"There's something I need to tell you."
He waved a hand, still beaming. "Go on, what is it?"
"I… I don't love Ethan anymore. I want a divorce."
The smile froze on Old Master Tang's face. His entire body seemed to still, as if he hadn't heard her properly.
"What did you just say?"
Hailey swallowed. "I'm serious, Grandpa. I want to divorce him."
His brows furrowed. The warmth drained from his eyes. "Why? Did you two have a fight? Did he do something to upset you?"
Hailey shook her head quickly. "No. It's not like that. I've thought about this for a long time. I'm sure now. I don't want to be with him anymore."
There was a long silence.
Then Old Master Tang let out a slow breath. "Hailey… I know you. You're not the type to give up easily. You loved him like your life depended on it. What changed?"
"Everything," she said, voice low. "I'm tired. I've spent so long trying to chase after someone who never really saw me. Who only used me when it was convenient."
Old Master Tang didn't reply immediately. His expression was unreadable. "Marriage isn't just about love, Hailey. It's about partnership. Responsibility. Timing. You've been married for less than a year."
"I know. But even a year can feel like a lifetime when you're the only one in it."
"Does he want the divorce, too?"
She hesitated. "No. But he's not fighting it either. He said if I want to leave, I should be the one to break the news to both families."
Old Master Tang gave a humorless chuckle. "Of course he did. That boy always was sharp. Too sharp."
Hailey blinked. "So… you're not angry?"
"Oh, I'm furious," he said bluntly. "But not at you. And not at him, either. I'm angry at the situation. At how fast things fell apart. At how love turned into pain so damn quickly."
Hailey looked down again, guilt creeping in.
"But," he continued, "if this is truly what you want, I won't stop you. You've grown up. You have the right to make your own choices. Just know this—divorcing him won't be the hard part. Living with the consequences will be."
She looked up, stunned. "You mean… you'll support me?"
"I'll stand by you," Old Master Tang said with a sigh. "But you better be damn sure. Once you walk out that door, there's no coming back."
Hailey nodded slowly.
She was sure.
Even if the whole world thought she was a fool, she was done being the side character in Ethan Yu's story.
It was time to write her own.