In this life, as long as Lin Xiner didn't provoke her, Hailey Tang had no interest in wasting a single ounce of emotion on her.
She meant it.
Lin Xiner would always be nothing more than a background character in her story—a passerby at best.
This time around, she had one goal only: to leave Ethan Yu and start her new life.
And if it meant fighting tooth and nail for that divorce agreement, so be it.
She was ready.
—
But Hailey had clearly overestimated herself. After spending the entire morning poring over tedious, technical design documents, her eyes were practically spinning like mosquito coils.
Her brain was fried. Her vision blurry. Her concentration had long fled the scene.
"Hailey, it's lunchtime." Zhou Hua's cheerful voice brought her back to life. He stood beside her desk with Jin Peng. "You've worked hard all morning. Time to take a break."
Hailey's face lit up. "Finally! I thought I was going to starve to death!"
Her stomach had been growling for a good hour now, and she'd long stopped absorbing anything from those dull files.
Zhou Hua chuckled. "Are you going to eat with the President, or would you like to join us in the cafeteria?"
Hailey stood, stretching her back with a smile. "I'm just a regular employee now, remember? I'll eat with you guys. No more special treatment."
"Perfect! You probably don't know your way around the cafeteria yet. Let us show you."
"That'd be great. Thanks," Hailey said sincerely.
"Don't mention it!" Jin Peng grinned. "Anything for you!"
Of course, neither of them saw her as a regular employee. She was still the President's wife—well, at least for now—and making a good impression on her certainly couldn't hurt their futures.
The two young men flanked Hailey enthusiastically as they led her toward the cafeteria, completely ignoring Lin Xiner, who trailed behind them like an afterthought.
Despite her cool facade, Lin Xiner's face was a mask of subtle irritation. In the company, she was typically the most sought-after female among male colleagues—charming, composed, and professionally sharp. But today, all eyes had shifted.
Everything had changed the moment Hailey Tang walked in.
Word of her arrival at the company had already spread like wildfire by mid-morning. The moment she stepped into the cafeteria, heads turned. Male employees—some she didn't even know—suddenly became overly eager.
"Mrs. Yu, would you like to try this? It's really good," one man offered, holding out a tray.
"This dish is popular—want to try it?" another added quickly.
"You're so elegant, truly the most charming woman we've seen in this company," someone from HR gushed.
"I'm the director of the administrative department," another chimed in, "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."
"Mrs. Yu…"
The bombardment of flattery continued from all directions.
Surprisingly, Hailey wasn't annoyed in the slightest. In fact, her heart felt… warm.
She had never been the center of such collective admiration before.
Not in her last life. Not like this.
Though her academic journey had been less than ideal, she was still a daughter of a prominent family and had been raised with a noblewoman's grace. Her upbringing now came in handy. She responded to each greeting with poised charm—polite, but never over-familiar. Warm, but not inviting anything inappropriate.
That balance made her even more likable in the eyes of the staff.
People began whispering amongst themselves.
"She's nothing like I imagined."
"I thought she'd be cold or arrogant, but she's so down-to-earth."
"She's actually… really nice."
And just like that, the atmosphere around her turned admiring, if not reverent.
Then—
"President Yu is here!"
That sudden shout cut through the cafeteria like a blade.
Heads snapped toward the entrance.
And there he was—Ethan Yu.
Impeccably dressed in a tailored suit, towering and magnetic, his aura radiated power and authority. Following closely behind was Ji Chuan, silent as always.
Ethan's dark eyes immediately found Hailey, who was standing surrounded by male employees.
His expression darkened.
He had seen everything.
The warm smiles. The lingering stares. The way those men leaned just a little too close.
And Hailey—Hailey had the audacity to smile back at them?
His jaw clenched. A dangerous storm brewed beneath his otherwise calm face.
Why… why did he suddenly feel like firing every single male employee in the company?
He took one step forward.
And just like that, the air changed.
The pressure dropped several degrees.
Sensing the shift, everyone who had been circling Hailey like bees around honey suddenly scattered, rushing to their own seats as if their lives depended on it.
Even Hailey felt the tension.
Seriously? Must he be this dramatic?
Not wanting to make a scene, she grabbed her lunch tray and slipped away, heading for a quiet corner of the cafeteria.
No way she was going to greet him.
They'd already signed the divorce agreement. What was there left to say?
But before she could even unwrap her utensils—
Thud.
A tray landed across from hers.
Hailey looked up.
Ethan had sat down, cool as ever, directly across from her—as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"…"
"First day at work," he said, his voice smooth but unreadable. "How are you finding it?"
Hailey blinked, then replied with mechanical politeness, "It's going well, thank you."
"No issues adjusting?"
"None for now."
Her tone was cold, distant—exactly like how an employee might speak to her aloof boss.
It hit him harder than he expected.
He lifted his fork, twirled it once, then slowly met her gaze. "You were smiling just now. Laughing with those men."
"It's called having lunch," Hailey replied lightly. "I was just being friendly. Isn't that what normal colleagues do?"
Ethan's eyes darkened.
There it was again—that detached, indifferent tone she now used on him.
The worst part? He knew she wasn't pretending.
She truly no longer looked at him the way she once did.
The fire in her eyes when she saw him. The adoration. The hope.
Gone.
"I see," he murmured.
But inside, a storm raged.
He had gotten what he wanted, hadn't he? Distance. Separation.
Then why the hell did he feel like someone had taken a knife to his chest?
Hailey ignored his inner turmoil, returning to her meal with elegance.
Every bite she took felt like a declaration.
I'm starting over. I'm moving on. You're no longer the center of my world.
And Ethan Yu—her once untouchable prince—was left staring at her, suddenly unsure who was truly in control anymore.