Ethan Yu's heart hammering in his chest, he stood frozen under the harsh hospital fluorescents as Hai Zhiyuan, the venerable family patriarch, loomed over him like a judge delivering final sentence. All around them, tension crackled in the sterile air.
"Dad," Haixiong interjected, stepping forward with an uneasy frown, "you can't just indulge every whim of Xiaotang's. Marriage isn't trivial—and Ethan is a fine man. If they have problems, neither side bears all the blame."
Hai Zhiyuan shot his eldest son a withering glance that silenced him in an instant. The old man's authority brooked no challenge. Even his children quailed beneath his stern gaze.
Turning his intense gaze back to Hailey Tang, he spoke with both gentleness and gravitas. "Xiaotang, tell your grandfather: what are you thinking? I want to hear your honest feelings."
Hailey's lips trembled. She glanced first at Ethan, whose face had gone pale, and then at the circle of her family—her stern grandparents, her anxious uncle and aunt. The weight of their concern pressed down on her like a physical force.
"Grandpa," she whispered, uncertainty flickering in her eyes, "you… you truly will approve my divorce?"
Hai Zhiyuan nodded, his features softening just a fraction. "If you two cannot find peace together, why force a marriage that brings you both pain? Divorce is not shameful. It is a chance for a fresh start."
A stunned hush fell over the assembled family. This was nearly unthinkable in C City's highest social circles. A union between the Tang and Yu clans was more than mere romance—it was a strategic alliance, a merger of fortunes and influence. For such a marriage to break apart so readily… it sent shockwaves through every household in their circle.
Haixiong inhaled sharply. "Father! A marriage between families of our stature… you can't simply consent on a whim! There are reputations, there are social implications—"
Hai Zhiyuan silenced him with a raised hand. His voice, though calm, thundered like the echo of a gavel. "No more objections. Hailey's welfare is paramount. If she wishes to leave this marriage, I will back her fully."
Ethan's pulse thundered in his ears. He had known this moment might come, but hearing those words felt like a blow to his ribs. "Grandpa, wait—please reconsider! Hailey and I-"
Hai Zhiyuan's eyes flashed, imperious and unyielding. "Enough. Hailey, what is your final decision?"
Swallowing hard, Hailey lifted her chin. For a moment, she looked every inch the poised young woman of privilege she was born to be—yet her trembling hand betrayed the turmoil inside her.
"I… I want a divorce," she said, voice quavering. "I cannot continue like this."
Her words rang through the room, final and irrevocable. A collective gasp rose from her relatives. Even the hospital staff outside the door seemed to pause, as though the news had already reached them through the ward's thin walls.
Ethan's shoulders slumped. How had it come to this? He held out his hand, the gesture of a pleading lover. "Hailey—please, let's talk it through. We can fix this—"
But Hailey had closed that door long ago. "No, Ethan. I've made up my mind."
Hai Zhiyuan stepped forward, placing a frail but determined hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. "Your decision is wise. To suffer in a marriage that brings you only pain is unworthy of you."
A tear slipped down Hailey's cheek, and Hai Zhiyuan brushed it away gently. "You have my blessing."
Ethan's voice cracked as he looked to Hai Zhiyuan. "Sir—are you certain? Once this divorce is public, there is no turning back."
"Enough," Hai Zhiyuan said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "My granddaughter knows her own heart. You will honor her choice."
In that instant, Ethan felt the last shreds of hope unravel within him. He bowed his head, fighting back a flush of bitterness. To see the old man's unwavering support for Hailey, his one-time daughter-in-law, was a blow deeper than any rejection she could deliver.
But Hai Zhiyuan was not yet done. He turned to Ethan, his eyes hard as steel. "I want the paperwork drawn up immediately. I will sign as soon as Hailey is willing. And you—will treat her with the respect she deserves until it is done."
Ethan nodded mutely. He had no choice but to comply.
That night, the corridors of the Tang family mausoleum felt colder than any grave. Ethan sat alone in the grand drawing room, legal documents spread before him. Every clause spelled out the ending of the life he had built—and the beginning of a future without Hailey.
He filled in the blank lines with a heavy heart, his pen scratching across the ivory parchment like a scribe etching a tombstone.
Meanwhile, Hailey slept, finally free of her nightmares by the gentle embrace of tranquilizers and her grandfather's quiet companionship.
Hai Zhiyuan stood by her side, silent vigil burning through the night. He remembered the day he had forced her into that marriage—how full of hope he had been then. Now, he would ensure her next chapter would be written for her, by her, in freedom.
In the early dawn, as pale light seeped against the curtains, Hailey awoke to find her grandfather smiling serenely at her.
"Xiaotang," he said, voice warm as sunrise. "Your divorce is as good as done. Today, you reclaim your life."
Hailey blinked, processing the reality of her freedom. Her eyes glistened with tears—tears of sorrow for lost love, but also tears of relief for the chance to live anew.
Ethan, summoned at last to bear witness, entered the room bearing the final papers. He placed them on the lacquered table, his posture subdued but dignified.
"Sign here," he said quietly, pointing to Hailey's line. "And here," he added, marking his own.
Their hands brushed for the briefest moment over the document—and though no spark of passion ignited, a sad, resigned understanding passed between them.
Hailey dipped her pen. The paper trembled. Then, with her signature, she sealed the end of their marriage.
Ethan followed suit.
In that silent room, two souls who had once danced on the precipice of love now crossed the threshold to a new, separate destiny.
Hai Zhiyuan watched them, heart aching, but determined. He had given Hailey back her life—and in doing so, had taught Ethan the price of genuine care.
For there was no greater act of love than to let go when holding on only meant destruction.