‘Hey, How’s It Going? I’m Filing for Divorce Now.’

In a Modern Love essay published Jan. 30, 2026, Olivia Huiyang Wang recounts filing for divorce in British Columbia by using an online service after the required one-year separation. Wang says she searched “divorce services,” chose a $299 basic package because there were no children or assets to split, and completed the online form in about 15 minutes.

She messaged her spouse, “Hey, how’s it going? I’m filing for divorce now. I found this online service where we just fill out some forms and sign a few documents. They’ll go to court for us. I already completed everything. Could you double-check your info?” The essay traces their relationship from meeting through life together: they bonded over quantum physics, adopted two cats, moved into a run-down apartment in their early 20s and were married in a small ceremony by the Vancouver Seawall.

Wang describes difficult personal histories—her upbringing in Xinjiang and her spouse having been labeled “the weird kid” growing up in Vancouver—and says those traumas shaped the relationship. Over time their attachment styles clashed (Wang describes hers as avoidant and their partner’s as anxious), leading to fights, depression and emotional exhaustion.

After eight years together and a brief marriage, Wang says she found the courage to end the relationship, describing messy breakup talks and the fear that divorce would feel like failure.

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