Chapter 3 Are You Going Out Dressed Like That?

Shawn didn't seem to approve of my outfit. He probably thought dressing like that at home was improper—something no decent woman would do. In his eyes, a respectable wife wouldn't wear anything so revealing or flashy. "Hubby, Yuna just said she wants Queena as her mother. Who is Queena?" I asked casually, feigning curiosity as I stepped closer to him. Shawn shot a stern look at Yuna before turning to me. "She's just talking nonsense. Don't overthink it. Let's go eat." How unusual. He was actually trying to cover it up. In my previous life, I first learned about Queena by accident. I had stumbled upon Shawn having dinner with his friends in a private room and had been eager to greet him. Before I could enter, I overheard someone asking him when he planned to divorce me and make Queena his wife. Back then, Shawn had said he wasn't considering divorce—for Yuna's sake. The same person had pressed further, "Are you planning to keep things vague with Queena forever? Since there's no love left, wouldn't divorce be the best option?" Shawn had taken a slow drag from his cigarette, then stubbed it out. "Tiffany isn't my ideal wife, but she's Yuna's mother. As long as she doesn't cause trouble and accepts my relationship with Queena, I won't abandon her." I had stood frozen outside the door. I never imagined that one day, my husband would casually refer to me as "Yuna's mother" instead of his wife. He kept me around out of pity, all because I had given birth to his child. I stood frozen outside the door, listening as Shawn described me in a few simple terms. In his eyes, I was attractive but like a trophy wife—someone safe to keep at home and presentable enough to take out. He also called me diligent and responsible, the kind of woman elders praised. Lost in thought, I followed Shawn and Yuna down the stairs. My mother was already setting the table, serving bowls of soup. She mentioned it had been simmering for three hours and urged them to have more. Shawn was always respectful and kind to my mother, and in that regard, I had no complaints. "Granny, why did you have a daughter who loves to hit people? Can you take her back?" Yuna whined as we ate. I had just reached the last step when I heard her. Before my mother could reply, I said coldly, "If putting a child back in the womb were possible, you'd be the first one to go. Do you believe that?" My words must have sounded terrifying because Yuna instantly shrank back and clung to Shawn. He frowned at me. "Tiffany, what's wrong with you today? Why are you always picking fights with Yuna? She's the daughter you carried for ten months. Do you know how hurtful your words are to her?" I sat down, poured myself a bowl of soup, and responded casually, "She started it. I'm my mom's masterpiece, and she suggested my mom put me back. Am I not allowed to be annoyed?" My mother quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile. "Shawn, Tiffany was just joking. Don't take it seriously. Yuna, come have a chicken wing. I made it with Coke—it's delicious." "I'm not eating." Yuna pouted, pushing the plate away. Without hesitation, I slid my plate forward. "Mom, give it to me. I love this dish." My mother sighed as she looked between us as if wondering how our mother-daughter bond had faded so much. Shawn remained patient and focused on taking care of Yuna throughout dinner. Once I finished eating, I said, "I'm hiring two maids tomorrow to help take care of Yuna. What do you think?" He looked a bit surprised but didn't object. "The household matters are up to you. I have no opinion." "Why do you need maids? Aren't you already one?" Yuna blinked at me innocently. "Mommy, do you not want to take care of me anymore?" I nodded. "I just need a break. I also want to travel for a few days. I feel like I'll wither away if I stay home any longer." "Travel?" Shawn frowned. "Yuna still has school. Where do you plan on going?" I studied my neatly manicured nails and shrugged. "Don't worry, I won't go far. Just somewhere nearby to relax." "Daddy, I don't want Mommy to leave. She still has to take me to school." Yuna suddenly pouted. A moment ago, she had been glaring at me in resentment. But now, realizing I was about to leave, she quickly changed her approach. She climbed down from Shawn's lap and onto mine. "Mommy, even though you hit me earlier, I'm not mad anymore. Let's make up." I looked at my daughter, so young yet already calculating. She had inherited Shawn's intelligence, knowing exactly how to weigh situations to her advantage. In my previous life, I had praised her for being sharp and thoughtful. But in truth, I had failed as a mother. I overlooked the importance of teaching her proper values. She never respected and honored me as her mother. "Alright, I'm not upset anymore. But Yuna, you're starting primary school soon. You're growing up, so you need to start being independent instead of relying on others for everything," I said evenly. "Mommy, I'm still little. I still need you." Yuna pouted, her eyes blinking up at me. "As long as you don't hit me, I still love you." I smiled faintly. "I only discipline you because I want you to avoid bad habits. Otherwise, people won't like being around you, and making friends will be hard." Shawn seemed to think I was being too harsh. He frowned and said, "There's no need to say things like that. Yuna is just six." "Six isn't that little. At this age, she already knows how to cut up our family photos." I glanced at Yuna. "You can apologize, and I'll let it go, but those photos will never be the same." Without waiting for a response, I nudged her aside and stood up. "I'm heading out to meet my friend." My mother, still eating, looked up as I reached for my bag. "Tiffany, who are you going to see? It's late." "I'm just going to a movie," I replied with a small smile, then walked to the entrance to find my shoes. The neat rows of proper shoes irritated me. None of them could suit my perfect figure and vibe. After a moment of hesitation, I finally picked out a pair of silver high heels. "Are you going out dressed like that?" Shawn's voice came from behind me.