Chapter 8 Let's Get a Divorce

From what I know about Shawn, most of his attention was on his work. Half of what's left goes to our daughter, and the rest is spent on Queena. As for me, I'm just an afterthought. I should prepare for the divorce. When I got home, the housemaids were still awake. Seeing me return, they greeted me. Their names were Mona and Beata—both in their early 40s and hardworking. With them around, the house was always spotless. "Mrs. Hartwell, I made some bird's nest soup. Have a bowl before you sleep," Mona said as she walked over. "Alright, give me a serving." From now on, taking care of my body inside and out would be a priority. I needed to restore my energy and keep myself glowing. Mona's cooking was impressive—her bird's nest soup tasted just as good as the ones from upscale restaurants. I let her and Beata share the leftovers. Tonight, Shawn and Yuna probably wouldn't be coming home. Queena had her ways. Not only did she take my husband, but she also had my daughter completely under her control. In my past life, I saw her as a constant thorn in my side. I even went so far as to seek out a mystic and use a voodoo doll, stabbing it with needles every day. I had barely crossed paths with Queena a handful of times, yet she drained me of everything, leading to my death in my 50s. I finally knew how terrifying emotional exhaustion could be. Toxic people and messy situations were like a dark cloud hanging over you, blocking out every bit of joy and sunlight. No, I refused to be consumed by anyone's negativity again. From that moment on, I was determined to do what made me happy. Late that night, I fell asleep. At some point, I vaguely heard footsteps stop by my bedside for a moment before moving away. It seemed like Shawn and Yuna had come home. The next morning, a small, warm body crawled under my blanket. "Mommy, you're still sleeping? You have to take me to school!" Yuna clung to my arm, shaking me awake. I suddenly remembered that I had turned off my alarm, which was why I didn't wake up on time. "Let your dad take you. I have something to do later." She was my own flesh and blood, so I still spoke to her gently. But I would gradually withdraw my love for her. Once she grew up and became independent, I wouldn't concern myself with her anymore. "Mommy, what could you have to do? You don't even have a job, and with two housemaids taking care of everything, you have nothing but free time," Yuna said, frowning in frustration. I sat up, and Yuna immediately grabbed a long, rectangular box beside her, shaking it in front of me. "Daddy picked this out for you last night. Open it and take a look!" I lifted the lid and found a diamond necklace with a purple gemstone pendant. "Who picked it out for him?" I asked evenly. "It was Quee—I mean, Ms. Tackman! She's gorgeous and has great taste." Yuna hesitated, as if Shawn had already warned her to be careful with her words. "Do you like her a lot?" I asked, looking straight into my daughter's eyes. Yuna was sharp for her age, but she still had a bit of innocence left. She nodded. "Mommy, please don't be mad, okay? Ms. Tackman is Daddy's work partner. She's nice to me because I'm Daddy's little princess." I almost wanted to laugh. Yuna might be young, but she understood everything. Queena wasn't just Shawn's work partner—she was also his lover. "Let go first. I need to freshen up, then I'll take you to school." Since she was my daughter, I wouldn't avoid my responsibilities. "Mommy, can you carry me to the bathroom and do my hair?" Yuna asked lazily. I frowned but still lifted her up and carried her to the bathroom. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pouting. "Mommy, I don't hate you anymore for hitting me last time, but why do you still look so serious?" As I braided her hair, I said calmly, "It's fine as long as you don't hate me. I'm not upset anymore either." Yuna nodded and picked up one of her bath toys, playing with it absentmindedly. Once I finished her hair, I tidied myself up. I opened the wardrobe, chose a white skirt suit, and styled my hair into a side braid. The look carried a cool, elegant beauty. Yuna watched me in awe. "Mommy, you look so pretty today! Why didn't you dress like this before?" "I will from now on," I said, grabbing my bag and leading her downstairs. Shawn was by the door, taking a call, his expression as composed and indifferent as ever. As he spoke, he glanced toward the staircase and caught sight of me. For a brief moment, his gaze seemed to freeze. I sat at the dining table, where Mona had prepared a delicious breakfast. She even helped feed Yuna. I took my time enjoying breakfast with Yuna when a memory from my past life surfaced. Back then, I would wake up at 6:30, spend an hour preparing breakfast, barely take a few bites, and then rush out in loose casual clothes to take my daughter to school. I had thought my efforts would move everyone, but in reality, I was the only one who felt moved. Money had never been an issue in this household—hiring two housemaids was nothing more than a trivial expense. Yet in my past life, I had been stuck in a mindset of self-sacrifice. Shawn walked over and took a seat beside me. "There's a senior executive gathering at the company this afternoon. Want to join?" I shook my head without hesitation. "No, I have other plans." He turned to look at me, his gaze lingering. "What plans? Another lunch appointment?" I replied calmly, "No, I scheduled a lesson with a teacher." Shawn looked surprised. "A lesson? What kind of lesson?" As Yuna ate her porridge, she said, "Mommy, didn't you always want to visit Daddy's company? This is a great chance—why aren't you going?" Her words suddenly sparked a realization. Why was I acting so aloof? Shawn rarely invited me to a company gathering, so why should I miss this chance to see Queena? Reconsidering my thoughts, I changed my response. "Alright. Which restaurant? I'll meet you there at noon." Shawn frowned. "You didn't discuss taking lessons with me." "Oh." I smiled and said, "I never consulted you about what I did either." His expression darkened slightly, as if I were an insensible wife who had just displeased him. "Since there's nothing going on at home, I want to learn dance and violin. Also, I've hired an Englarian tutor to help me improve my Englarian. Oh, and in a while, I plan to look for a job." "Why do you want to work?" As expected, Shawn had an opinion about it. "It's not like we need your income." "I don't want to stay home and be just a housewife anymore." I met his gaze, my tone unwavering. "I want a career of my own. Please support me." Shawn slammed his fork onto the table and stood up. "No." My expression tensed instantly—a silent protest. Shawn continued, "Your job is to take care of the house and Yuna. If you need money, just ask me." With that, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a card, and placed it on the table. "This is my secondary card. Use it." I glanced at the card and chuckled. My defiance had clearly annoyed him. I remembered him once telling his friends that I was low-maintenance, family-oriented, reliable at home, and presentable in public. Being his full-time wife—that was my job. All I had to do was manage it well and not ask for more. But now, I had challenged his authority as the head of the family, and he was unhappy. Yuna, of course, took his side without hesitation. She chimed in, scolding me, "Mommy, Daddy is already so busy with work. Why are you upsetting him? Just take care of me. Daddy will make plenty of money! "Mommy, are you neglecting me because you want to work? I haven't been home for two days, and you didn't even call to check on me. You're not being a good mom!" Yuna shouted. I threw the bowl in my hand, letting it crash onto the floor. The sharp sound echoed through the dining room, silencing everyone for a few moments. Mona and Beata stood frozen in shock before quickly hurrying to grab supplies to clean up. I turned to Shawn slowly, locking eyes with him. "I've already said it—I don't want to be trapped at home as a housewife. I want to work. If you can't accept that, then let's get a divorce." The word "divorce" left my lips so effortlessly. In my past life, Shawn had brought up divorce at least a hundred times. But for the sake of our daughter, I had always held on, refusing to let go. In this life, I had to be the one to bring up divorce first. I needed to take control. "Say that again?" Shawn stared into my eyes, his gaze dark and stormy. He wasn't raising his voice, but the pressure in the air felt like a storm was about to break.