Chapter 13 The Mistress Couldn’t Play Her Part
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09:18 Fri, 4 Apr
Back to 2014: Falling for Myself Again
Chapter 13 The Mistress Couldn’t Play Her Part
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That morning, I had dance class. Afterward, I was dripping with sweat but strangely relaxed. The tension in my body had melted away.
By noon, I called Susanna to check if Yuna wanted to come home.
“She’s not with me,” Susanna said. “She went to the amusement park. Shawn’s assistant, Queena, picked her up. You should give Queena a call.”
Queena had become a mother figure to Yuna. She truly cared about her and always found time to be there.
But I had done that, too–dedicated every bit of my time and energy to my daughter. The love I gave Yuna was no less than anyone else’s.
I didn’t call Queena. If Yuna was happier with her, maybe it was time for me to learn to let go.
I headed out by myself, planning to grab lunch at some quiet diner. But just as I was about to park, my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I pressed the phone to my ear, and a pleasant, youthful male voice came through the speaker. “Is this Tiffany Mayfield?”
Surprised, I asked, “Yes, this is she. Who’s calling?”
“I’m the student you sponsored a few years ago. I was wondering, would you have lunch with me today?” His voice was steady, filled with honest gratitude.
“Mmm.” My brain kicked into gear. Truthfully, I didn’t feel like meeting someone I’d helped in the past. For one, I never expected anything in return. And two, I had my reasons.
I’d seen too many stories online–people who accepted help and later turned against their benefactors, sometimes dragging things into endless drama.
“It’s just lunch,” he said, almost reading my thoughts. “Nothing more. I promise I won’t interfere with your life.”
“Well, I’m married,” I replied, still trying to find a polite excuse. “Meeting alone with someone I don’t know wouldn’t be appropriate.”
“You can bring a friend,” he said, offering a solution right away.
He was thoughtful; I’ll give him that. But I stayed calm and firm. “That won’t be necessary. If you really want to thank me, finish school, get a job, and be someone who gives back to society. That’s all the gratitude I need.”
I didn’t give him the chance to respond. I ended the call.
Lunch by myself was quiet and peaceful. But at 3 p.m., my phone rang again. This time, it was Shawn. “Where are you?” he asked. “Yuna fell and hurt her leg. I need you to come to the hospital.”
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09:18 Fri, 4 Apr
Chapter 13 The Mistress Couldn’t Play Her Part
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She was my daughter. I had to be there. When I arrived, Yuna was curled up in Shawn’s arms, softly crying One of her legs was wrapped in gauze. Queena sat nearby, guilt written all over her face.
The moment I walked in. Yuna reached toward me with tearful eyes. “Mommy, hold me.”
I sat down on the hospital bed and gathered her into my arms.
“I’m so sorry.” Queena owned her mistake at once. “I should’ve taken better care of her. I didn’t mean for her to get hurt.” Her voice trembled, heavy with guilt.
“She’s always naughty,” Shawn comforted from the side. “She tried climbing the railing by herself. If she hadn’t done that, she wouldn’t have fallen. Don’t blame yourself.”
Queena’s eyes had turned red, tears falling silently,
Yuna must’ve cried herself out. She was so exhausted that, once in my arms, she drifted off to sleep almost instantly.
Shawn looked tense, as if he was bracing for me to snap at Queena. He quickly added, “Tiffany, you can’t blame Queena for this. She was just trying to help.”
Inwardly, I sneered coldly. Was he trying to shield her because he cared that much? Or was he afraid I’d lose my temper and say something harsh to her?
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Hartwell,” Queena said, still crying, voice low and pleading.
They were both watching me closely, waiting to see how I’d react. If this were the old me–my past life–I might’ve gone ballistic. If anyone had hurt my daughter, I would’ve lost it. Queena would’ve paid for it dearly.
But now? I didn’t have the energy for that.
I gently brushed the loose strands of hair from Yuna’s forehead. Then I looked at Queena and said, “Thanks for taking care of her. Yuna’s wild and fearless–I know that. Honestly, even I have a hard time keeping up with her sometimes.”
As soon as I said it, both of them looked shocked.
Especially Queena. Perhaps she had anticipated that I would scream, point fingers, or even explode. Maybe she was disappointed that I didn’t.
In my past life, she always played the quiet victim–polite, gentle, innocent–while making me look like the mad woman. She pushed me into madness, and in the end, I became someone Shawn couldn’t stand.
“Mrs. Hartwell, what happened was my fault. Please, punish me,” Queena said dramatically, her eyes shining with tears. She even looked like she was about to bow.
Quickly, I reached out and stopped her from bowing. Queena looked up at me, startled—like someone whose plans had just fallen apart.
I turned to Shawn and said, “Why don’t you walk Ms. Tackman out? I’ll stay here with Yuna.”
His expression turned awkward, as he didn’t expect me to be so reasonable or kind.
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09:18 Fri, 4 Apr
Chapter 13 The Mistress Couldn’t Play Her Part
Queena looked at me one last time, unwilling, but left without a word.
I held my daughter close and leaned against the headboard, closing my eyes for a moment.
Shawn’s voice cut through the silence. “Let me hold her. You shouldn’t overdo it.”
I opened my eyes as he bent down to take her. I loosened my arms and let him lift her gently.
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He was close–close enough to catch the faint scent of my new perfume. His eyes lingered on me, quietly
intense.
It wasn’t just the perfume; I had changed my style lately. That day, I wore a sheer white blouse with a black strapless top underneath–tasteful but bold. My neckline hinted just enough to stir his imagination, and the sheer fabric only made it more suggestive.
As he reached out to lift Yuna, his arm brushed against my chest, causing his whole body tensed up.
I climbed out of bed, stretched lazily, and moved to the couch to get some sleep.
Shawn suddenly asked, “Aren’t you even going to ask how badly she’s hurt?”
I answered lazily without looking at him, “Whatever it is, she’s okay now. That’s what matters.”
“Tiffany, don’t you care anymore?” Shawn asked, clearly displeased with my attitude.
“Of course I care. She’s still my daughter.” I stared at the ceiling and continued, “Next time Ms. Tackman takes her out, maybe give her a few more reminders. After this, Yuna probably won’t be as reckless. It might’ve even taught her a lesson.”
“Ms. Tackman is a very responsible person,” Shawn added, as if he needed to defend her. “She truly cares about Yuna.”
I laughed inwardly. The person she really cares about is you; if it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t even look twice at Yuna.
“Yeah, I can see that,” I said casually. “She’s like a perfect wife–fighting beside you in the office and looking after your daughter like a pro. You should give her a raise. It’d be a shame to lose someone like that.” I added, half–jokingly.
Shawn fell silent. Maybe I’d hit too close to the truth; he dared not let the conversation continue.
“After a few minutes, he changed the subject. “At next month’s board meeting, I’m going to propose that you take over hotel operations. Don’t rush into anything. Just be at the office tomorrow–I’ll have someone walk you through everything.”
。
