Chapter 23 Uncontrollable
48 Pearls
I was sitting on the couch, reviewing hotel documents, when he glanced at me as he took off his coat.
In the past, I would have rushed over immediately, taken his coat, hung it up for him, and asked if he had eaten, what he wanted to cat, whether he wanted to take a bath, and if he needed me to prepare the water for him.
But today, I didn’t move an inch. Shawn waited for a moment, and when he saw that I wasn’t getting up, he simply took his coat and went upstairs.
“Daddy, look what I drew for you!” Yuna’s voice came from the stairs, carrying a hint of complaint. “Mommy won’t play with me. Daddy, does Mommy have to go to work? Didn’t you say she would always stay with me?”
Hearing Yuna’s words from the couch, I frowned. “When did Shawn ever promise her that?”
Shawn comforted her in a low voice, “If Mommy wants to work, let her. You’re growing up now, and you have school every day. You’ll have fun playing with your teachers and classmates too.”
“I don’t want that!” Yuna plopped down on the stairs, sounding completely dissatisfied. “I want Mommy to stay home and take care of me. I’m still little–her job is to look after me!”
Hearing that, I couldn’t even muster a bitter smile.
They said love should be mutual. I once loved her wholeheartedly, yet she wanted to keep me trapped at home, refusing to let me go out. Yuna’s love was too possessive, and too selfish.
“Yuna, don’t be unreasonable,” Shawn reprimanded her seriously, clearly aware that her attitude was a problem. “Daddy and Mommy can’t be with you forever. You need to learn how to handle things on your
own.”
“Daddy…” Yuna ignored me, but she clearly cared about Shawn’s words. She pouted and tried to act cute.
“This is not up for discussion. You’re going to school tomorrow.” Shawn’s tone was firm as he finished speaking and strode upstairs.
Yuna, still unhappy, came downstairs and walked straight to me. When she saw me reading documents, she reached out and snatched them from my hands. The next second, she was about to tear them apart.
Without a word, I raised my hand and struck her arm–not her face, but her arm.
“What are you doing?” Yuna shrieked at me. “You don’t deserve to be my Mommy! Get out of here!”
I froze. Her temper was getting worse and worse. I was genuinely shocked. Both Shawn and I had relatively stable temperaments, so I couldn’t understand why she was always yelling and throwing tantrums.
Later, I figured it out. Shawn’s sister had the same temper. Was it some kind of family trait?
“Go stand by the door for half an hour before you come back inside,” I said coldly, pointing outside.
“I’m not going!” Yuna was startled at first, but the next second, she crossed her arms over her chest in defiance.
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Chapter 23 Uncontrollable
“You can’t starve me—I’ll just sneak food!” Yuna huffed.
*B Pearls
Looking at the little tyrant I had spoiled, I felt an overwhelming sense of bitterness. People said excessive pampering bred ungrateful children. I never used to believe it. But reality had given me a harsh lesson.
“Yuna, starting tomorrow, there will be house rules. If you don’t follow them, I’ll punish you. I don’t care if t have to beat you, cripple you, or even… “I stopped myself, exhaling sharply before picking up my documents and heading upstairs. Other kids had rules set for them since they were little. Yuna was already six. If I didn’t discipline her now, she would become completely uncontrollable.
“You wouldn’t dare!” Yuna put her hands on her hips and shouted after me, “I’ll tell Grandma to deal with you!”
As I reached the second floor, I ran into Shawn, who had just finished showering. He was wearing casual loungewear, his sharp and handsome features softened by the warm glow of the hallway light.
Right now, he didn’t have the same commanding presence he did in a suit. I remembered how, back then, I had been drawn to him—not just for his money, but also for that face. Over the years, he had remained disciplined with his physique, maintaining a well–built body. Seeing him now, looking just as I remembered, stirred something in me–an ache I couldn’t quite put into words.
Shawn stood in the hallway, watching me. Noticing my expression, he asked, “What’s wrong? Did you argue with Yuna again?”
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“You handle her,” I said, sounding completely defeated. “I can’t do it
anymore.”
“That’s a irresponsible thing to say.” Shawn’s tone dropped slightly. “She’s still a child. You just need to find the right way…”
“Then tell me, what is the right way?” I suddenly lifted my head, locking eyes with him. “Maybe I really am a failure of a mother. I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Shawn was momentarily taken aback by my gaze. The next second, he suddenly reached out and gently pulled me into his arms.
There was a faint scent of another woman’s perfume on him. The moment he embraced me, my body instinctively resisted. I took a step back and turned away, walking straight into my bedroom.
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