h1 ss="article-title"Chapter 2 A Lesson in Discipline/h1ul id="article-main-ul" ss="article-list"li ss="text"In my previous life, I had a narrow outlook. But now, I wanted to see beyond my old limits./lili ss="text"I no longer felt the need to prove my beauty or convince myself that Shawn would always love me. That kind of thinking was foolish./lili ss="text"Luckily, I was naturally attractive—I could see it in the way men admired me./lili ss="text"But looks alone weren’t enough. Before, I indulged in the shallow satisfaction of being envied by women and admired by men. Now, I saw those feelings for what they were—fragile illusions, easily shattered./lili ss="text"In my second chance at life, I understood that real security came from power, influence, and respect./lili ss="text"Fairness mighte from us, but if I wanted to stand my ground, I needed strength./lili ss="text"If I were a wolf, I had to sharpen my fangs; if I were a sheep, I had to make sure I could run./lili ss="text"After experiencing the terrifying previous life, I believed the rest of my life would be peaceful and calm./lili ss="text"I studied my reflection for a while before slipping out of my casual dress and stepping into the bathroom./lili ss="text"For five years, I had devoted myself to being the ideal wife, ensuring Shawn had nothing to worry about. I had packed away and discarded every outfit that entuated my figure. Whenever I went shopping, I focused only on choosing modest and refined clothing./lili ss="text"But now, my perspective had shifted. My body hadn’t changed. In truth, it had only be fuller and more graceful with time. A simple, well-fitted dress could easily bring back my former radiance. Why should I let such a figure go to waste?/lili ss="text"…/lili ss="text"The sky outside dimmed./lili ss="text"An off-road vehicle soon pulled up in front of the house./lili ss="text"I thought William, Shawn’s driver, had picked up Yuna. But to my surprise, it was Shawn himself./lili ss="text"He opened the back door, and Yuna, dragging her small school bag with one hand, half-stumbled into the living room./lili ss="text"Seeing me sitting on the couch, she threw her bag at me. “Mommy! Why didn’t youe get me? You promised to pick me up on time every day!”/lili ss="text"Watching my daughter, who had already developed such a fiery temper at a young age, I realized just how much I had spoiled her./lili ss="text"She carried herself like a little princess, ordering me around as if I were her devoted maid./lili ss="text"Shawn entered with a deep frown. At 30, he carried himself with the refined elegance of someone in power. Dressed in a suit, he had the poised demeanor of a CEO straight out of a novel./lili ss="text"In my previous life, I had loved him so much that I lost myself. But now, I felt nothing, as if I was looking at a lover who had passed away yesterday./lili ss="text"“I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” Yuna shouted at me angrily. “You’re a bad mommy!”/lili ss="text"I shot up from the couch and blocked her at the stairs. I grabbed her arm firmly, my voice low and cold./lili ss="text"“Look at me. You do not speak to me like that.”/lili ss="text"Her teary eyes filled with disbelief and fury. She shot me a sharp re./lili ss="text"“Pick up your school bag,” I ordered firmly./lili ss="text"“No!” she shouted in defiance./lili ss="text"I raised my hand—not to strike, but to calm myself, pausing in the air for just a beat./lili ss="text"Yuna flinched and shut her eyes tight, bracing for something that never came./lili ss="text"“Tiffany.” Shawn’s stern voice cut through the air./lili ss="text"I turned to him as he strode over, picked up the school bag, and silently led his furious daughter upstairs./lili ss="text"Hearing themotion, my mother stepped out of the kitchen. “What happened? Is Yuna crying?”/lili ss="text"I approached her. “Yes. I lost my temper. She’s too spoiled.”/lili ss="text"“She’s still a child. Why did you do that?”/lili ss="text"“Exactly because she’s a child, she needs discipline. Otherwise, she won’t respect me,” I replied coolly. My tone made my mother give me a puzzled look./lili ss="text"She was probably shocked. In the past, I always treated Yuna like she was precious. Even when she threw tantrums, I would patientlyfort her. Sometimes, it took me over an hour, and in the end, I had topromise and agree to her various conditions to settle things./lili ss="text"But now, I had no patience left. I didn’t want to waste my time on an ungrateful child. After all, the one she would treasure wouldn’t be me—it would be her stepmother, someone who held no real title in this family./lili ss="text"I helped my mother prepare dinner. Since we had no maid, I was always the one doing the cooking. Every few days, a cleaner came to tidy up, and a gardener handled the yard work./lili ss="text"I wanted to be a good wife, so I made sure the house was always spotless, both inside and out. I hoped Shawn would notice my hard work and speak well of me to others./lili ss="text"“Mom, I’m going to the housekeeping agency tomorrow,” I said casually while rinsing vegetables./lili ss="text"My mother, busy at the stove, turned her head. “Why? Are you thinking of hiring a new cleaner?”/lili ss="text"“No,” I repliedzily. “I’m hiring two maids.”/lili ss="text"Her face filled with disbelief. “Why? There’s nothing urgent at home. You can manage the cooking, cleaning, and taking care of Yuna by yourself, can’t you?”/lili ss="text"“Mom, I’m a wealthy wife now. I don’t want to do housework anymore,” I said with a smile, though my tone was serious. “Women in my position have several maids. Why should I make things hard for myself when I can afford help?”/lili ss="text"She wanted to argue, but the food in the pan nearly burned, so she quickly turned back to the stove./lili ss="text"Once dinner was ready, my mother told me, “Go call Shawn and Yuna down before the food gets cold.”/lili ss="text"I went upstairs and stepped into the children’s room, where Yuna was still sobbing. She gripped a pair of small scissors, snipping away at our photos. Every picture of me was cut into pieces—only hers remained intact./lili ss="text"“What are you doing?” I was shocked. I never imagined she’d go so far as to destroy our photos just because I scolded her. She had always been ungrateful./lili ss="text"“I don’t want you to be my mommy! You’re a bad mommy! You scared me!” Yuna lifted her head, fury burning in her teary eyes./lili ss="text"Staring at her, whatever little affection I still had disappearedpletely./lili ss="text"“If I’m not your mother, then who do you want instead?” I asked calmly./lili ss="text"Without hesitation, Yuna yelled, “I want Queena! She treats me the best! Not like you—you lied to me, didn’t pick me up from school, and … you hurt my feelings! I hate you!”/lili ss="text"I never imagined I’d hear Queena’s name from my daughter so quickly./lili ss="text"I was just about to question her further when Shawn’s firm voice interrupted from the doorway./lili ss="text"“Yuna, stop saying nonsense.”/lili ss="text"Shawn had just ended a phone call when he stepped inside. The moment she saw him, Yuna dropped the scissors and ran straight into his arms. She clung to him tightly, sobbing as she pointed at me. “I don’t want her to be my mommy! She’s mean! She yelled at me!”/lili ss="text"He turned his gaze toward me, and for a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed his face./lili ss="text"I knew why. Thece dress I wore hugged my figure, leaving my back exposed. My fair skin and elegant curves were impossible for him to ignore./li/ul