The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 33 - 34: Ethan Shaw, You’re No Fun at All

"He’s a person, not a machine! Of course he needs time to play and relax!" Naomi Kenway glanced at the butler. "Cancel this stupid Go class. I’m taking Annie for a walk!"

"But..." The butler looked troubled.

Naomi Kenway read his expression. "You can’t make that call? Someone else arranged this?"

The butler nodded.

"Let me guess. Ethan Shaw?"

The butler slowly nodded again.

Naomi Kenway narrowed her eyes, then waved her hand dismissively. "Just do as I say. I’m not so powerless that I can’t even decide on a small matter like this. If there’s a problem, tell Ethan Shaw to come find me!"

Faced with Naomi Kenway’s firm attitude, the butler could only comply.

A moment later, Ian Shaw came downstairs with his small backpack on. He looked around but couldn’t find the butler, so he walked up to Naomi Kenway and asked, "Mom, where’s Uncle Butler?"

Ian Shaw was wearing the new denim overalls Naomi Kenway had bought for him, making him look lively and energetic. His fair little face looked so tender and smooth.

Naomi Kenway had him spin around. The more she looked, the more pleased she was, and she couldn’t resist planting a kiss on his cheek.

"My son is so cute! This is so much better than those little suits! Mommy will buy you lots of new clothes so you can wear something different every day!"

Ian Shaw was thin-skinned, and a blush soon spread across his cheeks.

"Mom, I have to go to class now." He shouldered his small backpack and turned to leave.

Naomi Kenway quickly called out to him. "No class today! Mommy’s taking you to the park. Don’t you want to see the jasmine flowers? The ones there are even more beautiful than the ones we have at home!"

Ian Shaw’s round eyes widened, filled with pleasant surprise. "Really?"

Then, as if he’d thought of something, his head drooped listlessly. "But..."

"No buts. When Mommy says something, she means it. Let’s go right now!"

*

Naomi Kenway took Ian Shaw to the park, and they played to their hearts’ content. There wasn’t much playground equipment, but Ian seemed to have never experienced any of it before, his round eyes filled with curiosity.

The sight pained Naomi Kenway’s heart. ’As long as I’m here,’ she thought, ’I’ll make sure my son has a proper childhood.’

"Mom, there’s a swing set..."

Ian Shaw said in delight.

"Does Annie want to try it?"

Ian Shaw nodded. "Yes!"

Naomi Kenway picked Ian Shaw up. He wasn’t heavy, and curled up in her arms, he felt like a soft little bundle.

Naomi Kenway placed Ian Shaw on the swing. Worried it wasn’t sturdy, she kept one hand on his back as she pushed the swing gently.

"Whee, I’m flying!"

Ian Shaw cried out, his face a picture of excitement and exhilaration.

Just as the two of them were having fun, a phone suddenly rang.

Naomi Kenway stopped pushing, freed a hand to check her phone, and then immediately declined the call and silenced it.

"Mom, was that Dad?"

Naomi Kenway’s expression didn’t change. "No." She looked down and asked softly, "Do you still want to play on the swing?"

Ian Shaw shook his head.

Naomi Kenway lifted him off. "Then let’s go walk around somewhere else."

The weather was hot, so Naomi Kenway bought two ice cream cones. She handed one to Ian Shaw. "Here you go, sweetie."

Ian Shaw looked tempted but didn’t take it. "Grandma says ice cream gives you a tummy ache and cavities."

"One won’t hurt. It’s within reasonable limits." ’What kind of childhood is it without even getting to eat ice cream?’

Naomi Kenway took a bite of her own ice cream and said flauntingly, "Mmm, this is delicious."

In the end, Ian Shaw took it and gave it a careful lick.

"Is it good?"

"It’s so sweet!"

The phone in her pocket vibrated slightly. Naomi Kenway led her son to a shady spot, then took out her phone and answered the call.

"I was a little busy just now and didn’t see your call," she said, taking the offensive.

"Naomi," Ethan Shaw’s voice was as calm as ever, and this time was no exception. "Why didn’t you let Annie go to his Go class?"

Naomi Kenway walked a little farther away, but her eyes never left Ian Shaw. "Annie is tired. He needs to rest."

"Naomi, Annie is not a toy for you to mess with. You’d best not interfere in these things."

"I’m his mother, why can’t I interfere?" Naomi Kenway’s tone became firm. "My son is tired, and it’s perfectly natural for me to take him out to play! I know your Shaw Family has its old set of rules, but my son isn’t a machine! He can’t live by your cold, rigid ways!"

Ethan Shaw was silent for a few seconds on the other end, his gentle tone turning chilly. "Naomi, what are you trying to pull this time?"

’Ethan Shaw has such a terrible impression of me. He probably thinks this is another one of my tricks to keep him from leaving.’ Naomi Kenway couldn’t be bothered to explain. "Think whatever you want."

"I don’t care what you’re plotting. Get Annie back to his class right now. If a person doesn’t absorb knowledge, his life becomes a pool of stagnant water." Ethan Shaw’s voice took on a commanding edge.

"You’ve learned so much, and isn’t your life still a pool of stagnant water? If my son lives a dull, uninteresting life like yours, he’ll be the one who’s truly ruined! Ethan Shaw, I’ve been wanting to say this for a long time—aside from your face, you’re as romantic as a block of wood!"

Without waiting for Ethan Shaw to reply, Naomi Kenway hung up the phone.

’Why live such a tiring life trying to please others? It’s much more satisfying to just confront them directly.’

"Mom... was that Dad?" Ian Shaw walked over. "Did you and Dad have a fight?"

He looked very upset, almost fearful.

"Nope," Naomi Kenway said, ruffling Ian Shaw’s hair. "It was just some annoying salesperson. They can’t sell their product so they just keep calling, without any consideration for other people’s feelings! Don’t you think so, Annie?"

Hearing that his mom and dad weren’t fighting, the nervous look on Ian Shaw’s face vanished. "So annoying!"

he chimed in.

*

A heavy gloom filled the office. Ethan Shaw’s expression was as cold as ice.

’Naomi Kenway actually chewed me out. What on earth is she trying to do? What is this scheme supposed to achieve?’

His phone buzzed with a few notifications. Ethan Shaw glanced down and saw a friend request. The note attached said, "Naomi Kenway."

His eyes darkened, and he hit "Decline." But a moment later, several more identical friend requests popped up.

Ethan Shaw almost laughed out of anger. ’Is she trying to annoy me by imitating me?’ Pestered beyond endurance, he had no choice but to hit "Accept."

A few more messages popped up, all from Naomi Kenway.

Several photos filled his screen, all of them of Ian Shaw. There was one of him on the swing, another of him kicking a soccer ball, and one where he was leaning down to smell a jasmine flower... In every single one, Ian Shaw wore a brilliant smile.

A flicker of emotion crossed Ethan Shaw’s eyes. He reached out and touched the photo.

He was beginning to understand Naomi Kenway.