The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 144: Dad, Your Story Is Terrible

As she drew closer, Naomi Kenway noticed the faint redness on the other woman’s cheeks; they looked a little swollen.

Renee Jennings instinctively tried to cover her face. She had already caked on a thick layer of foundation, but it wasn’t enough to hide the swelling. At the thought, a vicious glint flashed in her eyes.

Seeing Naomi Kenway again, she curled her lip into a smirk, but a second later she clutched her face. It hurt.

"Nina, I bet you didn’t expect to see me here."

"I certainly didn’t," Naomi Kenway agreed nonchalantly. The next moment, she pulled open her car door, only for Renee Jennings to grab her by the arm.

"Nina, you need to understand something. Underhanded tricks won’t get you far. If you want to make it in this industry, the only thing that matters is talent."

Naomi Kenway tilted her head and smiled. "It’s good that you know. Make sure to keep pushing yourself, then."

A flash of anger crossed Renee Jennings’s face, but she quickly scanned her surroundings, terrified someone might catch her in such an unsightly state.

A few junior assistants happened to be passing by in a group.

"Hey, look. Isn’t that Naomi Kenway and Renee Jennings? I thought they didn’t get along. Why are they standing together?"

"Renee Jennings was just limping. I heard she accidentally fell from a wire during a shoot. She didn’t just hurt her leg, she nearly scarred her face..."

"Rachel is so professional. You don’t see many good actors as dedicated as her."

...

Hearing the praise from those around her, Renee Jennings couldn’t help but stand up straighter. But when she met Naomi Kenway’s mocking gaze, her anger flared up again. "Nina, don’t you get too smug. You’ll see what I’m really capable of, sooner or later!"

With that, she turned to leave. Her assistant reached out to support her, but Renee Jennings brushed her off. Ever since news of her "accidental fall from the stunt wire" got out, everyone had been praising her. Having discovered that playing the victim could win her a lot of fans, she had decided to forgo crutches entirely.

Watching Renee Jennings’s limping figure retreat, Naomi Kenway muttered softly, "Psycho..."

Then, she got into the car.

She’d never understand the source of Renee Jennings’s baffling need to compete.

The company had sent a dedicated driver, and Naomi Kenway settled into the back seat.

Her personal assistant for the trip was a chatty young woman, and it was from her that Naomi Kenway learned Renee Jennings had been cast in a major production. Though it was a supporting role, the character was a fan-favorite type and had significant screen time.

Naomi Kenway nodded. No wonder Renee Jennings was so smug.

When she opened Weibo again, she saw that the production team for *Bittersweet* had indeed officially announced their cast. The name Renee Jennings was listed right under the second female lead. *Bittersweet*, like *Youth*, was an adaptation of a wildly popular young adult angst novel. The authors of the two original books had often been compared by netizens for their similar themes and styles, and now that both were being adapted for the screen at the same time, comparisons were naturally flying.

[What is going on lately? My two favorite books are getting adapted back-to-back. I just hope they don’t change the plot so much that they ruin the original stories!]

[I remember Renee Jennings failed her audition for *Youth*, but then she turns around and lands a role in *Bittersweet*. Talk about a blessing in disguise!]

[How can some minor internet celebrity like Renee Jennings land a role in a major production like this? Her acting is terrible. They should recast!]

[What is the person above me talking about? Our Rachel was personally invited by the director!]

[Everyone knows the director of *Bittersweet* is good friends with Best Actor Lynch. I don’t need to spell out what that implies.]

[Congrats to Rachel on landing such a great role! She was so wronged during that last audition. The entertainment industry is just too complicated; talent can’t compete with money in the end! Rachel, you’re just too kind and naive. When something like this happens, you should have Best Actor Lynch step in and get justice for you. Now every time I open Weibo, I have to see Naomi Kenway’s smug, gloating face. It’s so annoying!]

[What kind of hater are you? The audition clips were released. Are you blind or something?]

[You’re really going to believe a two-minute audition clip? It’s obvious Naomi Kenway arranged everything with the production team in advance. It’s a dirty trick designed to fool people like you! If you don’t believe me, just wait until the show airs!]

...

Naomi Kenway was surprised to see herself dragged into it, but after taking a closer look, she realized that Renee Jennings’s character had a lot in common with Hugh Chandler, the role she was playing.

She shifted her gaze out the window. The sky was growing dark, and the city’s neon lights began to flicker on.

Naomi Kenway’s gaze returned to the car’s interior. She glanced at the diamond watch on her wrist. ’Ian should be out of school by now. I wonder if he ate properly today... I wonder if he misses me...’

*

After leaving the office, Ethan Shaw went to pick up Ian Shaw. Ian was always a bit more reserved around him. He walked up to his father and called out, "Dad," in a clear, crisp voice.

Ian glanced around. "Dad, where’s Mom?"

"Mom went to the film set. Aren’t you happy that I came to get you?"

"...I’m happy!"

Ethan Shaw took Ian Shaw’s hand and they started walking. "What did you learn today?" he asked. "Did you listen to your teachers at preschool?"

Ian nodded obediently. "Ian was very good. As for what I learned..." A look of boredom crossed his face, and his little expression turned glum. "We learned arithmetic up to twenty."

"You don’t like that?"

Ian nodded honestly.

Ethan Shaw was momentarily at a loss for words. Ian’s aversion to studying was a constant headache for him.

After they got home, Ian Shaw went upstairs. He finished his homework with his tutor, then played with blocks with the nanny for a while. But he couldn’t sit still, repeatedly running to the master bedroom to check on something.

By dinnertime, Ian Shaw still hadn’t seen Naomi Kenway.

Ethan Shaw noticed his son’s mood and tried to comfort him. "Your mom has to attend the production launch ceremony today. She’s going to be very busy."

"What’s a production launch ceremony?" Ian asked, tilting his head.

"It’s a ceremony they hold before they start filming."

Ian let out an "Oh," then asked, "If Mom is acting in a movie, does that mean she won’t want Ian anymore?"

Ethan Shaw paused. "How could that be possible?"

He had seen for himself how much love Naomi Kenway had showered on Ian recently. She would never abandon him.

"It is possible," Ian said, his head drooping. He suddenly seemed to grow dejected, as if struck by a thought. After taking just two spoonfuls of rice, he couldn’t eat anymore and said he was sleepy.

Ethan Shaw took Ian to his bedroom. He tucked him in and was about to leave, but Ian called out to him just as he took a step away.

"Dad, Ian wants a story!"

Ethan Shaw turned back. "A story?"

Ethan Shaw didn’t refuse. He sat casually on the edge of Ian’s bed and began recounting the legendary career of a titan of the financial world.

Five minutes, ten minutes, then half an hour passed...

Ian’s big eyes were still wide open. He said honestly,

"Dad, your story is so boring!"

After speaking, he blinked a couple of times, looking even more awake than before.