The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 205: It’s Not Your Place to Meddle Here
The bell rang, signaling the end of the exam.
Renee Jennings followed another teacher off the platform to collect the test papers. She paused as she passed by Ian Shaw.
"Ian, why is your paper blank? Were you just playing around the whole time?"
Renee Jennings frowned, but her voice held a hint of delight.
’So what if Naomi Kenway has powerful backers? She still has a good-for-nothing son. Meanwhile, the Nathan Lynch she raised is excellent in every way. At such a young age, he’s already won a city-level children’s competition. He’s my pride and joy!’
Carina Sanders looked at Renee Jennings with dissatisfaction, her voice tinged with complaint. "Mr. Jennings, why are you so mean to Ian? Why do you keep picking on him? My mom says that’s very rude!"
Renee Jennings froze for a moment, her lips pursed in apparent displeasure. "Class isn’t over yet. You’re not allowed to speak out of turn."
Carina Sanders said, "I just raised my hand. You said we could talk after raising our hands. I didn’t break any class rules."
Jared Woods, never one to pass up a chance to stir up trouble, chimed in, "Aunt Jennings, are you feeling guilty?"
Renee Jennings was about to lose her temper, but she just gave a faint smile. "Do you even know what ’guilty’ means? You shouldn’t just throw words around."
"I do! My mom said when people get all flustered and sweaty like you, it means they’re guilty!"
The other teacher came over to mediate. "Alright, students, no shouting in the classroom. Everyone please be quiet and wait in your seats while we collect the papers."
Carina Sanders handed him a piece of candy. Jared Woods took it with a delighted surprise, quickly unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. "Where’d you get this?" he asked, his words muffled.
"The aunty next door gave it to me. You did a great job just now, so this candy is for you."
Jared Woods’s eyes lit up. "So I get candy just for talking back to Aunt Jennings?"
’There’s a deal this good?!’
After a moment of hesitation, Carina Sanders nodded. "Aunt Jennings is just so annoying. She’s always bullying Ian. I don’t like her!"
It was almost lunchtime. Naomi Kenway waited with Margaret Jennings outside the classroom for the children to be dismissed.
Naomi Kenway’s gaze inadvertently met Renee Jennings’s as the teacher was organizing the test papers. She immediately looked away in disgust.
Two minutes later, the children walked out of the classroom. Ian Shaw threw himself into Naomi Kenway’s arms. Smiling, Naomi took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"How was your morning? Did anything interesting happen in class? Want to share it with Mommy?"
Ian Shaw shook his head decisively. "Nope."
"Nina." Renee Jennings’s voice came from behind. She was holding a stack of papers and pulled out a blank one. "This is Ian’s result from this morning’s test. He didn’t write a single word. Whether it’s because he can’t write or because he doesn’t want to, it’s a very frightening thing."
Her voice wasn’t quiet, and the other guests gathered around.
Chelsea Raines had learned her lesson and didn’t laugh out loud in front of Naomi Kenway this time, but merely snickered.
Ruby Preston frowned slightly, but this was someone else’s family affair, so it wasn’t her place to say anything.
Naomi Kenway just glanced at it, unconcerned. "And?"
"And?" Renee Jennings’s brow furrowed. "I’m doing this for Ian’s own good. How can he have a future if he doesn’t study? During the test, he was just holding a piece of paper, scribbling nonsense. He doesn’t act like a good student at all."
"For Ian’s good? Don’t think I don’t know what you’re really up to. My child hasn’t broken any laws, nor has he disturbed his classmates. What he does is his own business, as long as he’s happy. It’s not your place to meddle."
Renee Jennings’s expression was one of astonishment. She thought Naomi Kenway had completely lost her mind.
"With an attitude like this, how could his grades possibly be any good? If he does poorly in school, won’t he just be a useless member of society? Nina... I think you should have a serious talk with him. Maybe he can still be corrected."
"Our family is more than well-off. Ian will live a good life no matter what. My greatest wish for him is to be healthy and happy." Naomi Kenway couldn’t be bothered with her anymore and walked toward the school cafeteria, carrying Ian.
Nathan Lynch watched Ian Shaw, a flicker of envy hidden deep in his eyes.
’No matter what Ian does, Annie’s Mother will love him. But I have to get perfect scores just to get my family’s affection and praise...’
A wave of sadness and confusion suddenly washed over Nathan Lynch’s young heart.
Seeing that Renee Jennings was upset, Chelsea Raines comforted her, "Renee, don’t lower yourself to her level. We all know you mean well. She’ll have plenty to cry about in the future, raising a perfectly good child to be a failure!"
Naomi Kenway’s expectations for her son were truly simple. She only hoped he could grow up healthy and safe, free to do whatever he wanted.
She never wanted that terrible nightmare to happen again.
Ian suddenly looked up at Naomi Kenway, his big, grape-like eyes welling with tears. In his small, milky voice, he asked hesitantly, "Mommy... did Ian embarrass you? Did I make you feel ashamed and sad because I didn’t want to do the test?"
Naomi Kenway’s heart ached with emotion. Ian hadn’t cried when Renee Jennings had spoken to him like that, but now he was crying because he was afraid he had embarrassed her.
Naomi Kenway gently squeezed Ian’s cheek, which was wonderfully soft and bouncy. "Not at all. Mommy isn’t embarrassed by you at all. Ian is Mommy’s little angel, so cute and considerate. You’ll always be my pride and joy!"
Ian Shaw’s crying subsided for the moment. He was still just a child, after all. Usually, he found the questions so simple that he didn’t bother to write anything, but now it seemed as though doing so was a "heinous crime."
Naomi Kenway gently patted Ian’s back. "Grades aren’t the only way to measure a person. Mommy just wants you to grow up, know right from wrong, take care of yourself, and always be happy."
The tragic scene on the eighth floor seemed to have faded a little with time, but whenever Naomi Kenway remembered it, her chest still tightened.
Naomi Kenway smiled and said earnestly, "Mommy doesn’t want you to have so much pressure at such a young age. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters."
Seeing Ian become more cheerful day by day, no longer closing himself off like before, made Naomi Kenway genuinely happy.
Ian Shaw buried his head in Naomi Kenway’s shoulder and gave a muffled "mhm." He thought to himself that he would definitely do well on the next test so his mom wouldn’t be laughed at again.
’It’s fine if they laugh at me, but they can’t laugh at my mom!’
*
The school cafeteria was the size of two small playgrounds. The neatly arranged tables were already set with food, and many children were already in their seats. It was said that the meals here were funded by the government and provided by the school for free, with no charge to the students.
A little girl in a bright red dress appeared, her hair in two braids that hung down her back.
Naomi Kenway called out, "Six!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
Six didn’t have any friends around her. She turned and was delighted to see Naomi Kenway. "Fairy Sister, what are you and Ian doing here?"
