The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 35 - 316: Doesn’t Annie Have a Mom and Dad?
The other party’s tone was distant, as if to avoid any association.
Lindsay Woods refused to accept it. She called her powerful friends in the industry, one by one. But everyone’s response was the same: they couldn’t help. They even tactfully advised her to find a new career.
Lindsay Woods’s legs started to tremble. It was only then that she truly felt fear. She wasn’t an idiot; she quickly realized she had picked a fight with someone she couldn’t afford to offend.
Lindsay Woods knew Naomi Kenway’s family was wealthy, but she hadn’t been particularly intimidated by it. After all, what actress in the entertainment industry wasn’t from a rich family? And plenty more had married into powerful clans.
But this time, Lindsay Woods realized the power backing Naomi Kenway was far beyond that of the average elite.
Lindsay Woods wanted to call Naomi Kenway to apologize, but the line was always busy. After several tries, she realized she had been blocked.
She clutched her head in anguish. It was too late for everything.
*
Sunshine Kindergarten:
"Annie, how come your mom and dad haven’t come to get you? Are you a stray? I heard kids with no parents are strays, unwanted strays!"
"I know, Annie must be the Monkey King! The Monkey King burst out of a rock! Since Annie doesn’t have a mom or dad, he must have burst out of a rock too! Annie, can you do a Somersault Cloud for me?"
"It’s so sad that Annie doesn’t have a mom or dad..."
...
The children were lined up neatly, waiting for their parents. And every day at pickup time, Ian Shaw became the subject of their chatter. Their childish words were incredibly hurtful.
Ian Shaw was used to it. Wearing his little dinosaur backpack, he simply stared blankly at the leather shoes on his feet. He didn’t like talking to people, so he always pretended he couldn’t hear them.
"Tch, why aren’t you talking again? Annie, are you mute?"
One of the children backed away. "My mom told me not to play with little mutes!"
"What are you all arguing about?" Teacher Hilton walked over. She had waist-length hair and a gentle, beautiful face.
"How many times have I told you not to bully Annie? Bullies are bad kids, and nobody likes bad kids. Do you want to be bad kids?"
The children panicked instantly. "I’m not a bad kid!"
Sonny Grant asked curiously, "Teacher, doesn’t Annie have a mom and dad?"
Jessica Hilton said with surprise, "Of course Annie has a mom and dad."
"Then why is it always the driver who picks Annie up? Where are his mom and dad? Are they dead?"
Jessica Hilton said quickly, "Don’t say such things. Annie’s mom and dad are both perfectly fine."
"Then..." Sonny Grant scratched his head, unable to wrap his mind around the puzzle. "Does Annie really have a mom and dad or not..."
Watching the other children get picked up by their parents, one by one, Ian Shaw remained standing in place. Sometimes, he wondered about that question himself.
’Does Annie really have a mom and dad?’
"Annie!"
Ian Shaw’s head snapped up. He stared in disbelief at the person walking toward him, the rims of his eyes instantly turning red.
"Mommy..."
"I’m so sorry, Annie. I got held up buying some candied hawthorns. I didn’t think I’d make my baby wait so long. It’s all Mommy’s fault. I’ll be sure to come earlier next time."
Naomi Kenway’s forehead was beaded with sweat from chasing down the candy cart. She quickly wiped it away and held out a skewer of glistening candied hawthorns.
Ian Shaw didn’t take it. He just threw himself into Naomi Kenway’s arms.
"Hello, are you Annie’s mother?" Jessica Hilton asked as she approached.
Naomi Kenway extended a hand to shake hers. "Hello, Teacher Hilton. I’m Annie’s mom. Thank you so much for taking such good care of him."
It was the first time Jessica Hilton had seen such a stunningly beautiful woman up close. Flustered, she quickly waved her hands. "It’s all part of my job. You... you look a little familiar?"
"I’m an actress."
Jessica Hilton’s expression cleared. "Ah, that explains why you’re so beautiful! Annie must get his adorable looks from you."
"You’re too kind, Teacher Hilton."
Still, Jessica Hilton had never met Naomi Kenway in person, so she only felt at ease after carefully checking the information in the school’s registration files a few times.
"Annie, it’s time for us to go. Say bye-bye to your classmates," Naomi Kenway said.
Ian Shaw felt no particular fondness for these classmates, but since his mother told him to, he waved at the group.
A few children gathered around, their curiosity piqued by Naomi Kenway. They stared at her with wide eyes, sizing her up.
Naomi Kenway pulled a few candies from her purse and handed them to the children. "You must be Annie’s classmates, right? You’re all so cute. Annie is a bit quiet, so I hope you’ll include him when you play."
The children took the candy. A little girl with her hair in a topknot asked, "Pretty lady, are you Annie’s mom?"
"That’s right," Naomi Kenway said with a smile.
The little girl blushed and reached out a hand. "Lady, you’re so pretty. Can you be my mommy, too?"
Naomi Kenway hadn’t expected such a question and was momentarily at a loss for words.
The other children crowded around. "Me too! Lady, be my mommy!"
"She’s my mommy! Just mine!" Ian Shaw, who was usually so quiet at kindergarten, spoke up for once.
Ian Shaw stood in front of Naomi Kenway with his arms spread wide in a protective stance. He had a round face and chubby little calves peeking out from under his shorts, but his expression was fierce.
"Annie’s so mean..."
"So you *can* talk!"
Before Naomi Kenway could react, Ian Shaw grabbed her hand and started pulling her away. He marched forward in a huff, and she could see his little cheeks were puffed out in anger.
Naomi Kenway scooped him into her arms and chuckled. "Is Annie angry?"
"They’re meanies! They want to steal Annie’s mommy! They’re all big, fat meanies!!"
"No one is going to steal Mommy away," Naomi Kenway coaxed, unable to bear seeing him so upset.
"Really?" Ian Shaw asked earnestly.
"Of course," Naomi Kenway said, holding out her hand. "How about we pinky swear on it?"
"Pinky swear, can’t take it back for a hundred years, and whoever breaks it is a rotten egg..."
After their pinkies were locked, a smile finally appeared on Ian Shaw’s face, revealing two round dimples. "Mommy promised Annie," he said. "If you take it back, you’re a big duck egg."
"Isn’t it ’rotten egg’?"
"’Rotten egg’ sounds too ugly. Annie doesn’t want Mommy to become an ugly egg!"
Once they were back in the car, Ian Shaw asked, his voice a mixture of hope and fear, "Mommy, will you come pick me up again?"
"Do you want Mommy to come get you?"
"Yes!" Ian Shaw nodded emphatically. "All the other kids get picked up and dropped off by their moms and dads. I want that too!"
Naomi Kenway felt a pang in her heart. ’She and Ethan Shaw had always been so busy, always leaving it to the driver to pick him up. She realized now that it was a form of neglect, and it was hurting him.’
When Naomi Kenway didn’t answer right away, Ian Shaw thought he’d asked for too much. He quickly added, "Once a week... no, once a month would be okay, too..."
’Filming was secondary. Her child was the most important thing.’
Naomi Kenway ruffled Ian Shaw’s hair. "From now on, Mommy will do everything she can to come get you. I won’t make you wait so long again. I was wrong before. Can you forgive Mommy?"
Ian Shaw nodded excitedly. "Yes!"
