The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 360 - 359: Great Upheaval at the Birthday Banquet (Part 2)
Under the watchful eyes of the cameras and the audience, Nathaniel Lynch leaned toward Renee Jennings. He extended his right hand, gently wrapping it around her slender waist. His other hand held a microphone, and his gaze, fixed on Renee, was filled with tender affection. "It is my great honor to welcome you all to my wife’s birthday party. On this very special day, I want to sincerely wish my wife a happy birthday!"
Thunderous applause erupted from below the stage as the cameras perfectly captured the beautiful scene of the Lynch family’s birthday celebration.
"Thank you, Nathaniel," Renee Jennings said, holding her microphone with tears in her eyes.
Nathaniel Lynch replied lovingly, "Don’t thank me. You know that I’m happy as long as you’re happy. In fact, I’m the one who should be thanking you. I want to thank you for your constant tolerance and love. Without your support behind the scenes, the Nathaniel Lynch who shines on screen wouldn’t exist."
He pulled a small, exquisite gift box from behind his back.
Renee Jennings took it and opened it, feigning emotion. Inside was an exquisitely designed diamond necklace. She stepped forward to embrace Nathaniel Lynch, tears streaming down her face. "Thank you, Nathaniel. I’m so moved, I don’t know what to say..."
Nathaniel Lynch gently patted her back and said softly, "I’m glad you like it."
Following the rehearsed script, Nathan Lynch took out the gift box that Sophia Zobel had given him earlier and stiffly handed it to Renee Jennings.
Renee Jennings accepted the gift and planted several kisses on Nathan Lynch’s face.
She said, "You two are the best gifts time has ever given me."
Nathaniel Lynch’s strategy was highly effective. Naomi Kenway noticed that many people around them were moved to tears, including several members of the show’s production crew.
Naomi Kenway and Victor Vance exchanged a glance, a faint smile touching their lips.
The real show was yet to come.
Nathaniel Lynch took out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from the corner of his eyes. "Rachel," he said, "besides this necklace, Nathan and I have prepared another special gift for you. We’ve been together for over a year, and I’ve recorded all the little moments of our family life. I edited them into a video. I hope you’ll find it a special gift."
At his gesture, Renee Jennings looked up at the large screen with great anticipation. The guests and cameras were drawn to it as well.
[This is so romantic! Best Actor Lynch actually prepared a special birthday video. He’s so thoughtful!]
[I used to think Nathaniel Lynch and Renee Jennings were faking their relationship, but seeing them now, I’m not so sure. Their eyes are just full of love.]
[So does this mean the rumors about them fighting and the family not getting along were all fake? Gossip accounts just spread nonsense. I can’t imagine how much trouble it must cause for them.]
[It’s romantic, sure, but I don’t buy it anymore. This is probably just another act they’re putting on for us!]
[So romantic! Rachel really married a great husband. Nathan is so smart and sensible. What an awesome family!]
...
A huge screen hung above the stage, displaying Nathaniel Lynch’s face. He was gently holding the gift box, with the background of a jewelry store.
"Rachel, I picked out this necklace especially for you as a birthday gift. I hope you like it."
He smiled as he showed off the necklace in his hand.
The guests below watched with rapt attention, seemingly moved by the elaborately staged banquet.
Suddenly, the screen flickered and seemed to go black. After a few flashes, Nathaniel Lynch’s gentle face began to lag and blur, then distort into a grotesque image.
Murmurs rippled through the audience. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Nathaniel Lynch frowned. Just as he was about to call someone to fix it, the screen flashed with white light and appeared to return to normal. He subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, but in the next second, a giggling, drunken voice came from the speakers:
"Brother Nathaniel, aren’t you afraid your wife will get angry if you’re on a secret date with me like this?"
The screen instantly returned to normal, now showing a hotel corridor. Although the faces of the two people in the video were slightly younger, they were still recognizable as the banquet’s hosts, Mr. and Mrs. Lynch. The video was from a security camera, with the time clearly marked in the top-left corner: three years ago.
"Brother Nathaniel, aren’t you afraid your wife will get angry if you’re on a secret date with me like this?"
The sound system seemed to be malfunctioning, playing Renee Jennings’s cloying voice on a loop, which echoed like a demonic chant throughout the open-air garden.
Renee Jennings stood frozen, unable to react. Or rather, she was so scared stiff she had completely forgotten how to.
As his heart pounded violently, Nathaniel Lynch snapped back to his senses. He roared in fury, "What is going on?! Who did this?!"
Another flirtatious laugh echoed. The people on the screen were again Nathaniel Lynch and Renee Jennings. This video seemed to have been secretly recorded. The two were sitting face-to-face in a coffee shop, acting intimately. Renee Jennings said coquettishly, "Brother Nathaniel, when are you going to dump that old hag you call a wife and marry me?"
Nathaniel Lynch caressed her back, a ruthless glint in his eyes. He said, "Just give me a little more time. It’ll be soon."
On stage, Nathaniel Lynch was already in a state of absolute fury. "Who’s playing this?! Turn it off! Turn it off now!!"
The staff behind the scenes were sweating anxiously. It was as if their control room had been hacked; the button to control the screen seemed to have stopped working.
The video on the screen continued to play. The scene instantly changed to a five-star hotel. The time displayed was 2:20 PM on May 23rd of last year.
"You’ll be well compensated after this is done."
The camera angle for this shot was very awkward, but when the man who was lighting a cigarette turned his head, his face was revealed to be none other than Nathaniel Lynch’s.
The next video clip was also from May 23rd of last year, five minutes after the previous one. In it, Nathaniel Lynch could be clearly seen pushing a man in black clothes and a face mask into a hotel room.
The hotel room number was 4356. It had become infamous a year ago because that was the room where Victor Vance was exposed by the paparazzi for "cheating."
