The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 413 - 415: Jane Chandler’s Regret

"What? You don’t know?" Mrs. Grant looked utterly surprised.

Mrs. Martin took out a handkerchief to cover her mouth as she chuckled. "My, my. We already know something you don’t. That must mean our sources are pretty good, hmm?"

"What do you mean? Everyone in Veridia—oh, no, the whole country knows! Only Jane is still in the dark. You’re not pretending you don’t know just to rub it in, are you? We’re already so jealous you have such a wonderful grandson. If you’re going to be like this, we’ll really have to give you a piece of our minds!"

The ladies burst out laughing together.

Jane Chandler frowned and cut them off, asking impatiently, "What? What on earth are you all talking about? Explain this research award thing to me, now!"

The urgent look on her face was clearly not an act.

Only then did the other ladies exchange a glance and turn to her in unison. "You really don’t know?"

Mrs. Martin smiled. "Alright, let’s stop teasing her." She looked at Jane Chandler. "Since you’re out of the loop, I’ll be the one to share the good news. Your grandson, Ian, has become incredibly famous lately. Since last night, the news reports and phone notifications just haven’t stopped. The five-year-old prodigy has swept up major international awards, and he’s a key young member of the ST Research Institute! And I also heard..."

She quietly lowered her voice. "I heard that Academician Grant has taken a real shine to our Ian and plans to groom him as his successor!" She put a hand on her hip. "And I’m not just making this up. Academician Grant admitted it himself. For Ian’s birthday, so many big shots from the research world sent their blessings and gifts. My, my, that kind of prestige is enough to make anyone jealous. By the way, I have you on WeChat. How come I didn’t see you post a birthday wish for Ian?"

Mrs. Martin suddenly slapped her forehead, realizing something else was off. She sucked in a breath. "Wait a minute. Shouldn’t you know more than us about Ian winning awards and working at ST? You’re his grandmother. How is it that you’re hearing about it from us instead? That’s really strange..."

Jane Chandler’s expression was one of shocked stupefaction. Her hand trembled, and the teacup tumbled to the floor. A damp warmth seeped through her shoes and socks. She shivered as she picked up the cup.

As she listened to the rest of Mrs. Martin’s words, the expression on her face became even more complicated.

*

Jane Chandler didn’t know how long she sat on the living room sofa. Her friends, who had come over for mahjong, left one by one, until she was the only one left.

"Mom, I’m home!"

Jenna Shaw’s shout startled Jane Chandler.

She snapped, a rare show of anger. "Why are you yelling? I’m not deaf!"

Jenna Shaw walked over and gave her a puzzled look. "But I always talk at this volume." She grinned mischievously. "Don’t tell me you have a guilty conscience?"

"What would I have a guilty conscience about? I do everything out in the open. Why would I have a guilty conscience?!"

"If you don’t, you don’t. Why are you getting so worked up...?"

"It’s all because of you people! If I didn’t have you all stirring up trouble every day, I’d be perfectly happy!"

"Alright, Mom, stop shouting. I have something really exciting to share with you. Did you know that Ian..."

Before Jenna Shaw could finish, Jane Chandler cut her off. She closed her eyes. "Don’t mention it."

Jenna Shaw studied her mother’s expression. Seeing the mix of annoyance and embarrassment on her face, she found it quite amusing. "So you already know."

"What does it matter if I know? Just go upstairs and stop bothering me!"

"What’s going on? Jenna, did you make your mother angry again?"

Jonathan Shaw, dressed in a suit, strode in through the doorway.

"What? No! It’s Mom who’s being weird!"

"Don’t talk back. Go upstairs and think about what you’ve done," Jonathan Shaw said.

Jenna Shaw scoffed in annoyance. "You two are no fun at all."

With that, she ran upstairs.

"That girl..." Jonathan Shaw watched Jenna Shaw’s figure vanish in the blink of an eye and shook his head helplessly.

"Never mind her for now," Jane Chandler said urgently. She beckoned for Jonathan Shaw to sit beside her.

Jonathan Shaw did as she asked and inquired with concern, "What is it? You seem completely out of it."

Jane Chandler looked at him with a serious expression. "Ian... you know about the thing with Ian, right?"

"What happened to Ian?"

"What could happen to Ian? I’m talking about him winning those awards!"

"Oh, you mean Ian winning the awards. On my way back from the office, I got calls from so many old friends congratulating me. They said our family was hiding its light under a bushel, secretly raising a genius scientist!" A proud look was on Jonathan Shaw’s face as he asked, puzzled, "But isn’t this a good thing? Why do you look like that?"

Jane Chandler angrily turned her head away. "And you’re asking me why I look like this? Not long ago, I made an agreement with Naomi Kenway to cut off all contact. Ian was naturally included in that. He’s in cahoots with his mother, so naturally, I didn’t want to consider him my grandson anymore. But now, he’s suddenly become successful!"

She threw her hands up. "So what do I do? What do you expect me to do?!" Then, as if a thought struck her, she pointed a finger repeatedly. "I know, I know! This must be Naomi Kenway’s doing! She deliberately hid Ian’s abilities. She knew I can’t stand her, so she couldn’t wait to claim my grandson as her own, just so we’d never see each other again!"

"You’re making less and less sense," Jonathan Shaw said. "Where are all these conspiracy theories coming from? I think this whole thing has just gotten to you, and now you’re not even talking sense anymore." His face grew serious. "I’ve told you before, a family should be harmonious. You were the one who insisted on making a scene back then, so you have to be prepared to face the consequences today. When Ian wasn’t famous, you paid him no mind. Now that he is, you’re blaming him for not being close to you. Why do you think that is?"

"Kids these days are very smart. At the very least, the fear in Ian’s eyes when he looks at you doesn’t seem fake. That’s not something Naomi Kenway could have taught him."

Seeing Jane Chandler lower her head to wipe away tears, Jonathan Shaw could only sigh. He softened his voice to comfort her. "It’s not that hard to make amends. If you let go of your attitude and treat them a little better... you’re all family, connected by blood. How could they hold a grudge against you for a lifetime?"

"Are you telling me to go apologize and make nice?" Jane Chandler turned her head back. "I won’t do it. If I really did that, Naomi Kenway would laugh herself to death at my expense."

*

Jane Chandler didn’t sleep a wink all night. The next day, she got out of bed with dark circles under her eyes. Before attending a banquet, she had to apply a thick layer of foundation to barely conceal them.

As usual, the moment she entered the banquet hall, a crowd of people instantly gathered around her to chat.

"Mrs. Shaw, you don’t look too well. Could it be you didn’t sleep well last night? If something is troubling you, I’d be more than happy to help you with your worries!"

"Oh, give it a rest. What could Mrs. Shaw possibly have to worry about? She was probably too excited to sleep."