The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 111: Renee Jennings’s Crisis of Trust

The other guests were all ready, but Nathan Lynch was huddled in a corner with his arms crossed. His mouth was turned down in a pout, his eyes were a little red, and he looked completely defiant.

Renee Jennings reached out to touch him, but he dodged her. "Nathan, what are you doing? Didn’t we just agree on this?"

"I want..." Nathan Lynch’s eyes were red as he looked at her, aggrieved. "I want the rabbit."

A vein throbbed on Renee Jennings’s forehead. "Didn’t we just agree? Nathan, why are you going back on your word?"

The other guests gathered around, asking what was wrong.

Renee Jennings felt even more humiliated. What worried her most was Nathan Lynch’s public persona. Online, Nathan had always been portrayed as hardworking, earnest, obedient, and well-behaved—every parent’s dream child. But now, Nathan was repeatedly refusing to cooperate, and she had no idea if people would start complaining that his persona was collapsing.

Worried, Renee Jennings couldn’t help but grip Nathan Lynch’s arm tightly.

Nathan Lynch’s delicate brows furrowed. "Mom, that hurts..." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Naomi Kenway couldn’t bear to watch any longer. "You’re hurting the child. Can’t you talk things out calmly?"

Renee Jennings abruptly let go. She looked down at the faint red mark on Nathan Lynch’s tender arm, somewhat at a loss.

"Nathan, Mommy... Next time, don’t make Mommy angry, okay?"

The red mark stung Naomi Kenway’s eyes as well. Scars on children always triggered some bad memories for her. Almost instantly, she glanced in Ian Shaw’s direction.

Thankfully, Ian was still holding her hand tightly, his innocent, clear eyes looking worriedly toward Nathan Lynch.

Naomi Kenway’s tense shoulders relaxed.

Looking back at Renee Jennings, Naomi Kenway still found her disagreeable. "Nathan didn’t make you angry. You hurt him, so you should at least apologize."

Renee Jennings frowned, glaring at her hostilely. "What does this have to do with you? Nina, you’re really overstepping!"

"I didn’t want to get involved, but I can’t just stand by and watch you be so irresponsible time and time again. Since you took on the responsibility of raising him, you shouldn’t just be blaming and hurting him, should you?"

’People who bully and abuse children are scum!’

Naomi Kenway thought to herself, ’Including my past, uncontrolled self.’

[Naomi Kenway finally said what I was thinking. Kids are so sensitive. Instead of comforting him, Renee Jennings is making Nathan apologize to her?]

[This feels so different from what Renee Jennings shows in her own vlogs. The seafood allergy and the heatstroke could be passed off as her not knowing better or being careless, but what about this time? She squeezed his arm until it turned red? Don’t tell me it’s because kids’ skin is fragile. It didn’t look fragile when Nathan was helping Renee Jennings with chores! He even said it hurt, and she didn’t let go. If Nina hadn’t said something, was she planning to keep squeezing him?]

[Rachel... is she just in a bad mood? She should communicate better with her son, be more thoughtful.]

[Why is everyone upstairs defending Naomi Kenway? It’s not her kid, so what does it have to do with her? She’s just being a busybody. She can’t even manage her own child properly but still has the nerve to meddle in other people’s business.]

[I disagree with the person above. I think any mother can’t stand to see a child suffering right in front of them, right? At least I can’t. And where did you get the idea that Naomi Kenway isn’t taking good care of her own child? Ian’s cheeks are rosy, and you can tell his clothes were carefully picked out. If that’s not good parenting, then what is? Nathan’s red arm?]

[The people in this livestream are so dramatic, blowing a small thing for Rachel way out of proportion.]

[This isn’t a small thing. It’s a ’big thing’ that’s been building up from before.]

Unable to see the livestream comments, Renee Jennings was completely unaware that she was facing a "crisis of trust." She bit her lower lip slightly. "It was an accident. Nathan is my son; I love him more than anyone. Are you suggesting I would hurt him on purpose?"

Her tone was pitiful and aggrieved, as if she had been terribly wronged.

Naomi Kenway wasn’t buying it at all. She tugged at the corner of her mouth, as if looking at something nauseating. "Wipe that expression off your face. Don’t make it look like I’m the one bullying you."

"I don’t know if you’re being sincere or just putting on an act, but I genuinely hope you can have fewer ’careless mistakes.’ After all, a child is so young. He can’t handle you messing up like this, can he?"

Naomi Kenway’s words were sharp, and her gaze was as cold as if it had been quenched in ice.

If she had had any doubts before, after so many episodes of "accidents," Naomi Kenway was now almost certain that Renee Jennings’s feelings for Nathan Lynch were not genuine.

Because no mother who truly loved her child would make such foolish and heartbreaking mistakes over and over again.

Renee Jennings pressed her lips together. She couldn’t win an argument against Naomi Kenway, so she turned a pleading gaze toward the other guests.

Chelsea Raines looked like she wanted to speak but hesitated. In truth, she also felt Renee Jennings’s way of treating her child was inappropriate. She herself had a fiery temper and often yelled about giving Jared Woods a good spanking, but she could never bring herself to do it. He was her flesh and blood, the child she had carried for ten months and brought into the world through great pain. She’d fret for ages if Jared Woods even scraped his skin.

’And yet Rachel, who always seemed so gentle, had gotten so worked up she’d squeezed Nathan’s arm red...’

"Rachel..." Chelsea Raines hesitated, but seeing Renee Jennings’s helpless expression, she decided to turn her fire on Naomi Kenway. "Naomi Kenway, why are you meddling so much? Rachel didn’t do it on purpose. You really think everyone is as awful as you..."

Her tone was as arrogant as ever, but her expression seemed a bit weak.

Margaret Jennings came over and glanced at Nathan’s arm, which was still red. She gave Renee Jennings a reproachful look. "You can’t be so rough with a child. What if you give him a complex?"

Ruby Preston also sighed. "A child’s skin is so delicate. You have to be more careful. You should be thinking about it every day, not needing others to remind you."

Being criticized by several people at once, Renee Jennings’s face turned pale. Thinking of Nathan Lynch’s defiance, she grew even more furious. Her eyes locked onto Naomi Kenway as she snorted coldly.

"I didn’t want to get so worked up, but what am I supposed to do when Nathan is so disobedient? It’s easy for you to talk. Communicate better? A bratty kid won’t listen to reason! I tried to persuade Nathan three or four times, and he just wouldn’t cooperate. It’s easy for you to stand there and talk since it’s not your problem. If everything could be solved just by flapping your gums like you do, then that would be just perfect!"

With that, she pushed Nathan Lynch toward Naomi Kenway. "Your Aunt Kenway is so capable. I’d love to see how she ’communicates better’ with you!"

Seemingly mindful of the previous lesson, Renee Jennings’s push was much gentler this time.