The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 16: No Apology, Nobody Leaves Today

Seeing the two’s argument escalate to punches, staff members rushed forward to separate them. But the two children had each other in a death grip, and the staff, afraid of hurting them, found it surprisingly difficult to pull them apart.

*

Naomi Kenway seemed to hear faint arguing, though she couldn’t make it out clearly. She frowned and turned to a staff member beside her. "Is something happening up ahead?"

The staff member didn’t know what was going on. "I don’t think so. There won’t be any accidents."

Naomi Kenway’s heart began to beat erratically. It wasn’t until she saw the director, who had been leisurely relaxing on a wooden bench under a willow tree, suddenly rush forward that she knew something was wrong.

Ignoring the calls of the cameraman behind her, Naomi Kenway broke into a sprint.

Hearing the commotion, the other guests hurried over as well.

By the time Naomi Kenway arrived, the battle was already over. Jared Woods was slumped on the ground, wailing, while her own son stood to the side, tightly clutching a bouquet of wildflowers.

Naomi Kenway had a good idea of what had happened. She rushed over, crouching down to touch Ian Shaw’s face. She gave him a thorough check for injuries, and only after confirming he was unharmed did she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Annie, are you hurt?"

Ian Shaw shook his head and held up the flowers in his hand, his eyes filled with apology. "I’m sorry, Mommy. Annie couldn’t protect your gift."

The wildflowers were crushed and had lost their vibrant beauty, but Naomi Kenway felt nothing but endless joy from them.

"They’re beautiful flowers. Thank you, Annie. Mommy loves them."

A smile appeared on Ian Shaw’s face.

"Aunt Kenway, that jerk Jared Woods just snatched the flowers Annie was giving you and even said bad things about you! But Annie got the flowers back in the end. He’s so amazing!" Carina Sanders praised, conveniently clearing up Naomi Kenway’s confusion.

’So it was because of me.’ A mix of poignant emotion and gratitude welled up in Naomi Kenway’s heart.

"Ah! Jared! My son! What happened to you? Who bullied you? Tell Mommy, quick!" Chelsea Raines’s shriek erupted from behind them.

Jared Woods threw himself into Chelsea Raines’s arms as if he’d finally found his savior. His tanned face was a mess of tears and snot. "Mommy, it hurts so much! Ian Shaw tried to beat me to death! Mommy, he tried to kill me! It hurts so much!"

Chelsea Raines had always doted on Jared Woods as if he were the apple of her eye. Hearing his words, she shot up furiously. She raised her hand to strike Ian Shaw, but it was caught by another, more powerful hand.

Naomi Kenway’s grip tightened, her eyes as cold as ice. "What do you think you’re doing? You dare try to hit my son in front of me?"

Chelsea Raines winced, the pressure on her wrist causing her to grimace in pain. "Your son bullied my son! Are you saying I can’t hit him back?"

"My son bullied your son?" A cold sneer touched Naomi Kenway’s lips. "It was your son who tried to steal from mine, and now you’re here playing the victim?"

Renee Jennings squeezed between the two of them. "Don’t be rash! Let’s all just talk this out calmly."

Naomi Kenway released her grip. Chelsea Raines clutched her wrist, speechless with pain.

Ruby Preston said, "Let’s not resort to violence. I don’t think a well-behaved child like Annie would hit someone."

Chelsea Raines was so angry she retorted instantly, "What do you mean, ’you don’t think’? Can’t you see how miserably my son is crying? It’s all because that little brat Ian Shaw beat him!"

"We all saw it. Jared Woods started it, and he was the one who threw the first punch, picking on someone younger," said Simon Sawyer.

Carina Sanders nodded emphatically. "Yes, yes, that’s right! We all saw it!"

Chelsea Raines’s face turned pale. She forced a smile and asked Nathan Lynch, "What about you, Nathan? Did you see it too? Surely the other kids are just making things up, right?"

Nathan Lynch understood the hint in Chelsea Raines’s eyes, but he remembered his teacher had taught him to always be honest. He shook his head and, under Chelsea’s expectant gaze, said slowly, "They’re not lying. Jared Woods really did start it."

Chelsea Raines’s face was ashen, but she stubbornly insisted, "My son is the one on the ground crying his eyes out, while Ian Shaw is standing there like nothing happened. My son was clearly hurt the most, so he owes my son an apology!"

"You’ve got some nerve," Naomi Kenway scoffed, unable to remain calm when it came to her son. "If you want to play the victim, let’s talk facts. My son is two years younger than yours. He’s not as tall or as strong. In a fight, he would obviously be at a greater disadvantage. Shouldn’t the older one be apologizing to the younger one?"

Chelsea Raines pressed her lips together. "You’ve got a sharp tongue. My son was beaten so badly, and you won’t even offer a simple apology?"

"Beaten badly?" Naomi Kenway shot a cold glance at Jared Woods. "Your son is just wailing on the ground without a single scratch on him, and you’re telling me he was beaten badly?"

Jared Woods immediately stopped crying. ’Was it his fault his skin was too tough to show any marks?’

Naomi Kenway then took Ian Shaw’s hand and placed it on her palm. It was bright red from hitting Jared Woods. "Look," she said. "My son’s hand is all red because of your son."

Jared Woods cried out, "I did not!"

Chelsea Raines’s eyes widened. "You’re talking nonsense."

"*I’m* talking nonsense? You just accused my son with zero evidence. But over here, I have not only witnesses but also an injury."

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, the director spoke up, trying to mediate. "Everyone, let’s head back to the plaza."

Chelsea Raines was furious. "I’ll let you off the hook this time."

She went to take Jared Woods’s hand, but just as they were about to leave, a cold voice came from behind. "Who said you could leave? Have Jared Woods apologize to my son!"

Chelsea Raines spun around. "Are you ever going to let this go?"

Renee Jennings immediately tried to smooth things over. "Nina, let’s just leave it at that. We shouldn’t ruin the mood."

"If it were your son being bullied, could you smile and preach to me about being calm and collected?"

The sharp retort left Renee Jennings speechless. She cast a helpless glance at the director, hoping he would intervene and stop this farce as he had tried to before.

The director silently turned his back. He could stop Chelsea Raines, but he didn’t dare stop Naomi Kenway. After all, no director would want their investor to pull funding.

Naomi Kenway, holding Ian Shaw’s hand, slowly advanced on Chelsea Raines and her son. Her tone was soft, but it carried a lethal, menacing edge.

Chelsea Raines’s hands began to tremble. She had never seen such a ruthless expression on Naomi Kenway’s face before, and Naomi’s voice echoed in her ears.

"No one is leaving today until I get an apology."

Chelsea Raines forced herself to rally, trying to meet Naomi Kenway’s gaze. But under Naomi’s overwhelming stare, Chelsea found even her breathing becoming labored.

Renee Jennings quietly tugged on Chelsea Raines’s arm. "Chelsea, just bear with it. Maybe it’s better to just apologize."

Chelsea Raines gritted her teeth. She’d never realized how intimidating Naomi Kenway’s glare could be. What was worse, she realized that except for Renee Jennings, almost everyone present—including the director—was on Naomi’s side.

She clenched her fists and squeezed a few words through her gritted teeth: "Jared, apologize."