The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 308: Was I Too Forceful?

Naomi Kenway glanced down at him, feeling the warmth on her feet. "It’s perfect."

Crouching down, Ethan Shaw began to wash Naomi Kenway’s feet, gently massaging her ankles and calves to relieve the muscle soreness.

His palms were burning hot, and the skin on Naomi’s calves was rather sensitive, so she instinctively pulled back a little.

"What’s wrong?" Ethan Shaw looked up. "Am I using too much force?"

"No..." Naomi Kenway said, sitting on the bed and looking down at Ethan Shaw. ’They say a focused man is the most handsome, and looking at him now, it’s definitely true.’ She felt an inexplicable blush creep up her face and heat up her ears. "Let me do it myself. I’m not used to other people washing my feet."

Ethan Shaw didn’t agree, simply asking, "Can you even bend over right now?"

Naomi tentatively bent over. The moment she straightened back up, she felt another pang of soreness. She frowned and muttered to herself, "Am I really falling apart? How is this more tiring than a full day of filming?"

Ethan Shaw couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. "You spent a lot of time wandering around the factory, and we walked a long way today. It’s perfectly normal for you to be tired." He sighed. "It’s all my fault for being careless. I should’ve called a car."

"You probably can’t get a car out here," Naomi said. "I think it’s because I’ve been slacking on my workouts lately. Suddenly walking this far is a bit much for me."

After he finished washing Naomi’s feet, Ethan Shaw took a nearby towel and carefully dried them.

He didn’t stop massaging her, and Naomi found that the soreness in her muscles was indeed easing. At the same time, she felt a little embarrassed. "Thank you so much. Maybe later I can wash yours..."

Naomi didn’t finish her sentence. For some reason, she found the idea of them washing each other’s feet a bit strange.

Ethan Shaw’s smile stiffened slightly before returning to normal a moment later. "It’s fine, I’m not tired. You don’t need to help me. If you really want to thank me, could you stop saying ’thank you’ so much in the future?"

His tone was still gentle, betraying no other emotions.

Naomi accepted his strange request.

Seeing her nod, the corners of Ethan Shaw’s lips curved up slightly.

’Subconsciously, he disliked it when Naomi used such polite words. Coming from her, those phrases seemed to instantly create a huge distance between them.’

Ethan Shaw went out to empty the water, then returned and, with Naomi’s consent, massaged her calves some more.

Actually, this wasn’t the first time Ethan Shaw had given Naomi a massage. Back then, knowing her acting skills were a bit weaker, Naomi would meticulously study and break down the script before every scene. She’d run lines with her assistant countless times, putting in more effort than other actors. Some special scenes required her to fly around on wires or film on horseback, and after spending the entire day on set, she would always come home feeling sore all over. In those moments, Ethan would offer to give her a massage.

She was a bit uncomfortable the first time, but she gradually got used to it.

The pressure from Ethan Shaw’s hands was just right—not too heavy, not too light. The soreness eased wherever his palms passed over, and Naomi couldn’t help but admire his skill. She finally asked a question she had always been curious about: "Did you study massage?"

"No," Ethan’s voice grew a little quieter. "I liked to play soccer when I was little. Sometimes I’d play too hard and exhaust myself, and my legs would get sore. I figured it out on my own, and gradually got the hang of it."

"Doesn’t the Shaw Family have maids and doctors?"

Ethan’s movements paused for a second, his voice betraying no emotion. "I usually avoided my family when I went out to play soccer. Back then, I came up with all sorts of bizarre excuses just to get out." A few chuckles escaped him, as if he was recalling the absurd experiences of his youth.

Naomi’s mind instinctively recalled what Liam Sherman had once said. Ethan Shaw had to get Jane Chandler’s permission and approval for everything he did. He was forced to study finance from a young age and later forced to give up his hobbies. His life was a cage built by Jane Chandler in the name of love, completely controlled by her. Liam had said his boss was a man who never had a childhood.

When Naomi first heard this, she had only been mildly surprised. Now, for some reason, as she looked down at Ethan, she felt she could read a hint of repression beneath his light and casual tone.

"You know..." Naomi changed the subject. "I’m not bad at soccer myself. We should have a match sometime."

Ethan’s head shot up, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes. He said in a low voice, "Okay."

"Can Mommy and Daddy take Ian? Ian will be a good boy! Even though Ian can’t play soccer, Ian can cheer for Mommy and Daddy!!" Ian Shaw piped up from the small stool he was sitting on, swinging his little legs.

Naomi smiled down at Ian. "Of course. It’s okay if you don’t know how, Mommy and Daddy can teach you."

Listening to the joyful laughter right beside him, a hint of a smile flashed in Ethan Shaw’s eyes.

Before joining the show, he had faced numerous obstacles. It was nothing more than the board of directors worrying that a variety show was too unpredictable; any accident could cause the stock to plummet. Furthermore, there was a mountain of company business, and his departure meant putting many things on hold. Ethan ignored it all, made the necessary arrangements, and came anyway. He had completed many tasks today, yet he felt a sense of physical and mental ease he had never experienced before. He loved these warm moments together.

Ethan Shaw had almost never accepted media interviews, so he maintained a very mysterious image to the public. He had always disliked being on camera and becoming the subject of idle gossip, and he couldn’t be bothered to feign pleasantries with hosts or deal with the series of consequences that followed a newspaper appearance.

That was how he had always thought, but after a moment’s hesitation, he found he couldn’t overcome the deep longing in his heart. Especially after the incident with Rhys Quinn...

At the thought of that name, Ethan’s smile faded. He asked, feigning nonchalance, "I saw some interesting news yesterday..."

Naomi nodded absently. "What news?"

"Perhaps... you know Rhys Quinn?"

"Rhys Quinn?" Naomi was slightly surprised. "I know him. We have a collaboration coming up soon. Why do you ask about him?"

"Are you two friends?"

"I suppose so. We just met not long ago. He’s very talented." Mindful of the camera, Naomi added the last part to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from spinning a story.

Hearing her unabashed admiration for Rhys Quinn, Ethan already felt a sour taste in his mouth. "So, you like him a lot?"

"I admire his talent," Naomi said, frowning slightly. She felt this topic was a bit strange. "Why bring up Rhys Quinn all of a sudden? Do you know him?"

Ethan snorted coldly and looked up. "Admire him? Would he wash your feet and give you a massage? Since he’s so talented, would he help you cook?"

This time, Naomi was completely sure something was off. "What are you talking about..."

She looked at Ethan Shaw’s darkening expression and realized what was happening.