The Villain Mom Awakens — Going Viral by Parenting on a Reality Show-Chapter 373 - 372: Clay Yates

"I saw Secretary Bishop quietly crying in the breakroom the other day. She said Jenna Shaw forced Walter Ford to fire her..."

"Poor Secretary Bishop. Her man was stolen just like that. Such a devoted couple, mercilessly torn apart."

"I’ve always heard the Shaw family was domineering, and now I see it’s true. They’re just loaded with cash. Take away their expensive clothes, and what’s the difference between them and us?"

"Did you see the muscles on Jenna Shaw’s arms? That much definition! God, is she even a woman? No wonder Mr. Ford doesn’t want to marry her. She’s so butch."

"She has zero self-awareness. She knows Mr. Ford already has someone he loves, yet she still deliberately throws herself at him. She just looks like someone who’s all brawn and no brains."

...

Jenna Shaw froze mid-stride. She whipped around and quickly stepped in front of one of the gossiping employees, her eyes red with fury. "What were you saying?"

The employee was thin and frail, with square-framed glasses perched on his face. He seemed shocked to have been caught red-handed. "Ms... Ms. Shaw..."

"You were just talking about me, weren’t you?"

His colleague silently lowered his head. Both of them looked extremely guilty.

’Anger flared in Jenna’s heart. She never imagined this was what people thought of her at Walter Ford’s company. It was one thing for her not to realize it, but Walter Ford couldn’t possibly have been unaware. He knew, yet he let these rumors spread and tarnish her name.’

’Was he laughing at her too when he heard these things? Perhaps in his eyes, she was just the wicked woman who broke up his sweet romance with Crystal Bishop.’

Jenna Shaw couldn’t stop a cold laugh from escaping her lips. She felt her entire body trembling with rage.

Seeing her react like this, the two employees began to tremble like leaves. They were just running their mouths for fun; they never thought they’d actually have to face off against Jenna Shaw.

"’I broke up Walter Ford and Crystal Bishop?’ Is that the nonsense you’re all spouting?"

The employee with the square-framed glasses opened his mouth to argue, but then thought better of it and fearfully lowered his head. "Ms. Shaw, we wouldn’t dare..."

"’You wouldn’t dare?’ You’re spreading rumors about me right to my face—what *wouldn’t* you dare to do?" A vicious glint flashed in Jenna Shaw’s eyes; she was rarely this angry. "Walter Ford and I have been engaged for ages. Crystal Bishop is the one who interfered, she’s the other woman! So don’t you go slinging mud at me! With imaginations that wild, why don’t you go be screenwriters? Is every bad thing my fault? If Walter Ford loves Crystal Bishop so much, why doesn’t he take the initiative to end our engagement? A man like him, who wants to have his cake and eat it too, is absolutely disgusting! It’s a shame I’m only seeing his true colors today..."

The two employees’ expressions turned complicated upon hearing this.

Jenna Shaw couldn’t help herself and grabbed one of them by the collar. "You remember this. The next time you complain about why those two aren’t together, go to Walter Ford. You can beg him or threaten him. You can even bad-mouth him the same way you bad-mouth me. As long as he’s the one to call off the engagement, I, Jenna Shaw, will never pester him again!"

After saying this, Jenna Shaw felt the gloom in her heart dissipate slightly. More than pain, she felt a sense of release.

"You can rest easy. I’m going to break off the engagement with Walter Ford immediately. Whether he wants to be with Crystal Bishop or Melanie Black has nothing to do with me." A look of relief crossed Jenna Shaw’s face, and she managed to force the corners of her lips into a smile.

"Oh, right..." Before leaving, Jenna Shaw looked down at their name tags. "Carl Warren, Chris Hilton..."

She smiled. "I’ll remember you."

She left the two of them standing there in misery.

By the elevators, Crystal Bishop cautiously gauged Walter Ford’s expression. "Walter..."

"I should have done something about that temper of hers long ago..." Walter Ford said, shaking her hand off and storming away in a huff.

*

Jenna Shaw found her way to a favorite open-air food stall. It was lively, with people crowded around small tables set up outdoors.

Jenna Shaw sat on a small stool, ordered a few dishes, and a couple of bottles of beer. She didn’t call any friends this time. Her emotions were a mess, and she didn’t want any of them to see her vulnerability.

’Looking around at the familiar furnishings, Jenna Shaw remembered bringing Walter Ford here a few times years ago. He never turned down her invitations. Back then, with a hot pot steaming on the table, he would sit across from her, dressed in a light-colored cotton jacket, sitting obediently and well-behaved. His whole face would be red as if he were shy, and Jenna had teased him for being thin-skinned, flushing so easily in the steam. Thinking back now, that wasn’t shyness at all. He was obviously just disgusted at how pathetic and cheap it was to be eating out with her.’

Jenna Shaw had no intention of going to a different stall. She didn’t want to run, and she wasn’t about to torture herself over Walter Ford.

"Well, look who’s here! Simon!" the enthusiastic owner greeted her. "The lamb skewers are on discount today. Want to add a few more?"

Jenna Shaw tugged at the corner of her mouth. "In that case, I’ll take another ten."

"You got it!"

The food here was always made fresh to order, so the wait was a bit long. Jenna Shaw stared into space for a while out of boredom, then sent a text to Jane Chandler letting her know she’d be back late tonight.

"Excuse me... would you mind if I joined your table?"

A clear voice came from beside her, tinged with a bit of caution.

The voice was strikingly familiar. Jenna Shaw looked over, and her brow furrowed the instant she got a clear look at the person.

"You’re a friend of Walter Ford’s, right? I remember you. Clay Yates. As for sharing a table, forget it. There’s no room for someone as high-class as you here."

Jenna Shaw regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth. She shouldn’t be taking her anger toward Walter Ford out on other people. ’But then again,’ she thought, ’Walter Ford is such a piece of garbage, what kind of good person would be friends with him?’

With that thought, her tone became firmer. "You should find another spot. With this many tables, there has to be one that can accommodate you."

"Oh..." Clay Yates’s voice held an unintentional note of dejection.

"Simon, your food’s here." The owner gestured with his hand, then pulled out a pen to mark the order slip. "Everything’s here now. Take your time and eat up, Simon."

The owner’s wife walked over from the back, carrying a glass of an orange-colored drink, its rim adorned with a plump, fresh cherry.

"I heard from Old Young that you’re not in a good mood, Simon. This is a new fruit tea we’ve been working on. We call it ’Extra Joy.’ It’s on the house. We hope you’ll be happy every day."

Jenna Shaw took the glass, a wave of warmth washing over her heart. "Thank you, Brother Young and Mrs. Young."

"You’re welcome," Mrs. Young said with a smile. "That young man over there is looking for you, isn’t he? He’s quite handsome. Why don’t you let him sit down?"

"I don’t know him."

Mrs. Young’s teasing gaze grew cold. Frowning, she said, "Is he harassing you? He looks so presentable, I never would have guessed. Do you want me to help you call the police?"

Jenna Shaw looked toward Clay Yates, who was leaning against a nearby pillar. He looked like he had just come from a gala, dressed in an extremely well-tailored suit. His short hair was styled, making his features look all the more sharp and handsome.