Chapter 38: Chapter 39: I Will Not Divorce Naomi Kenway

Ian Shaw was on pins and needles. He couldn’t stop staring at his phone watch. “It’s five o’clock. Mommy will be worried if she can’t find Annie.”

’Her little grandson had such a childish look on his face,’ Jane Chandler thought. ’She searched, but she couldn’t find a single trace of Ethan Shaw’s childhood maturity in Ian Shaw. Naomi Kenway was always so unreliable, her actions crass and foolish—nothing at all like a proper lady. And the son she raised was just as timid and spineless.’

’Naomi Kenway watched Ian Shaw like a hawk, so Jane Chandler rarely had the chance to see her grandson. And yet, if Naomi really cared about him, how could she forget his parent-teacher conferences? She let him run around looking so unkempt, bringing shame upon the Shaw family. As she dwelled on this, Jane’s dislike for Naomi intensified.’

“Your mother can’t usually be bothered with you, so why would she be worried?” Jane Chandler pushed the plate of pastries toward him again. “Why aren’t you eating anything? We haven’t seen each other in so long, don’t you miss your grandma at all?”

Irritated, Jane Chandler set the plate down a little too hard. Ian Shaw flinched.

He didn’t talk much, but he was highly perceptive of emotions. He could feel that his grandmother didn’t like him, and he didn’t want to be around her either.

“Annie wants to find Great-Grandma.”

“Great-Grandma?” Jane Chandler frowned. “She’s out playing cards, she isn’t home. Do you really not want to spend time with me that badly?”

Ian Shaw lowered his head and said nothing.

’The sight of him only fueled Jane’s irritation. Every other family’s heir was poised and confident, but her own grandson was as timid as a mouse. Ian Shaw might be young, she thought, but personality wasn’t so easily changed.’

’Ethan Shaw refused to get a divorce. One day, the entire Shaw family legacy would be handed over to Annie. Could he even manage it?’

The thought gave Jane Chandler a headache.

A servant’s greeting came from outside the door. Jane Chandler looked up and saw that Naomi Kenway had arrived.

Slightly out of breath, Naomi Kenway walked over quickly and pulled Annie into her arms.

Annie clung to her neck. “Mommy…”

Jane Chandler watched the scene, a little stunned. ’She couldn’t recall the mother and son ever being this close.’

“Mom, Annie has a tutoring class to get to. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take him and go.”

“The tutoring class can wait. I heard you stopped Annie’s Go and French lessons, didn’t you? So what’s the rush?”

Jane Chandler was the picture of elegance, adorned with priceless jewelry. She pointed a finger at the chair in front of her. “If I hadn’t brought Annie here, I doubt I’d even get to see you. But that’s to be expected. You’re a big star, after all.”

“Sit. Let’s chat.”

Naomi Kenway had no choice but to sit.

“Mrs. Warren,” Jane Chandler called out. “Didn’t we plant some new varieties of roses in the garden? Take Annie to see them.”

’So that was it.’ Naomi finally understood Jane’s real motive. This was all a ploy to get her to come here.

Mrs. Warren took Ian Shaw by the hand, but his eyes remained fixed on Naomi Kenway. “Mommy…”

Naomi Kenway stroked Ian Shaw’s cheek. “Be good. Go play in the garden with Mrs. Warren for a little while. Mommy will take you home soon.”

Only then did Ian Shaw let go.

Jane Chandler took it all in. She slowly sipped her tea, then delicately dabbed her lips with a handkerchief. “I never noticed you were so attentive to Annie before.”

“Perhaps you weren’t looking closely enough.”

Jane Chandler snorted. “I don’t want to keep hounding you about this. I’ll just ask you straight: when will you finally agree to divorce Ethan?”

Naomi Kenway raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you be asking Ethan Shaw that question?”

“If you weren’t clinging to my son and refusing to let go, this relationship would have ended long ago. You’re still young. The Shaw family will give you everything you’re due, not a penny less. Let’s just part amicably.”

Naomi Kenway let out a soft laugh, her gaze meeting Jane Chandler’s without a hint of fear. “You don’t really think the divorce is my decision alone, do you? Ethan Shaw is a forceful man. Why do you suppose he won’t divorce me?”

Jane Chandler was at a loss for words. “That’s because you won’t stop pestering him.”

“Does Ethan Shaw listen to me? Can I control what he thinks?”

’Jane Chandler felt a flicker of doubt. They had already separated, so why hadn’t they divorced? What on earth was Ethan’s game?’

’Naomi knew Ethan wouldn’t divorce her because of Annie, and she didn’t want a divorce for the same reason—to give Annie a complete family. If it weren’t for that, she would have walked away long ago. To hell with this awful mother-in-law situation!’

Seeing that Jane Chandler was silent, Naomi Kenway stood up. “Some things can’t be figured out in a moment. You can take your time thinking about it. I’m taking Annie home now.”

The matter was unresolved. Jane Chandler wasn’t about to let her leave. “Stop!” she snapped.

“Mom.” A tall figure approached. It was Ethan Shaw, and he’d rushed over without even changing out of his suit.

Jane Chandler’s eyes lit up when she saw him. “Son, you’re finally here! Naomi Kenway has such a terrible temper. I just wanted to talk with her for a moment, but she wouldn’t even agree to that.”

“Haven’t I asked you to call her here less often?”

Jane Chandler’s face darkened. “Are you blaming me?”

“Since you’re both here today, you can sort things out and get the divorce papers signed quickly. That way, you can both move on.”

“Mom, I’m not divorcing Naomi,” Ethan Shaw said, his handsome features etched with exhaustion. “Can you please stop bringing it up?”

“Why not?” Jane Chandler exclaimed in shock. “The way Naomi is now, she’ll bring nothing but disgrace to our family name! When I’m out playing cards with the other wives, I’m too embarrassed to even admit she’s my daughter-in-law! The Kenway family is a shadow of its former self. What are you so hesitant about? If you feel guilty, we can just give her more money.”

“It’s not about any of that. The point is, I’m not divorcing Naomi.”

Jane Chandler stared at him as a wild thought crossed her mind. “After all these years… don’t tell me you’ve actually grown attached to Naomi?”

Ethan Shaw remained silent, and Jane Chandler, assuming she had guessed correctly, looked utterly horrified.

Ethan Shaw ignored her and turned to Naomi. “Where’s Annie? Let’s take him home.”

’Naomi was watching Ethan, too. She had thought he would remain indifferent to her situation, but he had actually rushed over to the family estate.’

“Mrs. Warren took him to the garden.”

“Uncle Chandler,” Ethan Shaw called out. “Bring Annie here.”

Jane Chandler couldn’t believe her own son was siding with Naomi. Her temper flared. “Go where? Are you sick of me now, too?!”

The slow sound of footsteps echoed from the wooden staircase as Susan Hughes descended, leaning on a cane and accompanied by a servant.

“All this shouting, and still no peace and quiet…”

Her back was stooped, but her voice was still surprisingly resonant.

Jane Chandler fell silent the moment she saw her. “Mom, I thought you were sleeping.”

“You’re so loud, I could hear you even with my bad hearing!”

Ethan Shaw immediately went to support her. “Grandma.”

Susan Hughes waved his hand away. “I don’t need help. These old bones are still sturdy enough.”

She then turned toward Naomi, squinting to get a better look. “Nia. Grandma hasn’t seen you in such a long time.”

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