Hearing what Casper said, Adam could only open his mouth as tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably. "Daddy..."

Perhaps that word finally moved Casper. He frowned, the coldness in his eyes icier than the frigid snowstorm. "Alright, say it, then. What do you want this time? Money or a house?"

Adam's hands were balled into fists, but he was too afraid to speak against him. He had once told Casper that Sydney was bullying him, but all it took was a crocodile tear from Sydney to make Casper believe that I was jealous of his affection toward her and that I was inciting our son to frame a woman.

That time, Casper had locked me in the basement for a whole week.

My son had also had nightmares for a whole week.

Adam couldn't help but shiver when that memory crossed his mind. He lowered his head and said softly, "Daddy, I can't wake Mommy up. Can you give me your quill?"

Casper's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously asked. "What do you mean you can't wake her up? Didn't your mother only donate 400cc worth of blood..."

"Casper!" Sydney suddenly cut him off.

Casper turned his head, a look of shock on his face. "What is it?"

Sydney stiffened and awkwardly changed the subject as she felt Casper's inquisitive look.

"Today is New Year's Eve. If Adam gets home late, Winnie will get worried. All he wants is a quill, right? You should hurry and give it to him. Let's not disturb their New Year's celebration."

Casper's attention was quickly diverted, and his expression softened slightly. "You're still so sympathetic. In that case, come with me."

The group entered the villa, and the wound on my son's face looked even more frightening under the bright lights. Sydney's daughter came over and looked at my disheveled son, asking curiously, "Daddy Casper, who is this? Is he a beggar? He's so dirty."

The girl's innocent words made my son's face flush red.

He looked weakly at Casper, hoping he would explain it to the girl. However, his father was seemingly triggered by something and looked at him with disgust. "Is this how your mother taught you to act to gain others' pity? Do you think I'll feel sympathy for you if you look more miserable? This is ridiculous…"

The redness on my son's face slowly faded as Casper voiced out his thoughts, replaced by paleness and fragility.

Adam thought that… His father really didn't love him anymore.

Wiping the tears from his face, he looked up again. Casper had already gone upstairs, and only Sydney was left, looking at him triumphantly with her eyes full of pity. "Tsk… How sad. Even your father doesn't want you anymore. Let me think… Why don't you call me 'Mommy'? I suppose I can let you stay and be my pet dog. How does that sound?"

"Never!" Adam's body was trembling with anger as his fists clenched tightly, and his eyes were red. "You're not my mommy. I only have one mommy, and her name is Winnie, not you! Don't be so smug! When my mommy wakes up, she'll get back at you for me!"

Adam gritted his teeth and said those words with so much conviction, but I was in so much heartache I could barely breathe. I couldn't imagine how devastated he would be if he found out I would never wake up again.

How could he face the future?

He was only six years old!

Just as tears blurred my vision, Sydney was also completely enraged. She looked around, and the moment she saw Casper coming downstairs, she suddenly fumbled in her pocket and shouted in feigned panic. "My phone? Where's my phone?!"

Sydney frantically searched all over herself until her eyes finally fell on my son. There was a faint smile on her lips as she said, "Adam, did you steal my phone?"

My son was startled and immediately shook his head. "I didn't! Didn't you..."

Slap!

He was forced to swallow every word he wanted to say.

Casper's eyes were filled with disappointment as he held the quill in one hand and pointed at Adam's swollen, red face with his other hand. "I knew it! I knew you were up to no good coming back this time! It's bad enough that your mother taught you to frame Sydney previously, but now, you've learned how to steal, too? What did I do to deserve a son like you?!

"Tell me now! Where did you hide the phone? Give it up right now!"

My mind went blank in an instant, and I hurried forward to shield my son. I wanted to question Casper—What right did he have to hit my son? Why must he believe everything Sydney said?

But no one could see my rage.

Adam looked at the man in disbelief, tears falling uncontrollably. "I didn't take her phone! My Mommy didn't teach me anything bad. It was her! She did it on purpose! She's not the good person you imagine! She's been bullying Mommy and me all along! She lied to you!"

But my son's tearful accusations didn't make Casper believe him. Instead, it enraged him even further.

Casper threw the quill in his hand away and pushed my son to the ground, starting to tear at his clothes. "Say it! Where did you hide the phone?!"

Piece by piece, his clothes were stripped in the open. Adam's dignity was also trampled under Casper's feet, just like those clothes that were thrown off.

Adam struggled as much as he could. "I didn't! I really didn't take it!"

Casper didn't stop. Instead, he became even more forceful as he pinched my son's body, leaving bruises all over.

Adam cried out in pain, and my heart ached so much that I was going mad. I kept reaching out, trying to pull Casper away.

But I couldn't.

I was just a useless soul.

Sydney watched this scene in glee, the disdain in her eyes apparent.

Once he was completely undressed, my son stopped fighting. All he could do was glare at Casper with pure hatred.

Casper was stunned at first when he couldn't find anything, but when he saw the hatred in Adam's eyes, he completely snapped.

Casper stood up and threw the naked Adam out into the snow.

"Since you won't listen, then kneel in the snow and clear your head." My son was about to get up, but Casper added. "Kneel until I'm satisfied, then I'll give you the quill."

I was instantly chilled to the bone.

I knew Adam would obey everything Casper said for my sake, but I didn't want that.

Adam didn't move, and he just knelt there on New Year's Eve in the icy snow. He simply let the snow slowly cover his body.

Sydney held her daughter in the warm room and asked with fake concern. "Casper, Adam is still so small. Isn't that a bit too cruel?"

Casper's eyes were fixed on the window, disappointed. "Cruel? He did something wrong first. If he can't even handle this, how is he supposed to become the heir to the Hawthorne family later?"

The smile on Sydney's face froze, then the jealousy in her eyes bloomed. It was almost impossible to hide. She had never expected that even after all this, Casper was still thinking of letting that kid be his heir.

However, she felt relieved when she saw the ripped clothes on the floor. So what if he cared? It was still her victory.

Thinking of this, Sydney's smile grew wider, and she diverted Casper's attention with a soft, gentle voice.

There was warmth on this side of the window.

There was only wind and snow outside the window.

Meanwhile, Adam had finally reached his limits and collapsed in the snow.

Before losing consciousness, he was still muttering. "Just a little longer... When his anger subsides, I can finally wake Mommy up."

Two hours later, Casper finally remembered his son when he was working in the study, and he called for his residence's butler, Mr. Smith. "How long has it been? Has Adam admitted his mistake?"

Mr. Smith's face was pale, his voice hesitant. "Sir, it has been two hours. The Young Master has already fainted in the snow..."

"What?!" Casper's face turned into shock, and the pen he was holding fell on the floor.

The phone on the desk vibrated at this moment. "Hello? Is this Mr. Casper Hawthorne? We received a report at the department, and we found a body in a rental apartment rented under your name."