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."