Chapter 2

To Sebastian, any kid born to me was nothing more than a groveling mutt, a worthless stray begging for scraps.

Sebastian sneered, his voice dripping with mockery. "Did Iris send you? Ran out of your money? So she let you come here with that broken urn, trying to pull a sob story?"

Felix didn't understand what Sebastian was saying, but he just held the urn stubbornly.

He said, "Sebastian, my Mommy is really nice. She's really quiet. She doesn't make any trouble, just sleeping in here."

Sebastian gave a cold, mocking laugh and drove his foot into Felix's shoulder.

He barked, "Get lost!"

Felix flew through the air like a kite with its string cut, landing with a heavy thud in the snow.

The urn he had been holding tumbled far across the snowy ground.

Felix cried out, "Mommy!"

Ignoring the pain in his body, he crawled desperately toward the urn, hugging it tightly to his chest. He rubbed his cheek against the cold clay, and big tears fell.

He whispered, "I'm sorry, Mommy. Did it hurt when you fell? Let me blow on it for you."

I couldn't bear to watch this.

I felt as if my heart had been crushed by a large hand.

Felix was Sebastian's own flesh and blood!

How could he do this to Felix?

I wanted to rush over and grab Sebastian by the throat, to tell him the truth, but I could only scream helplessly, my voice swallowed by the cold wind.

Sebastian, furious at Felix's actions, strode over and stepped on the back of Felix's hand with his military boots, pressing down hard.

He sneered, "Go back and tell Iris. If she wants money, let her crawl over and beg me! Sending a stray kid with a broken urn, pretending to pull some pathetic act? She's not even afraid of karma!"

Felix's whole body convulsed in pain, but he bit his lip and refused to let go.

He choked out, "My Mommy didn't ask for money. She is dead. This is my Mommy."

"Dead?" Sebastian paused, then let out a scornful laugh.

He sneered, "Bad weeds never die. A vain, money-grubbing bitch like her? She'd never have the guts to die."

Scarlett, standing nearby, stirred things up. "That's right. Sebastian, this is definitely her latest trick. Five years ago, she sold your defense plans for money. Now she's pretending to be dead for money. There's nothing she wouldn't stoop to," she said.

The hesitation in Sebastian's eyes disappeared instantly, replaced by a deeper disgust.

He ordered, "Come on. Take this little beggar and toss him far away. He's making me disgusted."

Felix was yanked up by the collar and tossed out like trash.

But like a little fighter who just wouldn't give up, he took advantage of the guard shift and got in through the dog hole at the back door.

I drifted in after him.

I had lived in this place for three years, and I knew everything about it like the back of my hand.

But now, the whole place was lit up with festive decorations. I heard it was to celebrate Scarlett's birthday.

Felix hid behind the rockery in the garden, her lips turning blue from the cold.

He was so hungry.

The pavilion not far in front was loaded with fancy snacks and fruits.

Scarlett was sitting there, basking in the compliments from a group of officers' wives.

"Scarlett, Sebastian really spoils you. These rare fruits are worth a fortune, almost impossible to get," one of the ladies said.

"That's right! Scarlett is Sebastian's lifesaver. If she hadn't exposed that bitch Iris years ago, Sebastian wouldn't be where he is now," another chimed in.

Scarlett giggled, her laughter ringing out. "Forget about that unlucky woman. I heard she's working the streets in the slums now, filthy as ever," she said.

I drifted above, staring at Scarlett's hypocritical face, wishing to tear her apart.

Back then, she eavesdropped on my conversation with the enemy general.

She knew I was only faking my surrender to protect Sebastian. But she twisted the story and told him I sold the battle plans for money.

Later, Sebastian managed to break through the siege, and she stole the credit, claiming she was the one who rushed the intel to him overnight.

I became a traitor, and she became a hero.

Felix stared at the snacks on the table, swallowing hard as his mouth watered.

He took out some moldy bread from inside his coat. It was all he had left, saved for three days, his only food.

He broke a small piece and popped it into his mouth, then carefully tucked the rest into the gap beneath the urn's lid.

With trembling lips, Felix whispered, "Mommy, you eat."

He imagined the bread as those precious fruits on the table.

I cried so hard it felt like my soul was fading away.

Sweet baby, I couldn't eat anything now.

Just then, a dog ran over and barked at the rockery.

Scarlett turned at the sound of the barking and spotted Felix, curled up in a ball.

She sneered, "Well, if it isn't that little bastard just now? You actually slipped in."

She walked over in high heels, towering over Felix with a look of disdain.

Felix hugged the urn to his chest, his voice shaking as he said, "I... I didn't steal anything."

Scarlett's eyes locked onto the urn, and a trace of viciousness flashed in her eyes.

"So this is that shameless excuse for a mom of yours?" she sneered.

She reached out, trying to snatch it away.