章 85: 22 seconds

Didi's voice reverberated through the room as her anger intensified. "You are nothing but a worthless child!" she yelled, her hand forcefully connecting with little Ethan's cheeks before he stumbled backward and hit the floor. 

The sharp sting of the slap lingered, yet Ethan maintained an astonishing calmness, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on his mother.

With quiet determination, Ethan slowly rose from the floor, straightening his small frame to stand directly in front of his mother once again. His composed demeanor seemed out of place in the midst of the chaos surrounding them.

Meanwhile, Didi, her face contorted with a mixture of anger and despair, began to pace restlessly in the sitting room. Her voice carried a tremor as she spoke aloud to herself, the words laced with both frustration and fear.