{"id":24817,"date":"2025-12-20T19:45:57","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T19:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=24817"},"modified":"2025-12-20T19:45:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T19:45:57","slug":"24817","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readmore.cx\/?p=24817","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cI\u2019m Lily\u2026 Lily Hartwell. I just wanted to see the snow. The door closed behind me. I don\u2019t know the code.\u201d
She sniffed.
\u201cMy dad is on a business trip. He won\u2019t be back until morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Marcus scanned the mansion.<\/p>\n

Every window was dark. No lights. No movement.<\/p>\n

He checked his broken watch\u2014something he\u2019d found in a dumpster that still somehow worked.<\/p>\n

10:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dawn was hours away.<\/p>\n

And Lily didn\u2019t have hours.<\/p>\n

Marcus could leave. He could run to the subway, wrap himself in his blanket, and protect the only thing he had left\u2014his life. No one would blame him. No one would even know.<\/p>\n

But his mother\u2019s words slammed into his chest:<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let the world steal your heart.<\/em><\/p>\n

He placed his hands on the icy iron gate.<\/p>\n

\u201cHold on, Lily,\u201d he said, his voice shaking. \u201cI\u2019m coming in.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u201cI\u2019m Lily\u2026 Lily Hartwell. I just wanted to see the snow. The door closed behind me. I don\u2019t know the code.\u201dShe sniffed.\u201cMy dad is on a business trip. He won\u2019t be back until morning.\u201d Marcus scanned the mansion. Every window was dark. No lights. No movement. He checked his broken watch\u2014something he\u2019d found in a…<\/p>\n

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