CHAPTER 3: THE SECOND VIEWING
CHAPTER 3: THE SECOND VIEWING
Marcus replayed it.
Not because he needed to confirm it.
Because he needed to remove doubt from his future self.
This time, he watched differently.
Frame by frame.
Lily’s hesitation before she cried.
The way her shoulders folded inward before Cassandra even stepped closer.
The learned fear.
That part mattered most.
Because cruelty is one thing.
But conditioning a child to expect it is something else entirely.
Marcus closed his laptop slowly.
May you like
Then opened a second secure drive.
And began saving everything.
