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If she wants it gone, I’ll crush the drive beneath my heel.

If she says yes…

I continue watching, hypnotized by how beautiful the scene is.

But it’s over too soon. I see myself notice the camera, get dressed, leave the room quickly.

But Ella is still there. She dresses, glances at the camera once or twice, and then⁠—

The door opens.

Audrey steps into frame.

For one moment, my mind refuses to accept it.

Audrey.

In the bedroom.

Blocking Ella’s exit.

My body goes cold.

“No,” I whisper.

The footage has no sound, which makes it worse. Audrey’s mouth moves. Ella’s face hardens. The bedroom door remains open behind them, a rectangle of hallway light spilling into the room.

Audrey steps closer. Ella says something. Audrey’s face twists. Even without audio, I can read malice in every line of her body.

Ella tries to move past her.

Audrey pushes into the room.

Audrey slaps Ella.

Rage unfurls inside me, hot and red and ready to crush something.

Then my blood turns to ice when Audrey picks up the leather belt I left in the room.

She snaps it once.

Ella flinches.

I want sound now. I want it so badly it makes my skin burn. I want to hear what Audrey says. I want to hear Ella. I want to reach through the screen and stop all of this.

Audrey swings.

The belt strikes Ella’s arm.

I stand so fast the chair slams back behind me. “No.”

The word is useless.

The screen doesn’t care. This is in the past. I can’t stop it now.

Audrey swings again.

Ella stumbles.