Page 121 of Can You Take It?

Luna’s face is a mix of confusion and disbelief as I pull up the video, Emily managed to recover on the USB drive and play it for her. She frowns, watching intently, then sighs heavily.

“You obviously weren’t there to know I wasn’t implying that Izel is the Ghostface Striker,” she says, shaking her head. But then she suddenly looks up at me with fear in her eyes. “Tell me you didn’t arrest her.”

“No, I didn’t arrest her.”

Why am I not focusing on the fact part where Luna said Izel isn’t the Ghostface Striker? If Luna’s right, then I’ve been chasing the wrong lead.

“Wait, wait, you’re saying Izel and Martin are innocent?”

“In a way, yes. They didn’t want any harm to come to me,” Luna’s almost pleading now, as if she needs me to believe her.

“But I have evidence of them kidnapping you,” I counter.

“That’s because I know too much about her,” Luna explains. “She was afraid I was going to tell you.”

“And you weren’t?”

She looks guilty, avoiding my eyes. “Only because I wanted to give her a chance to find her mother.”

Now I’m thinking Luna’s lost it. “Her mother is dead, Luna.”

She shakes her head. “No, she’s not, Richard.”

Chapter 32

IZEL

10 years ago…

September 15, 2014, 09:38:19 PM.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I mumble.

Mom smiles at me. “It’s okay, Izzie,” she tells me. “Just don’t pull that shit again, okay?”

I nod, but deep down, I know I’ll be running away again. This time, I won’t let Victor find me. It’s surprising, though—he hasn’t punished me yet. I was bracing for him to beat me to a pulp, like he usually does, but so far, he’s done nothing. It’s almost as if he’s waiting for something more, or maybe he’s just toying with me. Just as I’m lost in my thoughts, the door swings open, and my heart sinks. Victor walks in, and he’s not alone. A girl follows him.

Mom’s shock mirrors my own, and she’s not happy. “Victor, what the hell is Isla doing here?”

Victor doesn’t answer her. Instead, he roughly pulls me forward to face Isla.

“For that little stunt you pulled, you’ll be getting punished, little girl,” he sneers, and I hate it when he calls me that. Isla’s eyes dart between Victor and me, her confusion growing.

“What am I doing here?” she asks. “And who are they? Why does she look like me?”

“You’ll know that soon, Isla.” He turns back to me, and his face is contorted with anger. With a swift motion, he slaps me so hard that I fall to the ground. My cheek stings, and I taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

He yanks me up by my hair, and the pain shoots through me. He leans in so close, I can feel his hot, rancid breath on my face.

“I hate you for making me hurt my favorite girl,” he hisses. It’s a twisted form of punishment, making me bear the guilt for the pain he’ll be inflicting on Isla.

Isla’s eyes are filled with confusion and fear, her innocence shattered by the reality she’s walked into. I want to protect her, to shield her from the darkness that’s slowly swallowing us both. But in this house, secrets have a way of devouring everything in their path.

Victor’s smile widens as he turns his attention to Isla. Without warning, he starts ripping her clothes off and his cruel hands treat her with no mercy. It’s a sickening, gut-wrenching sight, a reminder of the depravity he’s capable of. Isla’s cries of pain and humiliation echo through the room.

Mom and I can’t stand idly by as he unleashes his cruelty on Isla. We beg and plead for him to stop. But Victor is a heartless asshole, and he doesn’t give a damn about our pleas.

“Victor, please! Don’t hurt her!” Mom cries out as tears stream down her face. She’s a mother, desperate to protect her child from the monster in the room.

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