The Contracted Stripper

Mr. Kendrick sat in his study room, staring blankly at the framed portrait of his late father on the wall.

The weight of everything was crushing him. The empire he had worked his entire life to maintain was slipping through his fingers, and the woman holding the reins was someone he despised.

Bella had cleverly maneuvered herself into a position of power, using forged paperwork and her manipulation of the board to oust him from his own company.

His heart ached with helplessness. He felt like a prisoner in his empire, forced to play along with her schemes if only to keep what little control he had left.

The board was firmly on Bella’s side, lured in by promises of fresh leadership and new visions for the company. No one questioned her authority, not even the ones who had once been loyal to him.

Slumping into his chair, Kendrick reached for his phone and dialed a private number. He had no choice but to act fast if he wanted to save his company from the clutches of this woman.

The only way he could make any move now was through covert means. Investigations had to be carried out quietly, away from Bella’s prying eyes.

He had already lost too much ground.”Start the investigations,” he said as soon as the person on the other end picked up. His voice was low, filled with the exhaustion of a man who had been backed into a corner.

“I want every inch of her background looked into. Something has to come up, and when it does, I’ll need it immediately.”

“Understood, sir,” the voice on the other line responded.

Kendrick ended the call and leaned back in his chair, running his hand over his face.

The facade he was putting up was slowly eating away at him. He knew he needed to be cautious-Bella was smart, ruthless, and seemed to have thought through every move.

And then there was Ryan. His son had come to visit, and Kendrick knew that Bella’s manipulation had worked on him as well.

Ryan believed everything she said, thinking she was some innocent victim who had been mistreated by the family.

And now, Kendrick had to tell an even bigger lie to his son to keep Bella from tightening her grip further.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Ryan stepped into the room, his presence filling the space with a quiet tension.

“Hey, Dad,” Ryan said, his voice uncertain.

“I came to check on you.”

Kendrick straightened in his chair, trying to summon a smile. “Ryan, it’s good to see you.”

Ryan walked over, sitting down in the chair opposite his father.

“I’ve been worried. Bella’s been telling me about everything going on… she said the board pushed you out because you’ve been… unwell?”

The words stung, but Kendrick knew he couldn’t show his anger, not yet. He had to tread carefully.

Ryan was still under Bella’s spell, and if he wasn’t careful, this whole charade could unravel in an instant.

“Yes,” Kendrick said slowly, choosing his words carefully.

“I’ve had some health issues, and with everything going on, I couldn’t manage the company the way I used to. That’s why I had to make some changes.”

Ryan furrowed his brow. “Changes? What kind of changes?”

Kendrick took a deep breath, his heart racing as he prepared for the lie he had to tell.

“I know this is a lot to take in, but it’s true. Iris was trying to protect you and the company after your accident. She’s been helping me run things because I wasn’t… fit to do it alone. The board trusts her because they know she has your best interests at heart.”

Ryan stared at his father, trying to process what he was hearing. “But… Why didn’t anyone tell me this before?”

“It was for your protection,” Kendrick replied, his voice steady despite the knot tightening in his chest.

“We didn’t want to overwhelm you with too much information while you were recovering. Bel….” He paused, correcting himself. “Iris has been doing everything she can to make sure the company stays afloat while you get back on your feet.”

Ryan leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. “So… she’s not lying to me? Everything she’s said about the family hating her, mistreating her it’s all true?”

Kendrick hesitated for a fraction of a second, then nodded. “Yes, it’s all true. She’s been through a lot, Ryan, but she stayed because of you.”

Ryan’s expression softened. He wanted to believe his father, wanted to believe that Iris had been acting out of love for him.

But something still didn’t sit right.”I need to talk to her,” Ryan muttered, standing up. “I need to hear it from her.”

“Of course,” Kendrick said, his voice tight. “But please, Ryan… don’t let this tear you apart. We all want what’s best for you.”

Meanwhile, across town, Mrs. Rose stormed into her office, fury radiating off her in waves. She had just received word that Jessica had disappeared without a trace from the hospital where she had been held.

Her carefully laid plans were beginning to unravel, and she couldn’t allow that.

“How did this happen?” she snarled at the man standing before her, the head of her private security team.

“I had her guarded. I had everything in place. And you’re telling me she’s just… gone?”The man shifted uncomfortably. “We believe someone infiltrated the hospital staff.

We found the real doctor tied up in a supply closet. Whoever did this had inside help.”Mrs. Rose’s face darkened, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits.

“Inside help? You mean someone on my team betrayed me?”

“We’re looking into it now, ma’am, but it appears they were professionals. Whoever did this, they knew exactly what they were doing.”

Mrs. Rose clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She wasn’t used to being outsmarted, and the idea that someone had outmaneuvered her was infuriating.

Jessica’s disappearance threatened everything she had built. If Jessica survived and revealed what she knew, the consequences could be catastrophic.

“Find her,” Mrs. Rose ordered, her voice cold and final. “I don’t care how long it takes, or how many resources you need. Find her, and when you do… make sure she never breathes a word of what she knows.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the head of security replied, bowing his head before leaving the room.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Mrs. Rose paced the room, her mind whirling with thoughts of vengeance. Jessica’s escape was a major setback, but it wasn’t the end.

She had other ways to control the situation-other pawns she could move into place.

And as long as Ryan remained under Bella’s influence, she still had a foothold in the Kendrick empire.

Later that evening, Ryan returned home to the mansion.

Bella-now fully immersed in her role as the loving and dutiful wife-was waiting for him in the living room, a glass of wine in her hand.

She looked up as he entered, smiling sweetly.”Ryan,” she purred, standing up to greet him.

“How was your visit with your father?”Ryan stared at her for a moment, his mind still processing everything Kendrick had told him. He couldn’t help but feel a surge of confusion, mixed with doubt.”

Iris,” he began slowly, his voice uncertain. ” you are Iris, right?… “Bella’s smile faltered for just a moment, but she recovered quickly.

She stepped closer to him, placing a hand on his chest. “Ryan, of course, I am. I’ve been trying to help you, to protect you from everything that’s been happening. I didn’t want to overwhelm you while you were still recovering.”

Ryan searched her face, trying to find any sign of a lie. But Bella had always been good at masking her true intentions.”But why didn’t you tell me earlier?” he asked, his voice quiet.

“Because I didn’t want to hurt you. Your memory is still fragile, Ryan. I didn’t want to cause you any more pain than you’ve already been through.”

Ryan felt a pang of guilt. Maybe she was right. Maybe she was just trying to protect him, and he had been too caught up in his doubts to see it.

“I just want what’s best for you,” Bella said softly, her fingers tracing circles on his chest. “I always have.”Ryan looked down at her, his heart torn.

He wanted to trust her, to believe that she was telling the truth. But there was still a small part of him that wasn’t sure.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.