The Contracted Stripper

The house was eerily quiet as Ryan sat in the sunlit living room. The rays filtered through the curtains, but their warmth did little to lift the fog that clouded his mind.

He ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated. It had been weeks of the same routine. Bella left early for the office, and he was confined to the house.

The walls seemed to close in on him more and more each day. “Rest,” she kept saying. “You need to rest and fully heal.”But he felt fine. His body was stronger. His mind? That was another story.

He couldn’t shake the flashes, those brief moments of clarity when another version of his life danced before his eyes, only to vanish like smoke.

His thoughts were interrupted by the creak of the front door. Bella stepped inside, dressed immaculately as always, her high heels clicking against the marble floor.

She smiled when she saw him, but there was something behind her eyes. Something he couldn’t quite place.” Ryan, love,” she called, setting her bag on the counter. “You look exhausted.

Have you been resting like I told you?”Ryan stood up from the couch, his jaw clenched in frustration.

“Iris, I can’t do this anymore. I’m tired of staying home all day. I feel like a prisoner in my own house.”Bella walked toward him, her eyes softening with concern. She reached out, gently placing a hand on his arm.

“I know it’s frustrating, Ryan, but you need to focus on getting better. The doctor said-” “To rest, I know,” he interrupted, pulling away from her.

“But I feel fine. More than fine. I should be at the office with you, helping out.” Bella frowned, a slight edge creeping into her voice. “Ryan, you’re not ready. You think you are, but you’re not. Your memory is still fragile. What if the stress triggers something worse? I don’t want to lose you again.”

Ryan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just… I don’t understand why you’re so afraid of me going back. You’ve told me the company is doing well under your control. What’s the harm in me coming with you?” Bella’s face softened again, but there was a flicker of irritation in her eyes.

“Ryan, it’s not about harm. It’s about your well-being. The last thing I want is for you to relapse. You’ve come so far. Just trust me a little longer, okay?” Ryan nodded, but the doubt inside him grew stronger with each passing day.

“Fine,” he muttered. “But I’m not staying locked in this house anymore.” Bella smiled as if she’d won a small victory. She cupped his face and kissed his forehead.

“I know you won’t, and soon enough, we’ll be running the company together. But for now, let me handle it, alright? You’ll have plenty of time to dive back into the chaos once you’re fully recovered.”

He forced a smile and sat back down, watching her as she moved around the house, tidying things up as she always did.

Your mother, Mrs. Rose… she’s been lying to you. To all of us. She’s not who she pretends to be.” Ivy’s blood ran cold. “What are you saying?” she demanded, her voice trembling with anger.

“I’m saying that Mrs. Rose has been manipulating everything,” Luca said, his eyes locking onto hers. “She’s the reason Ryan is in that hospital bed. She’s been working with Dr. Parker to keep him out of the way to keep him from discovering the truth.”

Ivy’s heart pounded in her chest as she tried to process Luca’s words. “What truth?” she asked, her voice shaking. “What does Ryan have to do with any of this?”Luca’s expression darkened.

“Everything, Ivy. Your mum had an affair with Dr. Parker. She’s been trying to keep it hidden. “Ivy’s mind reeled at the revelation. Everything she had believed about her family, her brother, was a lie.

“You’re lying,” she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “This can’t be true.” “I wish I was lying,” Luca said softly, his voice filled with regret. “But it’s the truth, Ivy. And now that you know, you’re in danger too.”Ivy shook her head, refusing to believe what she was hearing.

“No,” she said, her voice rising. “This can’t be happening. My mother… she wouldn’t…” “She would,” Luca said firmly, cutting her off. “She’s done worse. And she won’t hesitate to get rid of anyone who stands as a threat to her if she thinks you’re a threat.”

Ivy’s legs felt like they were going to give out beneath her. She stumbled back, collapsing into one of the armchairs, her mind racing. “Why are you telling me this?” she asked, her voice barely audible.”Because I care about you, Ivy,” Luca said, stepping closer.

“I couldn’t stand by and watch as you were kept in the dark. You deserve to know the truth-so you can protect yourself.” Ivy looked up at Luca, her vision blurred by tears. “What do I do now?” she asked, her voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.”We take them down,” Luca said, his voice steady and determined.

“We expose Mrs. Rose and Dr. Parker for who they are. But we have to be careful-they’re dangerous, and they won’t go down without a fight.”

A spark of anger flared in Ivy’s chest, mingling with the fear that had been consuming her. She had been betrayed by the people she trusted most, and now she wanted nothing more than to make them pay for what they had done.

“You’re right,” she said, her voice filled with resolve. “We’ll make them pay. But how?” Luca nodded, pleased to see the fire returning to Ivy’s eyes.

“First, we gather evidence,” he said. “We need proof of what they’ve done. “And then, we use it to destroy them.”Ivy’s mind raced with possibilities as she tried to think of a way to uncover the truth.

“What about Ryan?” she asked, her voice filled with concern. “Is he safe?” “For now,” Luca replied, his expression grim. “But we need to act fast. If Mrs. Rose realizes that he’s waking up and might remember everything, she’ll try to finish what she started.” Ivy clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.

“She won’t get away with this,” she said through gritted teeth. “I won’t let her.” Luca placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’re in this together, Ivy,” he said. “We’ll take them down-one way or another.”

As Ivy looked into Luca’s eyes, she felt a sense of determination wash over her. For the first time in weeks, she felt like she had control over her life again.

She had been knocked down and betrayed by the people she loved, but now she was ready to fight back. “We need to be smart about this,” Ivy said, her voice steady. “We can’t just go in guns blazing. We need a plan.”Luca nodded in agreement. “I have a few ideas,” he said, his voice thoughtful.

“But we’ll need to move quickly. The longer we wait, the more dangerous it becomes.”Ivy took a deep breath, her mind racing as she tried to piece together a plan.

“We need to get close to them,” she said. “Pretend like we don’t know anything, and use that to our advantage.” Luca’s eyes lit up with approval. “Exactly,” he said.

“We play the long game-gain their trust, make them think we’re on their side. And when the time is right, we strike.”Ivy nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction as the plan began to take shape in her mind.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“We’ll need to be careful,” she said. “One wrong move and it could all fall apart.”Luca’s expression was serious as he replied, “I know. But we’re smart-we can do this.

And when it’s all over, we’ll be the ones standing.”A sense of camaraderie settled between them as they finalized their plan.

For the first time in a long while, Ivy felt like she had someone she could trust-someone who was on her side. It was a fragile alliance, built on a foundation of shared goals and mutual distrust, but it was enough to give her hope.

As they discussed the details, the sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway outside the library. Ivy and Luca exchanged a glance, their conversation halting as they listened.

The footsteps grew louder and closer until they stopped just outside the door. Ivy’s heart raced, her mind instantly going to Mrs. Rose. Had she overheard them? Was their plan already in jeopardy?