The Contracted Stripper

Ryan stood outside the emergency room, pacing back and forth as Iris was rushed inside on a stretcher. His heart was pounding, worry etched into every line of his face.

Doctors and nurses moved swiftly, tending to her, but the moments felt like hours as he waited for news.

Luca was on the phone with Ivy, his voice low but urgent. “We found her,” Luca said. “She’s at the hospital now, but she’s in bad shape.

You need to come down here, Ivy.”Ivy’s voice, strained with concern, crackled through the phone. “I’m on my way.”Ryan glanced at Luca, grateful for his support but still on edge. Every second that passed felt like a lifetime.

He kept replaying the scene of Iris collapsing in his arms, the terror in her eyes before she lost consciousness. He had failed her once; he couldn’t afford to fail her again.

After what seemed like an eternity, Luca ended the call. “Ivy’s coming,” he said, leaning against the wall next to Ryan. “She should be here soon.”Ryan nodded absently, his eyes still fixed on the doors of the emergency room.

“She didn’t even know who I was,” he murmured, more to himself than to Luca. “She doesn’t remember… anything.”Luca sighed, crossing his arms.

“She’s been through hell, Ryan. It’s going to take time for her to heal. Physically and mentally. But at least she’s safe now.”Ryan’s jaw clenched.

“Safe for now. But Bella’s still out there, and I don’t know what else she’s planning.

“As if on cue, Ryan’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, checking the screen. It was a message from one of the officers who had stayed behind at the warehouse. We’ve got one of Bella’s men. He’s in custody, but some managed to escape.”

Ryan’s gut twisted. He handed the phone to Luca. “Bella’s men are scattering. If they regroup…”Luca read the message, his expression darkening.

“We need to keep an eye on her movements. She won’t go down without a fight.”

Just then, the doors to the emergency room swung open. A nurse stepped out, looking at Ryan with a calm but serious expression.

“She’s stable for now,” the nurse said. “You’ll be able to see her soon, but she needs rest. The trauma she’s experienced is severe.”Relief washed over Ryan, but it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of everything else.

“Thank you,” he managed, his voice tight with emotion. The nurse nodded before turning to leave, and just as she did, Ivy came rushing down the hallway, her eyes wide with panic.”Where is she?” Ivy demanded, her voice breathless.

“Where’s Iris?”Ryan stepped forward, placing a hand on Ivy’s shoulder to calm her. “She’s stable, Ivy. But they’re saying we can’t see her just yet. She’s been through a lot.”Ivy’s face crumpled with a mixture of relief and worry.

“I should have been there,” she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “I should have done something sooner.”Ryan shook his head, his voice firm.

“This isn’t your fault. Bella was behind all of it. But we found her, and she’s going to be okay.”Ivy nodded, though the guilt still lingered in her expression. She wiped her eyes quickly and took a deep breath.

“I’m not leaving until I can see her.”Ryan and Luca exchanged a glance, both understanding Ivy’s determination. The three of them stood in tense silence, waiting for the moment when they could finally see Iris.

Elsewhere, Bella’s world was beginning to unravel. One of the men who had managed to escape from the warehouse frantically dialed Bella’s number.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

His breath was ragged as he spoke, the panic clear in his voice.”Bella, they’re here! Ryan and the police-they raided the warehouse! Some of the men are dead, and they took Iris!”

Bella’s blood ran cold. She had thought her plan was foolproof, that no one would find out until it was too late. But now, everything was crumbling around her.”Are you sure?” she asked, her voice sharp, though panic crept in.”I’m sure,” the man replied.

“They’ve already taken Iris. You need to get out of there before they come for you.”Bella’s hand trembled as she ended the call. Immediately, she dialed Victor.

Her breath came in short gasps as the phone rang, and finally, Victor picked up.

“Bella,” Victor’s deep voice came through the phone, calm and collected. “What’s happening?”

“Ryan and the police-they raided the warehouse. They took Iris. I don’t know how they found her, but they’ve ruined everything!”

Victor was silent for a moment, then his voice returned, steely and composed. “You need to leave the company now. Pack up and get out of there before the police come knocking at your door. I’ll send you a location. Meet me there.”

Bella’s heart pounded as she gathered her things, moving swiftly through the office. “What about the child?” she asked, her voice low. Victor’s response was chilling. “The buyer already picked up the child.

Everything else is irrelevant now. Get out.”Bella swallowed hard, feeling a lump in her throat. She grabbed her bag, still on the phone with Victor, as she approached the main entrance.

But as she neared the door, she froze. Through the glass doors, she could see several police officers approaching, along with a crowd of paparazzi swarming the entrance.

Their cameras flashed, reporters already shouting questions. Bella’s pulse quickened. She turned on her heel, trying to retreat, but it was too late.

Before she could slip away, two officers stepped into the building and caught up with her.”Bella Kendrick, you’re under arrest,” one of the officers said, grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back.

“No!” Bella screamed, struggling against the officer’s grip. “This is a mistake! You can’t do this!”

But her protests fell on deaf ears as they slapped handcuffs around her wrists and led her outside, the paparazzi capturing every humiliating second. Bella was pushed into the back of a police car, her heart racing as her life spiraled out of control.

At the Kendrick mansion, Mrs. Rose sat in the living room with her husband, flipping through TV channels. She froze when a breaking news report flashed across the screen, showing Bella being escorted out of the Kendrick building in handcuffs.

Reporters swarmed her, shouting questions about her involvement in Iris’s kidnapping and illegal transactions linked to the Kendrick Empire.

Mrs. Rose’s eyes widened in shock. She hadn’t expected this. What was happening?”Honey,” she called out to her husband, her voice tinged with surprise.

“You need to see this.”Mr. Kendrick glanced at the TV, his expression turning grim as he took in the scene.”

I knew that girl was trouble,” he muttered. “But this? I didn’t think she’d go this far.”Mrs. Rose pulled out her phone and quickly dialed Parker.

The phone rang a few times before Parker’s voice came through.”I just saw it too,” Parker said, cutting straight to the point. “Bella’s been arrested.

This is good news for us.”Mrs. Rose exhaled slowly, still processing the information. “I can’t believe she was the one behind Iris’s kidnapping. I thought she just wanted control of the company.”Parker chuckled darkly. “She wanted more than that, but it looks like it’s all falling apart for her now.

This means our plan is finally coming together. With Bella out of the way, the Kendricks are ripe for the taking.”Mrs. Rose couldn’t help but smile at the thought. “You’re right. This is perfect. But I still can’t believe how deeply she was involved.

Voice recordings plan to sell off the company…” Parker’s voice lowered. “We need to be careful. The police are going to dig into everything now. We’ve come too far to have our tracks exposed.

“Mrs. Rose’s smile faded, and she nodded to herself, even though Parker couldn’t see her. “You’re right. We need to be cautious.”

“We will,” Parker assured her. “Let’s just make sure we stick to the plan. The Kendricks won’t know what hit them.”Back at the hospital, Ryan, Ivy, and Luca sat in the waiting room, the tension thick in the air. Ivy wrung her hands, her leg bouncing with nervous energy.

“How much longer are they going to keep us waiting?”Ryan sighed, leaning back in his chair. “They’ll let us see her when it’s safe. She’s been through a lot.”Ivy bit her lip, glancing toward the hallway where Iris was being treated.

“She must be so scared. I can’t believe Bella did all this.”Luca nodded, his eyes dark. “Bella’s finally getting what she deserves. But it doesn’t change the damage she’s done.

“Ryan’s phone buzzed again, and he glanced at it. It was a news alert-Bella’s arrest was already making headlines. He showed the phone to Luca and Ivy, who both read the headline with grim expressions.”They’ve got her,” Luca said.

“But I don’t think this is over.”Ryan’s jaw clenched. “It’s not. Bella’s just one piece of the puzzle. Victor’s still out there, and who knows what else he’s planning.”Just then, the nurse appeared again,