The Contracted Stripper

The evening sky was painted in hues of deep orange and crimson, the last rays of sunlight filtering through the blinds of Ivy’s apartment.

The room was quiet, save for the soft ticking of the clock on the wall. Ivy sat at her desk, surrounded by a pile of documents, her laptop screen displaying the encrypted files she had been working on for hours.

Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, the events of the past few weeks playing on a continuous loop. The treachery she had uncovered, the lies and deceit that surrounded her-it was all coming to a head, and now Luca had just informed her of Bella’s claims on the company.

She knew that if she wanted to survive, if she wanted to protect what was rightfully hers, she had to unmask the enemy, and as it stood, there were too many enemies.

The sound of the doorbell snapped her out of her thoughts. Ivy hesitated for a moment, her hand hovering over the mouse. She quickly saved the files before closing her laptop and walking toward the door.

She peeked through the peephole and, seeing Luca, let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

She opened the door, forcing a smile as Luca stepped inside. His eyes immediately locked onto hers, concern etched into his features.

“Ivy,” he began, his voice soft but firm. “We need to talk.”

Ivy nodded, closing the door behind him. “I know. There’s so much going on, Luca. I don’t even know where to start.”

Luca guided her to the couch, his hand gently squeezing hers.

“Let’s start with what you’ve found,” she said, settling beside him “You said you overheard Bella and her allies. What else did you uncover?”

Luca took a deep breath, his mind racing as he recalled the details.

“Bella is after everything, Ivy. The company, the money, the power-she wants it all. And she’s not working alone. She’s in league with someone, maybe more than one person, who’s helping her. But that’s not the worst part.”

Luca’s expression darkened, his eyes narrowing. “What is?” Ivy asked.

“Your mother,” Luca whispered, her voice barely audible. “She’s involved too. I don’t know the full extent, but I’ve seen her meeting with Dr. Parker. They’re planning something, something that could destroy everything. “Ivy’s grip on his hand tightened, her jaw clenching as she processed his words.

“My mum… and Dr. Parker?” she asked disbelief in her voice.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve seen them together more than once,” Luca said, his voice trembling slightly. “And I’ve heard things, ivy.

Things that make me think they’re not just allies-they’re lovers. This goes deeper than I ever imagined.”Ivy leaned back against the couch, rubbing a hand over her face.

“This is worse than I thought,” he muttered. “We need to act fast, Ivy. We can’t let them get away with this.”

“I know,” Ivy agreed, her resolve hardening. “But we can’t just rush in without a plan. We need to be smart about this, gather as much evidence as we can, and expose them for who they are.”

Luca looked at her, admiration shining in his eyes. “You’re right,” he said. “But we can’t do this alone. We need allies, people we can trust.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Ivy replied a glint of determination in her eyes. “There are a few board members who might be willing to help, but we need to approach them carefully. If they’re already in Bella’s pocket, we could be walking into a trap.”Luca nodded, his mind already working through the possibilities.

“I can reach out to some of my contacts,” he offered. “People who have connections within the company, who might know more about what’s going on behind the scenes.”

“Good,” Ivy said, her voice firm. “We need all the help we can get. But we also need to keep this quiet. If Bella or my mother catch wind of what we’re doing, it could all fall apart.”

“We’ll be careful,” Luca assured her. “But we need to move quickly. Time is not on our side.”Ivy stood, pacing the room as she thought through their next steps. “I’ve already started gathering some evidence,” she said, gesturing to the pile of documents on her desk.

“But it’s not enough. We need something concrete, something that will prove beyond a doubt what they’re up to.”Luca watched her, his eyes following her movements. “We’ll find it,” he said, his voice filled with determination.

“But Ivy, there’s something you need to know.”She stopped pacing and turned to face him, a sense of dread creeping up her spine. “What is it?”

“There’s someone else involved,” Luca said, his expression grim. “Someone who’s been watching you, tracking your every move.”Ivy’s heart skipped a beat. “Who?”

“I don’t know yet,” Luca admitted, frustration evident in his voice. “But I’ve noticed things-little things that don’t add up.

Someone’s been tailing you, Ivy. They’re good, but I’ve caught glimpses. It’s not just Bella and your mother. There’s another player in this game, and they’re dangerous.”Ivy felt a chill run down her spine. “Why would someone be following me? What do they want?”

“I don’t know,” Luca said, shaking his head. “But whoever it is, they’re not on our side. We need to be even more cautious than we thought.”Ivy’s mind raced, the pieces of the puzzle shifting and realigning in new and terrifying ways.

The stakes were higher than she had realized, and the enemies were more numerous and insidious.”We can’t afford any mistakes,” she said, her voice steely. “We need to find out who’s behind this and take them down before they take us out.”Luca nodded, his expression resolute. “I’m with you, Ivy. Whatever it takes, we’ll get through this.”

Later that day………

The tension in the Kendrick mansion was palpable as Ivy paced back and forth in her bedroom, her mind swirling with thoughts of betrayal, lies, and revenge.

The events of the past few weeks had shattered her trust in everyone around her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.

But that vulnerability had quickly turned into a burning desire for revenge-especially against those she once considered family.

Ivy’s phone buzzed on the dresser, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and saw a message from an unknown number.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Hesitant, she opened it, her heart pounding as she read the words:

“Meet me in the library. We need to talk about Ryan.

“The message was simple, but it sent a chill down Ivy’s spine. She knew she couldn’t trust anyone, but the mention of her brother’s name piqued her curiosity.

What could this person possibly want with Ryan? And more importantly, what did they know?

Without wasting another moment, Ivy grabbed her coat and slipped out of her room, making her way to the library.

The mansion was eerily quiet, the usual bustle of servants and family members absent.

As she descended the grand staircase, her mind raced with possibilities-could it be another attempt to manipulate her? Or was there finally someone on her side? When she reached the library, she hesitated for a moment before pushing the heavy doors open.

The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the flickering flames in the fireplace.

Ivy’s eyes quickly scanned the room, and there, standing by the bookshelf, was the last person she expected to see.

“Luca?” she said, her voice filled with surprise.

Luca turned to face her, his expression unreadable. “Ivy,” he greeted her, his voice calm but serious. “I’m glad you came.”

“What’s going on?” Ivy asked, stepping closer but keeping her guard up. “What is this about ?”Luca’s gaze softened slightly as he gestured for her to sit down. “We need to talk,” he said, ignoring her question for the moment.

“There’s something you need to know-something that’s been kept from you for far too long.”Ivy narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing. “What are you talking about, Luca? If this is some kind of game-” It’s not a game,” Luca interrupted his tone firm. “It’s about your family, Ivy.

And it’s about the truth.”Ivy’s heart skipped a beat at the mention of her family. She had always suspected that there were secrets hidden within the walls of the Kendrick mansion, but she had never imagined the depth of the deception.

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Luca took a deep breath as if bracing himself for what he was about to reveal.