The Contracted Stripper

Bella stepped into the quiet Kendrick mansion, her heels clicking on the marble floor as she surveyed her surroundings. The house seemed unusually still, almost eerily so.

She furrowed her brows, half expecting to see Ryan lounging on the couch or flipping through business papers, but the living room was empty.

Her curiosity piqued, Bella stopped a passing maid. “Where’s Ryan?”The maid looked startled for a moment before she quickly composed herself.

“Mr. Ryan left the house earlier today, ma’am. He hasn’t returned yet.”Bella’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “He left? Where did he go?”The maid shook her head. “I’m sorry, ma’am. He didn’t say.”Bella waved the maid off, feeling a knot of unease begin to form in her stomach.

Ryan leaving without telling her was one thing, but his being gone for hours on end without a word? That was out of character.

Especially now. Her mind raced, thinking back to the last few days and the subtle changes she had noticed in him. Ryan had been quiet, unusually so, and he had grown distant far more distant than when he had first lost his memory.

The nagging thought that had been eating away at her resurfaced, gnawing at her insides. Could he have regained his memory? She made her way upstairs to her room, trying to shake the uneasy feeling that clung to her like a shadow. Her mind was spinning with possibilities, questions she couldn’t answer.

Bella closed the door behind her, her heels sinking into the plush carpet as she moved towards her bathroom.

If Ryan had regained his memory, he would have said something by now, right? She stepped into the bathroom, glancing at herself in the mirror before turning on the shower. The steam rose, fogging the glass, but her thoughts remained crystal clear.

Ryan was never good at hiding his emotions-he wasn’t the type to keep secrets or play mind games. She leaned against the sink, trying to make sense of the situation. If Ryan had regained his memory, he would have known who she was. He would have known she wasn’t Iris.

The fact that he continued to call her by Iris’s name meant one of two things: either his memory was still foggy, or… Her eyes narrowed at her reflection. Or he’s pretending.

A chill ran down her spine at the thought. But why would Ryan pretend? She shook her head, dismissing the idea as absurd. Ryan wasn’t the type to play along with a lie. He was far too blunt, too transparent.

And yet… Bella turned off the faucet, stepping into the shower as the hot water cascaded over her, washing away the tension in her muscles but doing little to calm the storm brewing in her mind. Ryan had been too calm, too collected lately.

It was like he was waiting for something, or worse, plotting something. Her hands ran through her wet hair as she thought back to the company Ryan had been keeping. His parents, Luca… Luca, especially, had been hovering around Ryan ever since the accident.

He was fiercely protective, too protective. And if Luca was involved, that meant anything was possible. Bella’s heart pounded in her chest. If Ryan had regained his memory and was working with Luca, it would only be a matter of time before everything unraveled.

She turned off the shower, her mind still racing as she dried herself off and slipped into a silk robe. What if Ryan had already figured everything out? What if he was just waiting for the right moment to strike?

She could feel the walls closing in around her, her carefully laid plans crumbling before her very eyes. But no, that didn’t seem right. Ryan was impulsive. If he knew the truth, he would have confronted her by now.

And yet… that gnawing feeling of doubt wouldn’t leave her alone.

She grabbed her phone off the dresser and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one person she needed to speak to right now-her brother.

Bella pressed the call button, pacing the room as she waited for him to pick up. After a few rings, his familiar voice answered on the other end. “Bella? What’s up?”

“We need to talk,” she said, her voice low and urgent. “Something’s off with Ryan.”Her brother’s tone shifted, becoming serious. “What do you mean?”Bella sat down on the edge of the bed, glancing at the closed door before continuing.

“He’s been acting strange. Distant. And today, he left the house without telling anyone. I think… I think he might have regained his memory.”There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Are you sure? He hasn’t said anything?”

“No,” Bella admitted, biting her lip. “He’s still calling me Iris. But that’s what’s bothering me. Ryan is bad at lying, you know that. If he’s regained his memory, why is he still pretending I’m Iris? It doesn’t add up.”

Her brother was silent for a moment as if considering her words. “If Ryan’s memory is back, he might be keeping quiet to figure things out. Maybe he doesn’t want anyone to know just yet.”Bella frowned, gripping the phone tighter. “But why? If he knows who I am, why wouldn’t he confront me?”

“Maybe he’s playing a long game,” her brother suggested, his voice thoughtful. “If he’s working with Luca, they could be planning something.

They’d want to gather as much information as possible before making a move.”Bella felt her stomach twist at the thought. “But Ryan isn’t like that. He’s never been good at keeping secrets.”Her brother sighed.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“People change, Bella. Especially after something as traumatic as losing their memory. He could be a different person now.”Bella leaned back against the headboard, her mind swirling with possibilities. “So, what do we do? If he’s playing us, we need to figure it out fast.”

“I agree,” her brother replied, his voice steady. “We need to keep a close eye on him. Do you still have men following him?”

“Yes,” Bella said, nodding even though he couldn’t see her. “But they haven’t reported anything unusual.”

“Good. Keep it that way. We can’t afford to make any mistakes now. If Ryan’s memory is back, we need to be prepared for whatever he’s planning.”Bella’s pulse quickened. “And if he’s not pretending?”

“Then we’ll proceed as planned,” her brother said, his tone cold and calculated. “But until we know for sure, don’t make any moves. We can’t tip our hand.”

Bella swallowed, her throat dry. “I understand.”There was a brief silence before her brother spoke again.

“Bella, remember what’s at stake here. We can’t afford to lose control of the situation. If Ryan regains full control of the Kendrick Empire, we’re done. You know that.”

Bella’s heart pounded in her chest. She knew exactly what was at stake-her future, her power, everything she and her brother had worked for. Losing wasn’t an option.”I won’t let that happen,” Bella said firmly, her voice steadying.

“Ryan won’t win. Not this time.”Her brother’s voice softened slightly, but the edge remained.

“Good. Stay sharp, Bella. We’re close to finishing this.”With that, the call ended, leaving Bella alone with her thoughts.

She tossed the phone aside, staring at the ceiling as her mind raced. She couldn’t afford to lose focus now, not when everything was on the line. If Ryan was pretending, if he had regained his memory, she had to find out.

And if he hadn’t… well, that was even more dangerous. She needed to be prepared for both scenarios. Bella stood up, her resolve hardening. She would play along, just like Ryan. She would smile, she would be patient, and she would watch his every move.

But the moment he slipped, the moment she caught even the slightest hint that his memory had returned… she would strike. With renewed determination, Bella walked over to the window and looked out at the sprawling grounds of the Kendrick estate.

She couldn’t afford to lose her grip on this empire, not now, not ever. This was her game, and she intended to win. As she stood there, a knock came at her door, pulling her from her thoughts.

She turned, expecting to see a maid or perhaps one of her men with a report, but when she opened the door, the person standing there made her blood run cold.

“Bella,” came the smooth, deep voice of Luca, his eyes sharp and calculating. “We need to talk.”Bella’s heart raced, but she forced a calm smile to her lips

“Of course. Come in.”As Luca stepped into the room, closing the door behind him, Bella couldn’t help but feel the tension rising. She had been right all along-something was happening. And whatever it was, Luca was now a part of it.