The Contracted Stripper

Luca pulled into the driveway, his heart racing as he saw the front door of the house slightly ajar.

The house where he had left Mrs. Jessica and the nurse was supposed to be a safe haven, hidden far from the reach of those hunting her.

Yet, the ominous silence that greeted him screamed that something was wrong.

Jumping out of the car, he hurriedly made his way inside, his voice echoing through the empty halls. “Mrs. Jessica? Nurse?” His heart pounded in his chest as he moved from room to room, seeing the signs of a struggle.

The furniture was overturned, and there were broken glass and scattered papers everywhere. Fear gnawed at him with each passing second. His breath caught when he finally stumbled upon the lifeless body of the nurse sprawled on the floor.

Blood pooled beneath her, and her eyes stared vacantly at the ceiling.

Luca knelt beside her, feeling the weight of the situation crashing down on him.”Dammit,” he muttered under his breath, shaking his head. She had been so brave, and now she was gone, sacrificed in an effort to keep Mrs. Jessica safe. He stood up, his mind racing.

“Mrs. Jessica!” he called out again, his voice more frantic. He moved toward the study, where he suddenly heard a creaking sound – faint, but unmistakable.

Luca’s pulse quickened as he approached the door to the study. Slowly, he pushed it open, revealing Mrs. Jessica huddled in a corner, her body trembling with sobs. She was pale, her hair disheveled, and her face streaked with tears.”Luca…” she whimpered as she saw him.

“They killed her… They’re coming for me, Luca. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to die.”He rushed over and knelt beside her, his arms wrapping around her protectively. “I’m here now. You’re safe. I promise you, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Mrs. Jessica clung to him as if her life depended on it, her sobs quieting, though the fear in her eyes remained. “We have to go,” she whispered.

“They’ll come back.”Luca nodded, pulling her to her feet gently. “You’re right. We need to move, now.” He helped her out of the house and into the car, his mind already formulating a plan.

As soon as they were inside, he floored the accelerator, speeding down the narrow road that led away from the house. The night was thick around them, the headlights of his car cutting through the darkness.

But as they drove further, Luca noticed something that made his blood run cold – in the rearview mirror, headlights appeared, gaining on them fast. His heart leaped into his throat.

They were being followed.” Mrs. Jessica,” he said, his voice tense, “someone’s behind us. Hold on tight.”Her eyes widened in fear as she turned to look out the back window. “No… No, they can’t find me! Please, Luca, don’t let them take me!”

“I won’t,” Luca assured her, gripping the steering wheel tighter as he pressed harder on the gas pedal. He grabbed his phone with one hand and dialed a number quickly.

When the call connected, he spoke rapidly. “I need backup. Now. We’re being followed – heading east, out of the city. I’ll send the coordinates. Be quick.”He ended the call and focused on the road ahead.

The car behind them was gaining speed, edging closer. Luca cursed under his breath, weaving in and out of lanes to keep his distance.”They’re trying to overtake us,” he muttered, his eyes flicking between the road and the mirror.

“But not today.”With a sharp turn, Luca took a detour down a less-traveled route, hoping to lose the tailing car. The vehicle behind swerved as well, trying to keep up, but Luca was faster, pushing the car to its limits.

Meanwhile, across town… Bella leaned against her desk, a devilish smile playing on her lips as she spoke into her phone. “Everything is falling into place. The Kendricks will be nothing but a memory once this is over. That family has no idea what’s coming.”She paused, listening to the voice on the other end of the call, then laughed softly.

“Yes, I have everything under control. Ryan is clueless, and soon, this company will be mine. They’re too distracted with their own problems to see what’s really happening.”

Unbeknownst to Bella, Ryan stood just behind the slightly ajar door, his brows furrowed as he overheard her conversation. His stomach churned as confusion and suspicion gnawed at him.

Who was Bella talking to? And more importantly, who was she planning to destroy? He took a deep breath, trying to gather his thoughts, but his mind was racing. He had trusted Bella and believed she had his best interests at heart, but now… Now it sounded like she was plotting something far darker.

Stepping into the room, Ryan cleared his throat, causing Bella to whirl around in surprise. She quickly ended the call and pocketed her phone, plastering a smile on her face.”Ryan! I didn’t hear you come in.” Her tone was sweet, but Ryan could see the flicker of alarm in her eyes. He crossed his arms, his voice low and cold.

“Who were you talking to, Bella?”Her smile faltered for a split second before she composed herself. “Oh, just a friend. We were discussing business.”

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “Business? It sounded more like you were talking about destroying someone.”Bella’s face tightened, but she kept her composure.

“Ryan, you’re being paranoid. Everything I do is for us, for this company.”Ryan wasn’t convinced.

“Iris. Who do you want to destroy? You mentioned my family.

“Bella’s eyes widened, and for a moment, panic flashed across her face. But she quickly masked it with a laugh, shaking her head. “Your family? Oh, Ryan, don’t be silly. Why would I want to hurt your family?”

He stared at her, his heart heavy with suspicion and doubt. He wanted to believe her, wanted to trust that she wasn’t betraying him, but the pieces weren’t adding up.

“Then tell me, Bella. What’s going on? You’re acting like there’s some secret plan you’re hiding from me.”Bella’s smile tightened, and she took a step closer to him, her hand resting on his chest. “Ryan, trust me. Everything I’m doing is to protect you, to protect us. You have no idea how dangerous the world can be. But I do. And that’s why you need me.”

Ryan swallowed, his eyes searching hers for the truth. But all he saw was the mask she wore, hiding whatever dark secret was lurking beneath the surface.”Are you sure about that?” he asked quietly, his voice laced with doubt.

Bella’s eyes gleamed, her smile never faltering. “Absolutely.”

Back on the road… Luca’s car sped down the darkened road, the pursuing vehicle relentless in its chase. The gap between them was closing, and Luca knew it was only a matter of time before they tried something more aggressive.

Suddenly, the car behind them swerved to the side, pulling up alongside Luca’s car. Mrs. Jessica gasped, her hand clutching the seat as the vehicle edged closer, trying to force them off the road.

Luca’s jaw clenched as he made a sharp turn, barely avoiding a collision. “Hang on!” he yelled, the tires screeching as he pushed the car harder.Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

The pursuing car swerved again, this time attempting to ram them. Luca jerked the wheel, dodging the attack, but the road was narrowing, and they were running out of space.

Just as the car behind prepared to make another move, Luca’s phone buzzed. A voice came through the speaker, loud and clear. “We’ve got eyes on you. Stay on your current path – backup is two minutes out.”

Luca exhaled in relief, but the danger was far from over. The car beside them veered dangerously close, its headlights blinding as it moved in for another strike.

But Luca was ready. With a final burst of speed, he pulled ahead, leaving the pursuing vehicle struggling to keep up. Just as he rounded a sharp corner, two black SUVs appeared ahead, blocking the road.

The car chasing them skidded to a halt, realizing too late that it was caught. Luca smirked, glancing at Mrs. Jessica. “Looks like we’re safe… for now.”

But as they drove past the roadblock, his phone buzzed again with a message that made his blood run cold.

“You can run, but you can’t hide forever.”