The Contracted Stripper

Mrs. Rose glanced over her shoulder, ensuring Ryan and Ivy had left the room with the doctor. Her husband lay unconscious in the hospital bed, his breathing shallow and his once-powerful frame now frail.

Her heart pounded, but not out of concern for his well-being. It was fear-fear of being discovered. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and dialed Parker’s number. Her hand shook slightly as she waited for him to pick up. Finally, after a few rings, his deep voice came through the line.

“Rose,” Parker said calmly, “what’s going on?”Mrs. Rose glanced nervously at her unconscious husband, lowering her voice to a whisper. “They’re running tests on Ken. I’m scared, Parker. What if they find the substance? What if they realize what I’ve been doing?”

Parker’s voice remained steady, soothing her panic. “Relax, Rose. I told you before that the substance is untraceable. It’s designed to mimic natural deterioration, like stress and aging. They won’t find anything suspicious unless someone knows exactly what to look for.”

“But… Ryan’s already suspicious,” she muttered, casting another glance at the door. “And Ivy is keeping an eye on everything. They don’t trust me, Parker. What if they insist on taking Ken somewhere else?”

Parker’s tone turned firm. “Don’t push them to bring him to my hospital, Rose. That’ll only make them more suspicious. Let them run their tests here and stay by Ken’s side. Support them. Play the grieving wife. They’ll never suspect you.”

Mrs. Rose closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. She needed to stay calm and play her part. “You’re right… you’re right. I’ll just follow their lead.”

“Good,” Parker replied. “And remember, we were both together when this happened. You weren’t even in the house when he had the attack, so there’s no way they can trace it back to you.”

“Yes,” Rose whispered, “I got a call from Ryan saying Ken had collapsed, and I rushed here. That’s all they know.”Parker’s voice softened slightly.

“Everything’s under control, Rose. Just keep your cool.”Mrs. Rose nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “I’ll try. I just can’t have them finding out about… us. Or what we’ve been doing.”

“They won’t,” Parker reassured her. “Now go. Take care of your husband. I’ll handle the rest.”She ended the call and slipped the phone back into her purse, her pulse gradually slowing. She turned back to her husband and gently took his hand, staring at his pale face.

A small part of her felt guilty for what she had done-but it was too late to turn back now. She had too much to lose, and Parker had promised her that everything would go according to plan.

Just as she settled back in her chair, Ryan and Ivy re-entered the room, their expressions tense but composed. The doctor had explained to them that Mr. Kendrick’s blood pressure was dangerously high and that he had suffered from extreme stress.

Other than that, they hadn’t found anything out of the ordinary.”He needs a lot of rest,” the doctor had said. “Any further strain could lead to something far worse.”Ryan’s concern was evident on his face as he listened to the diagnosis.

After the meeting, he insisted on going home to investigate what could have caused his father’s sudden collapse. Ivy agreed to stay back at the hospital, along with Luca, to watch over their father.

Now, Mrs. Rose sat quietly beside her unconscious husband, holding his hand while pretending to be the devoted wife. She glanced at Ryan and Ivy, who both stood nearby, their faces etched with worry.

Ryan’s frown deepened as he considered what could have triggered his father’s attack.”I’m going to head home,” Ryan finally said, his voice filled with resolve. “I need to figure out what caused this.

“Ivy, who had been pacing near the window, stopped and turned toward him. “You sure that’s a good idea? Shouldn’t we all just stay here and wait?”Ryan shook his head. “No, there’s something off about this. Dad’s never had an episode like this before. I need to see if there’s anything at home that could explain it.”

Ivy didn’t argue further, sensing her brother’s determination. “Fine, but I’m staying here with Luca. Someone needs to keep an eye on Dad.”Ryan gave her a grateful nod before turning to Mrs. Rose.

“Mom, do you need anything while I’m out?”Mrs. Rose blinked, momentarily thrown by the question. She quickly composed herself, shaking her head.

“No, Ryan. I’ll stay here with your father.”Ryan looked at his mother for a moment as if trying to read something in her expression but said nothing more. He nodded and left the room, leaving Ivy, Mrs. Rose, and Luca behind.

Outside the room, Ivy stood with Luca, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her mind was racing. Something about this whole situation didn’t sit right with her. She hated hospitals and feeling so helpless while her father lay unconscious in the bed.

And worst of all, she didn’t trust her mother. Mrs. Rose had always been too manipulative, too secretive for Ivy to truly believe her tears now.

Luca leaned against the wall, watching Ivy closely. He knew her well enough to see that she was struggling with something. “You okay?” he asked quietly.

Ivy glanced at him, her expression unreadable. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Everything feels wrong. Like there’s more going on than what we’re seeing.”Luca straightened up, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“What do you mean?”Ivy sighed, running a hand through her hair. “I just… I don’t trust her. Mom’s always playing a game, and I can’t shake the feeling that she’s involved in all of this somehow.”Luca hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“You think she had something to do with your father’s collapse?”Ivy shrugged, her gaze distant. “I don’t know. Maybe. She’s been acting weird for months now.

And with everything that’s happened with Bella and the company… it just feels like too much of a coincidence.”Luca nodded slowly, considering her words.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“So what do you want to do about it?”Ivy turned to face him fully, her eyes determined. “I want to find out the truth. If she’s involved, I want proof.”

Luca’s expression grew serious. “That’s going to be risky, Ivy. If she is involved, she won’t go down without a fight.”

“I know,” Ivy replied, her voice steady. “But I can’t just sit around and do nothing. My father’s life is at stake.”Luca nodded, his loyalty to Ivy evident in his eyes. “I’m with you.

Whatever you need.”Ivy offered him a small, appreciative smile. “Thank you. We’ll have to be careful, though. We can’t let Ryan know what we’re doing. Not yet, anyway.”Luca raised an eyebrow.

“You sure about that? Ryan’s usually pretty sharp. He might be able to help.”Ivy shook her head. “No, he’s too emotional right now. He won’t think clearly, and I don’t want to drag him into this unless we have solid proof.”

Luca nodded in agreement. “Okay. So what’s the plan?”Ivy glanced over her shoulder, making sure Mrs. Rose wasn’t paying attention before lowering her voice. “We need to meet with that man I told you about.

The one who has connections inside the company. He might have information about what’s going on behind the scenes.”Luca’s eyes widened slightly. “You think he knows something about your mom?”Ivy nodded.

“It’s possible. He’s been watching the company for a while now, and if anyone has dirt on her, it’s him.”Luca frowned, a hint of concern in his voice. “This could get dangerous, Ivy. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”Ivy’s expression hardened. “I have to be. For my father.”

Luca hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Okay. Let’s set up the meeting. The sooner, the better.”Just then, Mrs. Rose stepped out of the room, her eyes still red from crying. She glanced between Ivy and Luca, her expression wary. “What are you two talking about?”Ivy quickly plastered on a neutral expression, shrugging casually.

“Just making sure Luca’s on board to stay with me while Ryan’s gone. We’ll be here for Dad.”Mrs. Rose nodded slowly, her gaze lingering on them for a moment before she sighed. “Good. We need all the support we can get.”As Mrs. Rose turned and walked away, Luca leaned in closer to Ivy.

“We need to move fast.”Ivy nodded, her mind already racing ahead. She could feel it in her gut-something was coming. Something big. And whatever it was, it would change everything.

Later that night, Luca and Ivy stood outside the hospital, the cool night air sharp against their skin. Luca glanced at his phone, checking for updates on the man they were supposed to meet.

Finally, a message came through.”He’s here,” Luca said, his voice low. Ivy’s heart raced as she nodded.

“Let’s go.”They walked quickly toward the back of the hospital, where a shadowy figure stood waiting. As they approached, the man stepped forward, his face hidden beneath a hood.”You’ve been asking a lot of questions,” the man said, his voice rough.