The Contracted Stripper

The air in the small, enclosed room was thick with tension. Ryan sat on the edge of a chair, his fingers running through his hair as his mind replayed everything that had happened in the last few hours. Ivy stood in front of them, pacing as she recounted her conversation with the mysterious man she had been speaking to.

Luca leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his face etched with concern. Ivy finally stopped pacing and looked at both of them. “It wasn’t easy at first, but I convinced him. He was hesitant, but when I showed him those pictures and videos… he couldn’t resist.

He thinks he’s going to meet up with the girl from the photos-he thinks it’s me.”Ryan blinked, brought back to the moment by Ivy’s words. His mind had been elsewhere, haunted by the shocking discovery he had made on his father’s phone.

The intimate photos, the betrayal-it was all too much to process. Luca, noticing Ryan’s distant gaze, nudged him. “Ryan, are you with us?”Ryan shook his head slightly, bringing himself back to the present. “Yeah, sorry. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”Ivy shot him a concerned look. “You’ve been out of it since you came back. What’s going on?”

Ryan sighed deeply, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. “I found something at home. Something… shocking.”Luca raised an eyebrow.

“What did you find?”Ryan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he spoke. “I did what you suggested, Luca. I went home and searched the house, trying to find any clue about what might’ve caused Dad’s collapse. I didn’t find anything-at first. But then I found Dad’s phone.”

Ivy and Luca exchanged glances, their interest piqued.”It wasn’t locked, which was strange,” Ryan continued, his voice low. “I started looking through it, just to see if there was anything unusual. And that’s when I found the photos.”Ivy frowned. “Photos? Of what?”Ryan’s jaw tightened.

“Of Mom. And Dr. Parker.”Luca straightened, his face darkening. “What?”Ryan nodded, his voice shaky as he continued.

“They were… intimate. Someone sent them to Dad. It’s clear they were having an affair.”

The room fell silent, the revelation hanging in the air like a thick cloud. Ivy stood frozen, her face a mixture of shock and disbelief.”I… I don’t even know what to say,” Ivy finally muttered, sinking into a chair.

“Mom and Dr. Parker? Are you sure?”Ryan nodded grimly. “I saw the messages. The photos. It was all there. I don’t know how long it’s been going on, but Dad knew, and someone was sending him the proof.”

Luca pushed off the wall, his expression unreadable. “Do you think this had anything to do with your dad’s heart attack?”

“I don’t know,” Ryan admitted, running his hand through his hair again. “But it wouldn’t surprise me. The stress, the betrayal… it must’ve been too much for him.”

Ivy looked at Ryan, her face pale. “How could Mom do this? And with him? Dr. Parker has been in our lives for years.”Ryan didn’t have an answer. He had been grappling with the same questions ever since he saw the photos.

“I don’t know, Ivy. But it’s worse than that. Luca traced the number that’s been sending me those anonymous messages… and it’s coming from inside our house.”Ivy’s eyes widened.

“Inside the mansion?”Luca nodded. “The number is active, and it’s being used right now from somewhere in the house. There’s a snitch inside, Ryan. Someone is feeding you these messages, trying to stir things up.”Ryan clenched his fists, his mind racing.

“But who? Who could it be? And why?”Luca’s face hardened. “That’s what we need to find out.”Ivy glanced at both of them, her voice trembling slightly.

“Do you think Mom knows?”Ryan shook his head, though he wasn’t entirely sure. “I don’t think so. But I wouldn’t put anything past her at this point.”

There was another heavy pause as the gravity of the situation sank in. Ryan could feel his pulse quickening, his mind a whirlwind of emotions-anger, confusion, betrayal.

Everything was spiraling out of control. Finally, Ivy broke the silence. “What are we going to do? We can’t just sit here and let this happen.”Luca crossed his arms, his face serious.

“First, we need to figure out who’s sending the messages. Whoever it is, they’re still in the house. If we can track them down, we might get some answers.”Ryan nodded, determination filling him. “I’ll confront Mom about Dr. Parker, but we need to be careful. Whoever’s behind these messages might be dangerous.”

“I can handle myself,” Ivy said, her voice firm. “But we have to be smart about this. We can’t tip anyone off until we know exactly what’s going on.”Luca nodded in agreement. “Agreed. We need to stay one step ahead. I’ll keep tracing the messages and see if I can narrow down where they’re coming from. Ryan, you talk to your mom. We’ll meet back here after.”

Ryan stood up, his mind made up. “Let’s do it. No more secrets.”Later that evening, Ryan walked through the grand halls of the Kendrick mansion, his heart heavy with the weight of what he was about to do. He could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.

Every step he took felt like it echoed in the silence, amplifying his unease. He found his mother in the living room, sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine in her hand. She looked up as he entered, her expression calm and composed.

“Ryan, darling,” she said with a smile, her voice smooth as silk. “I didn’t expect you home so soon. How’s your father?”Ryan’s jaw tightened at her question. He had always been able to tell when his mother was hiding something, and right now, her casual tone only made him more suspicious.

“He’s stable,” Ryan replied, his voice cold. “But that’s not why I’m here.”Mrs. Rose raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing the shift in his tone. “Oh? What’s on your mind, darling?”Ryan took a deep breath, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

“I found Dad’s phone today. And I saw the photos, Mom. The ones of you and Dr. Parker.”For a split second, Mrs. Rose’s expression faltered. Her eyes widened just slightly before she quickly composed herself, her face a mask of calm once again. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Ryan snapped, his voice rising. “I saw the photos. I saw the messages. You’ve been having an affair with Dr. Parker, and Dad knew about it.

Someone sent him the proof.”Mrs. Rose’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she remained silent, her eyes never leaving Ryan’s.”How could you do this?” Ryan continued, his voice shaking with anger.

“After everything Dad’s done for you, after everything we’ve been through as a family, you betray him like this? With his best friend?”Mrs. Rose finally set her glass down on the table and stood up, her expression unreadable. “It’s complicated, Ryan.”

“Complicated?” Ryan repeated, his voice dripping with disbelief. “You’re having an affair, Mom. How is that complicated?”Mrs. Rose crossed her arms, her gaze cold and calculating.

“Your father isn’t the man you think he is, Ryan. There are things you don’t know about him-things he’s done, secrets he’s kept. I’m not the only one who’s betrayed this family.

“Ryan stared at her, stunned by her words. “What are you talking about?”Mrs. Rose stepped closer, her voice lowering to a whisper. “Your father has been hiding things from you, from all of us. His business, his dealings… they’re not as clean as he’s led you to believe. And Dr. Parker… he’s involved, too. I didn’t betray your father, Ryan. I protected you.”

Ryan’s mind reeled, his thoughts spinning out of control. “What are you saying? That Dad’s… corrupt?”Mrs. Rose’s eyes gleamed with something dark. “I’m saying that you don’t know the whole story. And if you keep digging, you’re going to uncover things you wish you hadn’t.”

Ryan’s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at his mother, the weight of her words crashing down on him like a tidal wave. Everything he thought he knew about his family, about his father, was crumbling before his eyes.

Before he could respond, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw another anonymous message. You’re getting closer. But be careful-someone’s watching you.

Ryan’s blood ran cold as he looked back up at his mother, the reality sinking in that the nightmare was far from over. At that moment, Luca called Ryan, his voice tense. “Ryan, I traced the signal again.

The person behind the messages… they’re moving. They’re not in the mansion anymore.”Ryan’s heart raced. “Where are they?”Luca’s voice was grim. “They’re heading towards the hospital.”NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.