The Contracted Stripper

Ryan sat on the edge of the bed, staring at Mrs. Jessica with an expression of helplessness and frustration.

The weight of everything was suffocating him his company stolen from under him, his heart torn apart by the fact that the woman he truly cared for was still being held captive.

He had failed at everything, and it was killing him inside.

Mrs. Jessica lay in the bed, her frail body barely moving. Her eyes, however, were full of fire as she looked at Ryan with a mixture of disbelief and resentment.

She had endured so much, and Ryan knew that his words were not enough to make amends for the pain she had suffered.

“I’m sorry,” Ryan began softly, his voice trembling. “I… I’m sorry for everything you’ve been through. I didn’t know I couldn’t have known.

Please… forgive me.”Mrs. Jessica didn’t respond immediately.

Her hands tightened into fists under the blanket as she glanced away from him, clearly struggling with her emotions.

“You have no idea what I’ve been through,” she said, her voice cold and sharp.

“And now you come to me asking for forgiveness? Where is my daughter? Where is Iris?”

Ryan swallowed hard, the guilt gnawing at him. “I don’t know where she is, but I swear to you, I’ll find her,” he said, his voice desperate.

“I’ll make sure she’s safe. I’ll do everything in my power to bring her back.”Mrs. Jessica shook her head, tears filling her eyes. “Everything in your power?” she repeated bitterly. “You’ve already lost everything, haven’t you? Your company, your family’s legacy everything’s gone. How can you possibly help her now?”

Ryan closed his eyes, the weight of her words hitting him like a hammer. She was right. He had lost everything, and his naivety, his arrogance, had cost him dearly.

But that didn’t mean he was ready to give up.”I know I’ve been spoiled and naive,” Ryan admitted, his voice breaking with emotion.

“I was arrogant, thinking I had everything under control. But I don’t. I’ve lost so much more than you know. My father is seriously ill, and I’ve only just started to recover my memories after losing them. Everything in my life has been falling apart, and I don’t even know who to trust anymore.

“Mrs. Jessica stared at him for a moment, her expression softening just slightly, but the pain in her eyes was still raw. Before she could respond, Luca stepped forward, sensing the tension in the room.

“Mrs. Jessica, we’re not asking you to forgive everything right now,” Luca said gently. “But please, we need your help. Ryan is trying to make things right. He’s been through hell, too. We can’t do this without you.”Mrs. Jessica’s lips trembled as she considered Luca’s words. She glanced back at Ryan, who looked at her with pleading eyes.

For a long moment, there was only silence between them. Finally, Mrs. Jessica let out a shaky breath and nodded slightly. “I’ll talk,” she whispered, “but only because I want to find Iris. My daughter is the only thing that matters to me now.”Ryan sighed in relief, though the guilt still weighed heavily on him.

“Thank you,” he said quietly. “I promise you, we’ll find her.”But then, Mrs. Jessica’s expression hardened again, her eyes narrowing. “And as for your father,” she said coldly, “let him die for all I care.”Ryan and Luca both froze, shocked by the sudden venom in her voice.

Ryan blinked, unable to believe what he had just heard.

“What… what do you mean?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mrs. Jessica’s eyes flared with anger as she leaned forward slightly. “Your father,” she spat, “is the reason for all of this. He destroyed my life. He took everything from me. Do you think I care if he’s ill? Let him suffer. Let him rot. It’s what he deserves.”

Ryan felt like the ground had been pulled out from under him. He had always seen his father as a strong, proud man a businessman who had built an empire from the ground up. But now, hearing Mrs. Jessica’s words, a dark cloud of doubt began to form in his mind.

“What are you talking about?” Ryan asked, his voice shaky. “What did my father do?”Mrs. Jessica laughed bitterly, the sound filled with years of pent-up rage and pain. “You think your father is some kind of saint? You have no idea the kind of man he is. He used me. He lied to me. He made promises he never intended to keep. And when I became inconvenient to him, he threw me away like garbage.”

Ryan felt his stomach turn. “No… that can’t be true.”

“Oh, it’s true,” Mrs. Jessica snapped. “Your father and his precious empire are built on lies and betrayal. And now, you’re paying the price for his sins.”Ryan’s mind was spinning. He didn’t want to believe her couldn’t believe her but there was something in her voice, in her eyes, that told him she was telling the truth. Had his entire life been built on lies? Luca stepped forward, his voice steady but cautious.

“Mrs. Jessica, we need to understand everything if we’re going to help Iris. Please, tell us what happened.”Mrs. Jessica’s eyes flickered toward Luca, and for a moment, her expression softened.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

She took a deep breath as if steadying herself and then began to speak.”Years ago,” she said quietly, “I worked for your family, Ryan. I was just a young woman then, and I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. Your father Mr. Kendrick-he was charming, persuasive. He promised me a better life, security, and love. I was foolish enough to believe him.”Ryan felt a sinking feeling in his chest as Mrs. Jessica continued.

“We had a relationship one that he kept secret, of course.

His head was spinning, trying to make sense of it all.

Mrs. Jessica’s face twisted with bitterness. “Because he didn’t want anyone to know the truth about me, about our relationship.

He’s been lying to everyone for years.”Luca, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.

“This explains why Iris was targeted. If Bella and Victor knew about her connection to the Kendricks, they could have seen her as a threat to their plans.

“Mrs. Jessica nodded, wiping away a tear. “Iris never wanted anything to do with the family. But she was dragged into this mess because of who she is. And now, I don’t know where she is or what they’ve done to her.”

Ryan felt a deep sense of guilt and responsibility wash over him. He had been blind to the truth for so long, but now that he knew, he couldn’t ignore it. He had to make things right-for Iris, for Mrs. Jessica, and himself.

“We’ll find her,” Ryan said firmly, his voice filled with determination. “I won’t let Bella or Victor get away with this. I’ll make sure they pay for everything they’ve done.”Mrs. Jessica looked at him, her expression softening for the first time since they had met.

“Just bring my daughter back,” she whispered. “That’s all I ask.”Ryan nodded, his mind made up. He would do whatever it took to bring Iris home, no matter the cost.