The Contracted Stripper

Weeks had blurred into months since Ryan Kendrick had been discharged from the hospital.

His once-sharp mind was now a haze of doubt and confusion, but the constant presence of Bella, who claimed to be Iris, offered him a semblance of stability.

She was always there, smiling, reassuring him that everything would be okay.

And though part of him doubted her story, he had no proof, no solid memory to refute her claims. So, he had no choice but to trust her.

Bella and her brother had made their way into the heart of Kendrick Enterprises.

Under the pretense of investing, during his accident and coma state, they began to manipulate the company from within.

Changes were made swiftly, rebranding efforts, restructuring of departments, and new contracts signed with unfamiliar names.

The employees whispered about the new leadership, but no one dared to speak up openly. Ryan, the once-vibrant CEO, was a shadow of himself, watching from the sidelines as Bella and her brother ran the show.

Ryan was sitting in the study room, flipping through old company reports, though his mind was elsewhere.

Bella walked in, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. She had that same radiant smile she always wore around him, but today, something seemed off.

There was a tension in the air, an unease that he couldn’t quite place.

“Hey, love,” Bella said, her voice sweet as honey. She leaned over his desk, placing her hands on his shoulders. “How are you feeling today?”Ryan shrugged, barely looking up from the papers.Text © 2024 NôvelDrama.Org.

“Same as always, I guess. Just trying to make sense of all of this.”Bella straightened up, her eyes flickering with impatience. “You don’t need to worry about all that anymore. I’m handling everything with the company. You just focus on getting better.”

“I know,” Ryan replied, his voice distant. “But… it doesn’t feel right. I mean, you’re helping with the company, but I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.

People keep asking questions about the rebranding, about what’s going on.”Bella’s smile faltered for a brief moment before she recovered, laughing lightly. “Of course, people are going to ask questions. Change always makes people nervous. But you trust me, don’t you? I’m doing this for us, for the family.”

Ryan’s brow furrowed. He wanted to believe her, but the nagging doubts wouldn’t go away.

“It’s just… I don’t remember you being so involved in the company before, but sometimes… I don’t know. It just doesn’t feel right.”

Bella’s eyes darkened, but she kept her tone light. “Ryan, you’ve been through a traumatic experience. It’s natural for things to feel off. Your memories are still coming back in bits and pieces. But I’m here, and I’ve always been here. You just need to trust me.”

Ryan didn’t respond, his gaze dropping back to the reports. Bella sighed softly, brushing her hair back from her face. She turned to leave, but her expression hardened the moment her back was to him.

There wasn’t time for Ryan’s doubts now-not with everything coming to a head.

That afternoon, Bella and her brother were preparing for the official rebranding launch of Kendrick Enterprises. It was a high-profile event, with top investors, media, and other influential figures set to attend.

Everything had to go perfectly. This was their moment to cement control over the company, to finally claim what they had been working toward for months.

Bella stood in front of the mirror in her dressing room, adjusting her sleek black dress. She looked every bit the part of a powerful CEO, but the truth was far more complex.

Her brother, sitting casually on the couch, watched her with amusement.”You’re nervous,” he teased, his tone light but knowing.

Bella shot him a look through the mirror. “I’m not nervous. I just want everything to go as planned.”

He chuckled, standing up and walking over to her. “It will. Ryan’s too out of it to cause any trouble, and no one else knows what’s going on. By the end of tonight, Kendrick Enterprises will be ours. And there’s nothing anyone can do about it.”

Bella smiled at his confidence, but deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. She had come too far to let it all fall apart now.

Later that evening, the grand hall was buzzing with activity. Journalists and paparazzi crowded around the entrance, flashing their cameras as important guests arrived.

Bella and her brother stood by the entrance, greeting the investors and guests as they walked in, all smiles and handshakes.

The cameras flashed as Bella posed, the perfect picture of poise and confidence. But as the questions began to fly, she quickly realized the media was not going to be as easy to control as the company had been.

“Miss Bella, you are a well-known fashion icon. What happened to that career?” one journalist shouted.

Bella smiled, tilting her head slightly. “Oh, I’ve simply transitioned into something more aligned with my current priorities. The business world requires just as much creativity as fashion, don’t you think?”

Another voice from the crowd jumped in, the question sharp. “Are you married now to Ryan Kendrick?”Bella’s smile faltered for a brief second before she quickly regained composure.

“Yes, we’re very happy together. We’ve faced some tough times, but we’re stronger for it.”

The questions kept coming, faster now, more probing.”What do you think about the sudden disappearance of Mrs. Iris Kendrick?”

Bella’s jaw tightened, but she forced a smile. “Iris’s disappearance has been tragic for the family, but we’re focused on the future. The company comes first.”

“You’re about to launch a rebranding of Kendrick Enterprises. How did you acquire it? Or is it a form of collaboration?”

Bella’s heart raced as she felt the walls closing in. She needed to stay calm and stay in control. “I’m now a part of the Kendrick family.

As Ryan’s wife, the company’s future is naturally a priority for me. I’m overseeing the affairs while the family navigates these tough times.”

A final question came from the back of the crowd, the one she had been dreading. “Is it true that Mr. Ryan Kendrick is suffering from memory loss after spending a long time in a coma?”

For a split second, Bella’s mask slipped, but she quickly recovered, her voice steady. “Ryan is recovering well, and we’re working through everything as a family. That’s all I have to say on the matter. Thank you.”

She turned on her heel, quickly walking away from the flashing lights and prying questions. Her brother caught up with her as they headed toward the stage for the official announcement.”

You handled that well,” he said with a smirk. “But the pressure’s on now. We need to make this launch flawless.”Bella nodded, her mind racing. She could feel the doubt creeping in, the cracks in their carefully constructed facade beginning to show.

But there was no turning back now. As they took the stage, Bella’s voice echoed through the hall as she addressed the investors and press, outlining the bright future of Kendrick Enterprises.

The rebranding was a bold move, she explained, a necessary step in ensuring the company’s success in the coming years.

Ryan stood off to the side, watching her with a mixture of admiration and confusion. He still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

That the woman standing on stage wasn’t who she claimed to be. But without his memories, he had no way of proving it.

Just as Bella was finishing her speech, a sudden commotion erupted at the back of the hall.

The doors burst open, and in walked a group of reporters, frantically waving their cameras and microphones.

“Breaking news!” one of them shouted, his voice cutting through the room like a knife. “There’s been a major development regarding the disappearance of Mrs. Iris Kendrick!”Bella froze on stage, her heart pounding in her chest.

The room fell into a tense silence as everyone turned to look at the reporters.”We have reason to believe that Iris Kendrick may still be alive,” the reporter continued, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

“And not only that there are allegations that the Kendrick family has been involved in a cover-up!”The crowd erupted into chaos, voices shouting questions and cameras flashing as Bella’s carefully constructed world began to crumble around her.

She stood there, stunned, unable to move. Her brother grabbed her arm, pulling her off the stage, but the damage had already been done.

Ryan watched, his mind spinning. Iris… alive, is she not Iris? Could it be true? Could the woman he had been trusting all these months be lying to him?