The Contracted Stripper

Iris sat on the cold floor, her knees pulled tightly to her chest. Her body felt heavy, the small life growing inside her a constant reminder of the situation she couldn’t fully understand.

Her mind was a fog of confusion, with brief flashes of unfamiliar faces and voices that seemed just beyond reach.

How long had she been locked up in this room? She couldn’t remember. The dim light filtered through the small, barred window, casting shadows on the gray walls.

She glanced around the room-empty except for the old mattress and a broken chair in the corner. There was nothing to aid her escape, no tools to break the window or pry open the door. It felt as though she was trapped in her mind just as much as she was in this prison.

Who am I? Iris thought to herself as her fingers absentmindedly traced the bump of her belly. She knew she was pregnant-there was no denying the growing life within her-but she didn’t know how or why.

Was there someone waiting for her outside? Was she married? Was anyone out there looking for her, worrying about her, missing her?” I can’t stay here forever,” she whispered to herself, her voice hoarse from the days of silence.

“Someone has to care. Someone has to know I’m gone.”But the days passed without change. No footsteps approached the door, no one called her name. She was utterly alone, and the weight of that isolation crushed her more with each passing hour.

But deep inside, she felt a flicker of resistance. She couldn’t let this place break her. She needed to escape, to find out who she was and why she had been locked away.

But how? Every avenue of escape seemed impossible. Across town, at the Kendrick Empire… The grand hall of the Kendrick Empire was buzzing with excitement.

The rebranding event had drawn in dignitaries, celebrities, and powerful business moguls from across the city. Bella had meticulously orchestrated every detail, ensuring that the event would solidify her position at the top.

She had spent weeks making sure everything was perfect. Now, as the final preparations were in place, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride. The newly designed logo for Kendrick Enterprises was gleaned from the banners draped across the hall, and guests were already murmuring their approval.

Bella moved through the room, exchanging pleasantries and shaking hands, her smile sharp and calculated.

She was the queen of the night, and tonight, she would cement her control over the empire. But her mind wasn’t entirely focused on the event. She glanced at her phone, checking her messages every few minutes, as though waiting for something important.

Her movements were precise, but there was an underlying tension in her eyes-something she was trying to hide beneath the surface. Before leaving for the event, Bella had kissed Ryan lightly on the forehead, telling him she’d see him later at the evening gala.

She had smiled sweetly, but Ryan could sense something different, something darker lurking beneath the facade. Her calls, her meetings, and the way she slipped out of the room to speak in hushed tones-it all gnawed at him.

And now, left alone in the house, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

At the Kendrick Mansion… Ryan sat at the kitchen table, his thoughts in turmoil. Bella’s behavior had become increasingly erratic, and though she had assured him everything was fine, he couldn’t help but feel trapped in a cage.

Guards were posted at every entrance to the mansion, and every time he tried to leave, they blocked his path, telling him it wasn’t safe. But Ryan wasn’t buying it anymore. He pulled out his phone and made a call.

“Sarah,” he said, his voice low and urgent.”Yes, sir?” the housekeeper replied.”I need you to tell me everything you know about my past,” Ryan said, leaning forward. “Who was I before the accident? What happened that night?”Sarah hesitated on the other end. “I’ve already told you, sir, it’s the same as what Mrs. Bella and your parents have said.

You were in a terrible accident, and you’ve been recovering since-“Ryan cut her off. “Don’t lie to me, Sarah. I know there’s more to it. I need the truth.”There was a long pause before Sarah sighed.

“I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know anything else.”Ryan clenched his fists in frustration. “Fine. You can go.”After hanging up, Ryan stood up, determination burning in his chest. He wasn’t getting answers from anyone, and Bella had made sure to keep him locked inside this gilded cage.

But he wouldn’t sit back and accept it anymore. Something was being hidden from him, and he was going to find out what.

He began walking through the house, checking each room as if they might hold the secrets to his past.

Room after room revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Just as he was about to give up, he found himself in his study. He looked around, and suddenly, blurry flashes began to assault his mind-vague images, memories that were just out of focus.

Ryan’s head spun as he staggered to the bookshelves. His fingers trailed over the spines of the books, his thoughts growing more muddled.

He sat down in the chair behind his desk, resting his head in his hands, trying to make sense of the flashes. Then, something caught his eye.

He looked down at the wardrobe in the corner of the study-a piece of furniture he had never paid much attention to before. His hand moved almost on instinct, pulling open the wardrobe door. Inside, tucked away in the back, was a briefcase. Ryan’s heart raced as he pulled the briefcase out and placed it on his desk.

He tried opening it, but the passcode was wrong. He racked his brain for possible combinations. His eyes landed on a photograph of himself on the wall with a date etched into the frame: 30-08-1994.

He punched the numbers into the lock, but it didn’t work. He frowned, staring at the numbers. What if I try it backward? With a trembling hand, Ryan reversed the digits and tried again. Click. The briefcase unlocked. He opened it slowly, his breath catching in his throat. Inside was a lingerie set-delicate, lacey, and unfamiliar.

Beneath it were documents-old, yellowed papers that looked like they had been hidden for years. He pulled them out, scanning the top one. It was a marriage certificate. His heart pounded as he read the names: Ryan Kendrick and Iris Rayden. Ryan’s mind reeled. Iris? He had no memory of her, no recollection of a marriage.

But as he continued flipping through the papers, it became clear-he had been married to her.

But where was she now? He flipped to the last document, his blood running cold as he read the words scrawled across the bottom: “In the event of my disappearance or death, the estate shall be inherited by my wife, Iris Kendrick.”Ryan stared at the paper, the truth crashing down on him.

Iris had been keeping him in the dark. The guards, the isolation-it was all to prevent him from finding out about Iris, from learning that there was another woman tied to his past, a woman who was supposed to inherit everything.

Meanwhile, at the Kendrick Empire… Bella stood on the stage, smiling as the crowd applauded the successful rebranding of the company. She felt invincible, on top of the world.

But her phone buzzed in her hand, and when she glanced at the screen, her blood ran cold. It was a message from an unknown number.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she forced herself to remain composed, her smile never faltering as she pocketed the phone. The walls were closing in around her, but she wasn’t going to let it all fall apart-not now.

Back at the mansion, Ryan sat in his study, the marriage certificate still clutched in his hand. His entire world had just been turned upside down, and he knew now that he couldn’t trust Bella.

But what did she know about Iris? And where was she? As Ryan stood up, determined to find answers, the door to his study creaked open. Bella stood in the doorway, her eyes dark and calculating.”Ryan,” she said softly, “we need to talk.”