The Contracted Stripper

The tension in the room had begun to settle after the police escorted Mrs. Rose and Dr. Parker out in handcuffs. The silence that followed felt like the calm after a storm, but there was still an air of unease.

Mr. Kendrick stood in the center of the room, his expression heavy with guilt and regret. He turned toward Jessica, who stood with her arms crossed, looking as though she wasn’t quite sure what to make of him yet. Ivy and Iris, standing side by side, had barely spoken a word since everything unfolded.

Kendrick cleared his throat, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m sorry,” he began, his eyes filled with sincerity as he faced Jessica and the twins.

“Jessica, Iris, Ivy… I know words aren’t enough to make up for the years I’ve spent apart from you all, the lies, and everything else that’s happened.

But please believe me when I say that I’ve regretted every single moment I wasn’t with you.”Iris remained silent, her face pale from shock, while Ivy’s gaze flickered between Jessica and Kendrick, trying to process the truth of her lineage.

Jessica’s features softened just slightly as she watched Kendrick struggle with his words.”I had no idea… no idea what Rose was capable of, no idea how deep her betrayal went. But that doesn’t excuse my own choices,” Kendrick continued, his voice breaking as he looked at Iris and Ivy.

“I’m your father, and I’ve wronged you both. I’ve wronged Jessica. I should have been there for you, but I let my cowardice and fear get in the way.”Iris blinked, finally finding her voice, though it was quiet and trembling.

“Mum… is everything he’s saying true?” She turned to Jessica, her wide eyes searching for confirmation, for something that made sense in this whirlwind of revelations.

Jessica gave a slow, almost imperceptible nod. “Yes, honey,” she said, her voice filled with resignation and a touch of sadness.

“Everything is true. Mr. Kendrick is your father… and Ivy’s.” Iris’s knees buckled as the weight of the truth hit her, and she stumbled back against the bed, her hands gripping the edge for support. Ivy stepped forward, her eyes flashing with anger and confusion.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” she demanded, looking between Kendrick and Jessica. “All this time… we didn’t know. We had a right to know!”

“I wanted to protect you,” Jessica said, her eyes brimming with tears. “It was dangerous. Rose… Rose was capable of anything, and I didn’t want to risk your life. I thought staying hidden was the only way.”Kendrick’s expression crumpled as he opened his arms, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “Ivy, Iris, I don’t expect you to forgive me right away. But I love you both. You’re my daughters, and I’m so proud of the women you’ve become, even without me.”Ivy hesitated for a moment, her chest rising and falling with the intensity of her emotions, before she took a shaky step forward.

She reached out, and with a sob that broke through her composed exterior, she embraced Kendrick tightly. Iris, still in shock, followed suit, wrapping her arms around her father and Ivy as tears streamed down her face.

Kendrick held them both close, his tears slipping down his cheeks. “I’ll make it right,” he promised. “I swear I will.”The room was filled with the sound of quiet sobs and whispered reassurances, but the moment was broken by the sudden ringing of Ryan’s phone.

He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen before answering.”Hello?” Ryan’s tone was sharp, but his expression shifted quickly from irritation to surprise.

“Wait-what? Are you sure? You’ve caught her?”Everyone in the room turned to Ryan, the tension thickening once again as they watched his reaction to the call. Ryan nodded, his eyes widening slightly.

“And the child… is safe? They’re bringing them here?” He paused, then added, “Good. Thank you. I’ll be waiting.”He ended the call and looked directly at Iris, who was still in Kendrick’s arms. “Iris,” Ryan said, his voice quiet but filled with an urgency that drew everyone’s attention.

“They’ve caught the woman who bought your child.”Iris’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with disbelief. “What did you say?”Ryan stepped closer, his gaze steady. “Your child is safe, Iris. The authorities have caught the woman who bought them, and they’re bringing the child here to the hospital.”The room erupted in gasps of disbelief.

Kendrick’s jaw dropped, and Ivy looked as though she’d been struck by lightning. Jessica covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes welling up with fresh tears.

“Iris, you… you have a child?” Ivy whispered, her voice barely audible. “How? When?”Iris’s throat felt tight, and her body trembled as the reality of Ryan’s words sank in.

She hadn’t spoken about her child to anyone but Ryan, and now her secret was laid bare for all to hear.

“I… I…” Iris stammered, trying to form the words but feeling overwhelmed by the emotions that surged through her.

Jessica stepped forward, her face pale with shock. “Iris,” she said gently, “is this true? You had a child?”Iris swallowed hard, nodding slowly as her tears fell freely now.

“Yes, Mum. It’s true.”Jessica’s breath hitched, and she closed the distance between them, cupping Iris’s face in her hands. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, her voice shaking. “Why did you keep this from us?”

“I didn’t want anyone to know,” Iris admitted, her voice breaking. “I was scared… scared of what it would mean, scared of losing everything. I didn’t know how to handle it.

And then… and then she was taken from me. I thought I’d lost her forever.”Kendrick stepped forward, his face filled with a mixture of shock and concern. “Iris,” he said softly, “who took your child? How did this happen?”Iris took a shaky breath, trying to steady herself before she spoke.

“It happened when I was… when I was taken,” she explained, her voice trembling. “I had no idea I was pregnant until it was too late. They… they sold my baby. I never saw her again.”

Jessica’s heart broke as she listened to her daughter’s story, and tears streamed down her face as she pulled Iris into a tight embrace. “Oh, my darling,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea…”

Ryan’s phone buzzed again, and he quickly glanced at the screen. “They’re here,” he announced, his voice filled with tension. “The authorities are downstairs with your child, Iris. They’re bringing her up now.”

Iris’s heart raced, her hands shaking as she tried to process what was happening. She was moments away from seeing her child again, the child she had believed was lost forever. Kendrick, Ivy, and Jessica all stood around her, their faces filled with a mixture of hope and fear.

Ryan moved to the door, his eyes scanning the hallway for any sign of the authorities.

Minutes passed in agonizing silence until finally, a pair of uniformed officers appeared at the door, a small bundle cradled in the arms of one of them. The officer holding the bundle stepped forward, his face softening as he approached Iris.

“Miss Kendrick?” the officer asked, his voice gentle. Iris’s breath caught in her throat as she nodded. “Y-yes, that’s me.”The officer smiled slightly and held the bundle out to her.

“Your daughter,” he said softly. Iris reached out, her hands trembling as she took the small child into her arms. The moment her eyes met her daughter’s face, everything else in the room faded away. Her baby’s tiny eyes blinked up at her, and Iris felt a wave of emotions so powerful that she could barely breathe.

“She’s… she’s beautiful,” Jessica whispered, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her granddaughter.

Ivy stepped closer, her face filled with awe. “I can’t believe it,” she murmured. “You’re a mother, Iris.

“Kendrick watched in silence, his heart swelling with a mixture of pride and regret. He had missed so much of his daughters’ lives, but seeing Iris reunited with her child filled him with a new sense of purpose.

Ryan, standing off to the side, couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief. After everything they had been through, after all the secrets and betrayals, at least one part of their broken family had been made whole again.

But just as Iris held her child close, a loud commotion sounded from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps.

Luca rushed into the room, his face pale and eyes wide with fear. “We have a problem,” he said breathlessly. “It’s not over.

They’ve found someone else… someone even more dangerous.”The room froze, and everyone turned to Luca, dread settling in the pit of their stomachs.”Who?” Ryan demanded, his voice sharp.

Luca’s expression darkened as he spoke the name. “It’s not just Rose. There’s someone higher up-someone pulling all the strings. And they’re coming for us.”The air in the room thickened with fear as the weight of Luca’s words hung in the air.

Iris clutched her child tighter, her heart racing with a new kind of terror. The nightmare wasn’t over.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.