The Contracted Stripper

The crisp morning air clung to the walls of the Kendrick mansion, its chill matching the tension that had settled over the household.

Ivy paced in the library, her fingers drumming anxiously against the ornate mahogany table.

The events of the previous night had left her shaken, but there was no time to dwell on the revelations about Victor.

There were other battles to fight, and a new storm was brewing on the horizon, one that threatened not just her family but the entire city.

Luca entered the room, his expression grave as he approached her. “Ivy, you need to see this,” he said, holding out a tablet.

Ivy took the tablet from him, her eyes scanning the headline that blared across the screen.

“Kendrick Enterprises Linked to Major Political Scandal: Corruption and Conspiracy Unveiled.”

Her heart sank as she read the details of the article. It alleged that Kendrick Enterprises had been involved in illegal dealings with several high-ranking government officials, including bribery, fraud, and the manipulation of contracts for personal gain.

The report claimed that these actions had been orchestrated by none other than Mr. Kendrick himself, along with several of his most trusted advisors.

“This… this can’t be true,” Ivy whispered, her voice shaking.

“My father would never…”Luca placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I don’t believe it either, but we have to be careful.

This could be part of the enemy’s plan to destroy your family’s reputation and bring down the entire empire.

“Ivy shook her head, her thoughts racing. “But why? What would they gain from this?”

“They want to weaken you, to strip away everything your family has built,” Luca replied.

“And if they can use public opinion to turn the city against you, it makes it that much easier for them to take control.

“Ivy clenched her fists, her anger boiling over. “We can’t let them get away with this. We have to fight back and expose the truth.”

“We will,” Luca assured her. “But we need to tread carefully. If the public believes these accusations, it could ruin everything your father has worked for.

And we still don’t know who’s behind this leak.”Ivy frowned, her mind racing. “Could it be Bella? Is she the one pulling the strings?”

“It’s possible,” Luca said, nodding. “But he wouldn’t be working alone. Someone on the inside must be feeding him information, someone with access to your father’s dealings.”

The thought sent a shiver down Ivy’s spine. “A traitor… someone close to us.”Yes,” Luca confirmed. “And until we figure out who it is, we need to keep this investigation as quiet as possible.”Ivy nodded, her resolve hardening.

“Then we start by finding out where these accusations are coming from. We need to dig into the people mentioned in the article, the officials supposedly involved. If we can uncover the truth, we can clear my father’s name.

“Luca’s expression was serious as he met her gaze. “This won’t be easy, Ivy. Whoever is behind this has covered their tracks well.

We’ll need to be strategic, and we can’t trust anyone outside of our inner circle.”

“I understand,” Ivy replied, her voice firm.

“But we have no choice. We can’t let them destroy us.”Luca nodded, his determination matching hers.

“I’ll start making calls, see what I can dig up on the officials mentioned in the article. In the meantime, you should speak with your father. We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.”

Ivy hesitated, her mind racing with the implications of what she was about to do. She had always trusted her father and believed in his integrity.

But now, with these accusations hanging over their heads, she wasn’t sure what to believe.

Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for the conversation ahead. “I’ll talk to him. But Luca… if it turns out that some of this is true…”

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Luca said gently. “For now, let’s focus on finding the truth.”

With a nod, Ivy left the library and made her way to the hospital.

She arrived there, the weight of the situation pressing down on her shoulders.

When she reached his room, she paused outside the door, gathering her thoughts before going in.

“Come in,” Mr. Kendrick’s voice called from inside, as he already saw her.

Ivy pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Her father was on his bed, his brow furrowed as he pored over a stack of papers. He looked up as she entered, his expression softening slightly.

“Ivy, how are you doing today?” he asked, setting the papers aside.

Ivy approached the desk, her heart pounding in her chest. “Dad, I hope you are getting better, we need to talk. There’s something you need to know.”

Mr. Kendrick’s expression grew concerned as he noticed the seriousness in her tone. “What is it, Ivy? What’s wrong?”

Taking a deep breath, Ivy held out the tablet to him, the article still displayed on the screen.

“This. It’s all over the news.”Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Mr. Kendrick took the tablet from her, his eyes narrowing as he read the headline.

His expression remained calm as he scrolled through the article, but Ivy could see the tension building in his jaw.

When he finished, he set the tablet down and looked up at her. “This is serious,” he said, his voice measured. “But it’s not unexpected.”

Ivy blinked in surprise. “You knew this was coming?”Mr. Kendrick nodded slowly. “I’ve been aware of the possibility for some time. There are people out there who would love nothing more than to see Kendrick Enterprises fall.

They’ve been waiting for the right moment to strike.”

“Dad, they’re accusing you of corruption, of working with crooked officials,” Ivy said, her voice rising in frustration. “How can you be so calm about this?”Mr. Kendrick sighed, leaning back in the hospital bed.

“Because I know the truth, Ivy. I know that I’ve done nothing wrong. Yes, I’ve had dealings with government officials, but everything has been above board.

These accusations are baseless, designed to smear my name and weaken our company.”

“Then who’s behind this?” Ivy demanded. “Who would go to such lengths to destroy us?”Mr. Kendrick’s gaze grew distant as if he were recalling something from the past.

“There are many who have tried to take us down over the years. Competitors, rivals, enemies of our family… But there’s one name that stands out above the rest.”Who?” Ivy pressed, her heart pounding with anticipation.

“Victor Volkov,” Mr. Kendrick said, his voice tinged with bitterness. “He’s a powerful oligarch from Russia, with ties to organized crime and the dark underbelly of the political world.

We crossed paths years ago, and he’s held a grudge ever since. I’ve always suspected that he would come after us one day.”Ivy felt a chill run down her spine.

“Do you think he’s the one behind this scandal?”

“It’s possible,” Mr. Kendrick replied. “Victor is ruthless, and he has the resources to pull off something like this. If he’s working with Victor’s son, then we’re dealing with a very dangerous alliance.

“Ivy’s mind raced as she processed the information. “But why now? Why would they strike at this moment?”

“Because we’re vulnerable,” Mr. Kendrick said grimly.

“With Ryan still recovering, our attention is divided. They see this as their opportunity to strike while we’re distracted.”Ivy clenched her fists, anger boiling inside her. “We can’t let them get away with this, Dad. We have to fight back.”

“We will,” Mr. Kendrick assured her. “But we need to be smart about this. Victori is a master manipulator, and if we’re not careful, he’ll turn public opinion against us before we even have a chance to defend ourselves.

“Ivy nodded, her resolve hardening. “Luca and I are already digging into the officials mentioned in the article. If we can find any evidence of their wrongdoing, we can use it to clear your name.”

“Good,” Mr. Kendrick said, his voice firm. “We’ll fight this with everything we have. But Ivy… there’s something else you need to know.”

“What is it?” Ivy asked, her heart sinking at the gravity in her father’s tone. Mr. Kendrick hesitated as if weighing his words carefully. “There’s more to our family’s past than you realize. Secrets that I’ve kept hidden, even from you and Ryan. If this scandal continues to unfold, those secrets may come to light.”Ivy stared at him, her mind reeling.

“What kind of secrets?”

“Things that I’m not proud of,” Mr. Kendrick admitted, his voice heavy with regret. “But they were necessary to protect our family, to ensure our survival in a world that is often ruthless and unforgiving.

“Dad, what are you saying?” Ivy asked, her voice trembling.”I’m saying that if you continue down this path, you may uncover things that will change the way you see me, the way you see our family,” Mr. Kendrick said, his gaze intense.

“But you must be prepared for that. You must be prepared to face the truth, no matter how dark it may be.”Ivy felt a lump form in her throat. She had always admired her father and looked up to him as a man of integrity and strength. But now, with his words hanging in the air, she couldn’t shake.