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EIGHTY-SIX: "I want to make you the happiest woman alive..."
Last Updated:
2025-02-05 19:25:40
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The Surrogate's Vendetta EIGHTY-SEVEN: Confronting Audrey
THAT SAME EVENING. . . Juniper stood at the front door of Audrey's house, waiting for someone to answer the door. She'd bid her time the week, waiting for Audrey's arrival and the rightful moment to confront her. And today was the day. She was NOT leaving here without what she came for. In no time, the front door swung open and Audrey appeared before her, holding her son in the crook of her arm. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes widened. "J- Juniper?" She stuttered, her tone filled with surprise and confusion. "What brings you here?" But Juniper's countenance remained calm. Her chocolate-tinted lips morphed into a huge smile as she fluttered her fingers at her. "Hello, Audrey. It's been a while." When Audrey didn't respond but continued to stare at her with skepticism plastered on her face, she chuckled to herself, tilting her head to the side before asking, "Can I come in?" Snapping out of her dense mode, Audrey nodded in return ushering her into the house. "Oh, I
Last Updated : 2025-02-06The Surrogate's Vendetta EIGHTY-EIGHT: A Half-hearted Alliance
"NO! NO FREAKING WAY!" Juniper and Camille yelled in unison. It was a good thing Juniper had reserved the entire coffee shop so that they could sit and discuss in private without being conscious of others. Because with the way they shouted, the other customers would've thought they were insane. Juniper's gaze blazed as she threw her forefinger in the face of Jerome Luc who was sitting next to Audrey in their table of four. "There's no way we're working with him." "Exactly. Cops can't be trusted," Camille agreed with her. She then turned her piercing eyes at Jerome. "Why the hell are you EVERYWHERE?" But Jerome flashed her a smug smile, shrugging his shoulders. "It's a small world, I guess," he said casually right before taking a sip of his coffee. Audrey's eyes blinked in confusion. "Wait! You guys know each other already?" "Yeah, it's a long story," Juniper responded dismissively, her eyes narrowed as they locked on Audrey. "How exactly do you two k
Last Updated : 2025-02-07The Surrogate's Vendetta EIGHTY-NINE: "There's no BUT. I like you too..."
After receiving that bleak call from Camille that morning, Damien had barely concentrated throughout the competition. He could think of nothing else but her. In fact, it had taken all that was holy for him to actually come first place. He left the stadium right after claiming his gold medal and the first thing he did was rush over to Camille's place to check up on her, only to find her house empty. He rang her countless times but her phone was switched off— which was totally unlike her. He was so worried that he remained there at her front gate, leaving numerous voicemails, and hoping that she returned home as soon as she received them. After hours and hours passed by, panic set in. He began to pace restlessly in front of his packed car, glancing at his phone at every second. "God! Where the hell is this woman?" Damien whispered to himself, his voice inundated with concern and anxiety. "Hold on! What if. . . what if she'd been on her way to the pharmacy and coll
Last Updated : 2025-02-08The Surrogate's Vendetta NINETY: The Deadly Secret
DINNER TIME AT THE BELLEROSE MANSION. . . Audrey had initiated a family dinner to catch up on each other's lives— a ploy she'd come up with to retrieve the flash drive from her father's safe— but Chloe being Chloe made the entire dinner about herself, going on and on about her struggles in the palace. . . and her sheer hatred for Juniper. "That witch is up to something, trust me," Chloe rambled on, waving her cutlery in the air. "'cause, tell me why she was all cozied up to Dylan, and all of a sudden his secret was divulged to the public." Florence, who was hanging on to every word her daughter spoke, nodded her head in agreement. "You're right," she said barely above a whisper. "Not to mention how the Dupont kid mysteriously disappeared into thin air." "If you ask me, I don't think Dylan ‘mysteriously disappeared into thin air’," Chloe countered pointedly. "His family must have snuck him out of the country way before the cops came for him. He's their only child, there's no way
Last Updated : 2025-02-09The Surrogate's Vendetta NINETY-ONE: Audrey's Death
Juniper's hand dropped to her side as she stood frozen in front of the TV, her eyes fixed on the screen in horror.___ "Tragedy has struck the Clermont Family," The news anchor announced, his tone calm and solemn. "Audrey Clermont, the talented A-list actress and second daughter of the esteemed Clermont Family, was found dead on the grounds of her home early this morning. Report alleged a handwritten suicide note was discovered on the rooftop of her house, where it is believed she took her own life by jumping to her death. The suicide note suggests that the late actress had taken her own life due to the constant blackmail she'd received from the Young Prince's mother of Forêt-bleue, Juniper Laurent, who allegedly had requested a huge sum in exchange for keeping her secret silent. Shockingly, Audrey had once been in the adult movie industry, under the pseudonym, Kiki Miles, and this was realized at exactly 1:00 am today when an X-rated video starring the late actress was
Last Updated : 2025-02-11The Surrogate's Vendetta NINETY-TWO: The Interrogation
Juniper breathed a silent sigh of exhaustion. She already expected the cops would come for her, but not this soon— and especially not Jerome Luc. She tilted her chin defiantly, her gaze meeting his squarely "Am I being arrested?" "No, ma'am," he responded calmly. "We just have a few questions to ask you." "Great," she retorted. "If I'm not being arrested, then it's okay to go to the station all by myself, right?" "Of course, ma'am," he replied with a sigh. "Whenever you're ready." That was all Juniper needed to hear before she spun on her heels and returned from where she came from. Back in her bedroom, she punched in Camille's number and called her. "Hey, Camille. I don't think I can make it to your place now. The cops came for me, accompanied by your friend, Jerome. I'll head first to the station, please get our lawyer ready—" Just then, the twin doors to Juniper's bedroom swung open with a sudden burst, and in came a seething monarchess. "Juniper L
Last Updated : 2025-02-11The Surrogate's Vendetta NINETY-THREE: "They might've won, but we'll be back."
Jerome braced himself for a tongue-lashing the moment he was summoned to the Station Commander's office, knowing he was in for a severe rebuke. He had expected this reaction from the very moment he chose to disregard his superior's directive. As soon as he walked in, the Station Commander's face turned red with anger. He sprang to his feet and hauled a journal at him. "You had one simple task, Detective Luc," the Commander thundered, his voice echoing through the room. "Your orders were clear: 'Do everything in your power to charge Juniper Laurent with the crime of blackmail.' And yet, what did you do? You let her go?!" Jerome swiftly caught the book before it made contact with his face. He maintained a collected attitude as he strode towards him. "I let her go because she wasn't guilty of the crime, sir," he said level-headedly, placing the book back on the table. "There was no solid evidence to hold her to the crime, sir. Are you suggesting I charge someone for what the
Last Updated : 2025-02-12The Surrogate's Vendetta NINETY-FOUR: The Truth Behind Audrey's Death
Chloe didn't want to believe a word Juniper had said, but for some reason, it continued to bother her. Though she knew her father and what heinous things he was capable of, she refused to believe he had a hand in Audrey's death. Tears streamed down her face as she sped towards the Bellerose Mansion. She never realized how much Audrey meant to her until now she was gone forever. She still couldn't believe she was never going to see her again. Why was everyone close to her experiencing such misfortune except the person she desperately wished it for? Why wasn't Juniper the one dead instead of Audrey? Or was her hunch correct after all? Was Juniper the mastermind behind all these bad things happening to them? Who was she coming for next? HER?!!! Subconsciously, Chloe's sorrow gave way to a cold-gripping terror to manifest. She never thought there would come a time she'd feel so terrified by Juniper, but from the latest turn of events, she was starting to realize that
Last Updated : 2025-02-13
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The Surrogate's Vendetta 116: Rescue Mission
Camille geared up, preparing herself for the battle ahead of her. It was already evening and she still hadn't gotten any other response from Jerome, causing her to grow increasingly anxious. Yesterday, as soon as Adrien had left her house, she had reached out to Jerome and the Crown Prince, updating them on the latest developments. Jerome had requested a Search and Seizure Warrant before they headed out to find Juniper, but his superior had denied the request. Time was running out, and Camille couldn't afford to wait any longer. The thought of Juniper spending another night in that godforsaken place, staggering on the brink of death, was enough to send chills down her spine. She was going to take matters into her own hands and head to the location immediately. With everything in order and her plans in place, Camille used the secure burn phone to contact her brother, alerting him of her arrival. As she ended the call with her brother, her main phone buzzed to l
The Surrogate's Vendetta 115: Long-lost Brother
Three days had passed since Juniper's disappearance, and Camille was losing it at a fast rate. She had gotten everyone related to Juniper involved in the search, and exhausted every means possible to find her, but all their investigation had yielded nothing. No CCTV footage, no dashcam recordings, no single eyewitness had come forward. . . not even her car was found. It was as if Juniper had vanished in thin air Camille knew this wasn't ordinary. Yes, Juniper was capable of disappearing like this, but not without telling her. Someone was behind this. And she could only think of one person. ANTIONE CLERMONT! But where could he have kept her? It couldn't be at the Bellerose Mansion for sure. He wasn't that stupid. Even as Camille returned home, her mind still raced with thoughts and questions. But her attention was abruptly diverted when she reached the front door. She stopped mid-step, her hand hesitating on the door handle, as she realized that the s
The Surrogate's Vendetta 114: Tortured By The Monster
*TRIGGER ALERT: VIOLENCE* Juniper moaned softly, her eyes fluttering open as she slowly began to regain consciousness. At first, her vision appeared foggy, but then slowly, it became clearer and her eyes adjusted to the dimly lighted room. And in a split second, the memories came flooding in, replaying the events that took place prior to her passing out. This was Antoine's plan, no doubt. He must've sent the Krakens to waylaid and bring her to this place. But where was she, by the way? Her head throbbed like hell, making it difficult to stay focused, but she fought back the dizziness and managed to survey her surroundings. She couldn't figure out where exactly she was, but one thing she could tell for sure was this place was reserved for nothing but torture— Or worse. . . MURDER! Beside her, assorted hand-held tools splayed on a table, an electrocuting machine settled next to it, and straight ahead. . . a couple of hangman's noose dangled from a
The Surrogate's Vendetta 113: Truth Exposed
Camille was starting to get impatient, wondering what was keeping Juniper. It was 8:00 p.m. already, almost an hour past the time they'd agreed to meet but she was nowhere to be found. She'd rang her cell over and over— but to no avail. Why wasn't she here yet? Was she caught in traffic? Or perhaps was she unable to clear her schedule? If that was the case, she would've informed her beforehand. Juniper would never leave her hanging this way. Camille shook her head, waving off the unsettling thoughts that were starting to pile up in her mind. For now, she would just go to the meeting and worry about Juniper later. Lisette Austin must be waiting at the restaurant by now. The poor girl was already frightened by the consequences of speaking the truth, leaving her waiting could cause her to lose courage and change her mind. She couldn't let that happen. On reaching the restaurant, Camille wasn't surprised to find Lisette already seated at the table reserved
The Surrogate's Vendetta 112: Juniper In Trouble
Antoine still couldn't believe his wife had lost her mind. Even as the doctor had explained it over and over he couldn't wrap his head around it. He'd partially hoped his wife was putting on an act to avoid being detained but that wasn't the case, not at all! SHE HAD GONE BONKERS! What was he going to do? All of a sudden, the mansion felt so quiet and lonely. It hadn't been long since he'd lost his daughter, now his wife was conformed to a psych ward. His family were no longer here. The people he'd acquired all this wealth and power for were no longer here to enjoy it. He was left all by himself in this huge, empty mansion. This wasn't what he planned. Why was his life moving out of track? A soft knock on his door momentarily distracted him from his turbulent thoughts. Following his permission, his private investigator entered into his study. "Good day, sir," he greeted politely. "I brought news about Mr. Michaelson, the American investor." Antoine's i
The Surrogate's Vendetta 111: About Her Father
"Hey, I heard what happened at the company. Are you okay?" Camille asked Juniper, her eyes glistening with worry. But Juniper brushed off her concern with a casual smile. "As you can see. . ." She swept her hand all over her body. ". . .I'm totally okay." Camille's brows creased. "Oh, yeah? Then what are all these?" She retorted, pointing at the band-aids on her legs and arms. Juniper waved a dismissive hand, dropping into a nearby couch. "Just bruises I sustained from trying to subdue Florence. Nothing serious." Camille remained silent. She dealt Juniper a look of skepticism, her eyes narrowing into slits. When Juniper met her gaze, she lifted her shoulders slightly and said, "I'm serious. I didn't get shot or anything. I was quick enough. I mean, I learned from the master herself." Camille released a breath she had no idea she was holding and sank into the seat beside her. "So how did things go at the police station?" She asked. "Well, Florence is cu
The Surrogate's Vendetta 110: Apprehended
A WEEK LATER. . . As the newly appointed Chairperson of Bellerose Fragrance, Juniper presided over the board of directors in the boardroom, where they assembled to discuss the appointment of a new CEO. After she'd invested over a billion euros to restore the company's finances, which had been severely depleted by the scandal, the shareholders had made a unanimous decision to elect her as Chairwoman. Now, it was time to fill the CEO's seat. Juniper couldn't be more happy to finally be rid of the Clermonts from the Bellerose Fragrance. Just a little bit more and she'd totally wipe them off the Bellerose Empire. Halfway into the meeting, the double doors abruptly burst open, and in came Florence Clermont, storming into the room like a wild beast. "You heartless vultures!" She bellowed, her eyes blazing with fury. "My daughter's body is barely cold in her grave, and you're already conspiring to replace her!" The room fell silent, with all eyes fixed on Florence,
The Surrogate's Vendetta 109: Au Revoir
Immediately, Chloe's eyes veered to the doorway— and so did everyone else in the board room. It was Mr. Michaelson, the American investor who had bought her father's shares and had promised to vote against her resignation. For the first time that day, her heart lept with joy. Finally, things were starting to look hopeful. Finally, she could breathe a sigh of relief. Mr. Michaelson took one of the empty seats at the table, still apologizing for his unpunctual arrival. And soon after he settled in and introduced himself, Juniper leaned forward again and spoke into the mic. "Oh, Mr. Michaelson, thank you for making it to today's meeting. As you must already know, we are here to vote for or against CEO Clermont's resignation. Currently, the vote is a tie. Half of the shareholders are against her resignation, while the remaining half are for it. Your vote will be the tiebreaker and will determine the outcome of our meeting today." She paused for a breath. "So, what's
The Surrogate's Vendetta 108: The Vote
IN THE CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE. . . "I have decided and I can't put up with your scandals anymore, CEO Clermont," Juniper said firmly with zero shards of humor. "You have to step down from the CEO position." Chloe couldn't believe her ears. And so did her father, Antoine. "WHAT?!" They exclaimed simultaneously. Juniper met Chloe's gaze squarely. "You need to take responsibility for this situation. Your scandal is bringing bad press to the company. The best you can do at this point is to apologize to the public and resign from the CEO office." In a sudden outburst of emotion, Chloe vaulted to her feet. "You crazy bitch!" She thundered furiously. "This is all your plan, isn't it? This is what you wanted. Will any of this be happening if you haven't leaked that video?!" Juniper's face wrinkled with a grimace. "Mind your tone, Ms. Clermont," she grounded out, her voice vibrating with authority. "Don't you dare use such derogatory term on me, especially here in the company. I
