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FORTY-ONE: The Emergency Board Meeting
Last Updated:
2024-08-11 21:37:00
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The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-TWO: Welcome To The Top Of The Pyramid
Slowly, Juniper turned to the source of the voice, and there, standing behind her was Dylan Dupont in all his cockiness and flamboyant outfit. She exhaled inwardly. And just when she thought today was the best day of her life. "Juniper! It really is you!" Dylan exclaimed with a broad smile, striding towards her in that self-assured demeanor that she'd once admired, but now only irked her. Juniper strained a smile. "Hey, Dylan," she singsonged as cheerfully as possible. "Long time, no see. What brings you to B. Fragrance?" "I could ask the same." "Well, I'm here for business. What about you?" "Something along the same line!" A lazy smile swept across Dylan's face. "Wow, Juni! You look. . ." He dealt her an intentional appraisal. It felt almost as if he was stripping her naked with his gaze. ". . .so different." "And you look the same," Juniper said in return, her facial muscles hurting from keeping that forced smile on. The smile on his face dwindle
Last Updated : 2024-08-12The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-THREE: Suspicions Surrounding Vivienne's Accident
"You won't believe who I met today," Juniper spat as she walked into the SID. She flung her bag onto a table and dropped into a nearby chair, seething with uncontrolled fury. Ever since she left B. Fragrance building, she'd contemplated a thousand exceeding ways to kill that chicken shit. Camille glanced up from the pile of papers and printed photos she was going through, meeting her gaze with a leveled expression. She could detect the sizzling wrath glaring on the other woman's face, but she just arched an eyebrow and asked flatly, "Who?" Juniper's nose flared, her chest rising and falling heavily as she grounded out the infuriating name. "Dylan Dupont! That miserable excuse of a human!" She scoffed in exasperation. "Do you know what he said to me?" She made an ugly face and a horrible imitation of Dylan's voice, "‘Hey, you're not still hung up on what happened between us, are you?’ The nerve of that asshole!" "Please tell me you punched his face in," Camille blurted grimly. "
Last Updated : 2024-08-14The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-FOUR: Picnic and Memory Lane
"HELLO, DADDY! WHAT YOU UP TO?! Cedric's heart did a double flip the moment Juniper bursted through the door of his study letting those words out in a purr and wearing a sly smile. She lounged her hips alluring against the door frame and watched him with a leery look. She looked casual and soft in that flower-patterned off-the-shoulder top, displaying those sensuous collarbones of hers and a slender neck that was adorned with a narrow, silver choker. The top was paired with a pair of high-waisted, white linen shorts, the hem perfected with a delicate lace trim, as their loose and flowy silhouette fell right above her higher thighs, making it impossible to ignore those glossy, porcelain legs of hers. It took quite an effort not to drool and humiliate himself. He hardly saw her in such cheery outfits ever since she arrived. What was the occasion? Before he could make out the reason for her arrival, she shifted her body slightly from the door frame and made way
Last Updated : 2024-08-16The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-FIVE: Jealous Much?
[FEW WEEKS LATER: HECTOR'S BIRTHDAY PARTY] Cedric was right, after all, Juniper thought to herself as scanned the Royal Ballroom. Hector's birthday party was more of a grand Royal Introduction than an actual birthday party. The party had begun at 7: 30pm and the celebrant was already in his room—fast asleep—way before then. The royal ballroom was teeming with influential people from around the globe, mingling and networking in their finest, high-end outfits. Everyone exuded an aura of success, prestige, and glamour that it was hard to distinguish between royalty, nobles, celebrities, and business leaders. That was the great thing about having wealth in abundance. It opened doors to exclusive circles, allowing one to rub shoulders with the elite—the rich and powerful. People who seemed like kind and generous philanthropists on the surface, flashing warm smiles and adorned in stunning attire. However, beneath their polished facade, the purest form of evil nestled comfort
Last Updated : 2024-08-19The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-SIX: Ensnaring The Fox
Juniper wasn't the least bit surprised when she had walked into the restaurant minutes ago and found Dylan already waiting. The man was punctual, patient, thoughtful, charming with words, and often exhibited the disposition of a true gentleman. On the surface, anyone would deem him the perfect partner. . . the epitome of every woman's fantasy. . . yadda yadda yadda. But she knew him well. She was well-acquainted with the cunning and manipulative demon he skillfully concealed behind his polished, gentlemanly exterior. "So how has Forêt-Bleue been treating you since you arrived?" Dylan asked sweetly. Juniper's lips morphed into a smile as her shoulders lifted in a subtle shrug. "Hmm, so far, so good," she said casually. Then, her smile waned, her eyes narrowing as she added with comical seriousness, "But certainly not good living in the Royal Palace. Let me tell you this. . . Living in the Royal Palace is not as rosy as it appears to be. It's like a beautiful prison wit
Last Updated : 2024-08-20The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-SEVEN: "She no match for me."
"It's been four months, Dad! Four months since we began to search for my son! Why haven't you found him yet?!" Chloe yelled in outrage the moment she stepped into her father's study. From the look on her father's face, he didn't seem to be in a good mood himself, but Chloe did not care. All she wanted was her son. Her son with Prince Cedric. She was tired of seeing Juniper getting closer and closer to Prince Cedric, using Hector as an excuse. She didn't want to admit it, but she could feel the Crown Prince slowly slipping away from her grasp and if only their son was around, he wouldn't be spending so much time with that slut and that bratty little imp of hers. But here her father was, being so. . . so incompetent with such a simple task. Which was very unlike him. Incompetence was never a word to describe her father. So why did he choose now of all times to do this to her? "Can you be a little bit patient?" Antoine drawled in a sigh. "I'm doing everything
Last Updated : 2024-08-21The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-EIGHT: Taking The Fall For Him
It was nearly dinner time when Juniper's phone rang and Dylan's name glared on the caller ID. She received the call and singsonged in a tone dripping with honey, "Hi, Supermodel! What's up?!" "Hey, Juni baby! Guess what? I'm back in Forêt-Bleue," Dylan's voice came through from the other end of the phone. "Oh, really? When did you arrive?" She asked swiftly. "Just this morning," he responded, the tone of his voice giving out his undeniable excitement. "We have a lot of catching up to do. I'm so excited. I want to celebrate. Can we meet for a drink?" Juniper switched the phone to her other ear, nodding in agreement. "Sure. Why not?" "Great. I'll send you the location." It took quite a while, but eventually, Juniper found herself at the hotel bar where Dylan was waiting for her. The moment he saw her, he squeezed her in a suffocating embrace. "Oh my God, Juni. It's so nice to see you again." Taken aback, Juniper laughed awkwardly, patting his back softly.
Last Updated : 2024-08-23The Surrogate's Vendetta FORTY-NINE: Infiltrating The Fox's Den
"Hey, time to go, miss," an officer announced, tapping the bars of Juniper's holding cell with his baton. "Your friend has posted your bail." Gradually, Juniper climbed to her feet, her movements lethargic, as the officer unlocked the cell door and swung it open, gesturing for her to exit. All her life, she'd never caused any trouble that landed her behind bars. In fact, she'd avoided being in this kind of situation like the plague. But here she was. . . behind the bars, throughout the night, for an asshole's sake. So why the hell was she smiling, so fulfilled, like a lunatic? She followed the officer to a nearby cubicle to collect her belongings, then proceeded to the front desk where Camille was waiting, her face blazing with a deep shade of red—FURIOUS as hell. Undeterred, Juniper's grin didn't fade from her face, even for a second, as she approached Camille with a playful swagger. "Good morning, Camille," she chimed, fluttering her fingers in a cheeky, taunting wave.
Last Updated : 2024-08-25
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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
