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
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
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
Juniper was beyond relieved when she finally made it to the Royal Palace. It was nearly a fatal attempt trying to get passed the reporters, protesters, and very angry fans, who swarmed the major roads leading to the palace. In fact, it was a miracle she'd made it out in one piece— Though she couldn't say the same for her car. She still wondered why the public was still hassling her concerning the issue of Audrey's supposed suicide. The media had already revealed to the public that she had nothing to do with it and her charges were dismissed, but why did it seem to aggravate the issue even more? Someone was definitely fanning the flame in her direction, and she didn't need to think twice to guess who it was. Juniper sighed deeply as walked down the corridor to her room. Since she wasn't in the best state of mind, her major aim was to get everything behind her for now, retire to her room, and hope tomorrow turned out better. Socializing with anyone in the palace wa
"CONGRATS, JUNIPER! YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT! THANK YOU FOR BANKING WITH US." Juniper Laurent read the text in her mind's voice over and over again, relishing in the moment, submitting to the fluttering feeling of euphoria surging through her veins. A radiant smile stretched her rosy tinged full lips as she realized that was the last debt she had to settle. Every fiber of her being wanted to leap with joy and let out a triumphant scream, but she retrained herself with what seemed like a century's worth of self-control. Nothing could beat being debt-free. Free from being hounded by loan sharks, free from living under the oppressive weight of their constant threats and demands every waking day of her life. And only those who had walked in her shoes could truly understand how liberated she felt at the moment. What has she not done? She had taken on every job that crossed her path. Waiting tables, bartending, cleaning, tutoring—just name it an
In the blink of an eye, Juniper felt a forceful tug, wrenching her away just in time, a bare fraction of a second between her and a one-way ticket to the great beyond. Even as she and her rescuer tumbled onto the hard pavement, Juniper's eyes remained tightly shut, her entire body trembling with terror. Then, for some inexplicable reason, she began to feel herself relax in the strong embrace of Mr. Mysterious Savior. She couldn't quite determine if it was the enticing fragrance of his cologne or the feeling of security in his arms, as though she was always meant to be there. She couldn't tell. In that moment, the stranger gently shook her, his voice—a rich baritone and deep with concern—breaking through her stupor. "Juniper! Juniper, open your eyes. Are you okay?" WHAT?! HE KNEW HER NAME TOO! Now that was enough to make Juniper flutter her eyes open, her gaze landing on the masked face of her rescuer. Despite the disguise of a face cap and mask, she recogniz
BREAKING NEWS: HEIRESS VIVIENNE BELLEROSE DIES IN A CAR ACCIDENT. The newscaster's voice, deep and sharp, boomed as he began to convey the horrible news to the public. "Good day, everyone. On today's breaking news from Valterre City. . . the heiress of the Bellerose Frangrance, Vivienne Bellerose, has tragically passed away in a car accident. According to sources from the family, Vivienne had embarked on a trip several days ago, with plans to return soon after, but communication with her had abruptly ceased. An intensive search ensued, leading to the horrifying discovery of her car submerged in the Valterre River, having apparently veered off course, skidding down the cantilevered road to Valterre City. Reports allege that the authorities are presently conducting an exhaustive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this devastating incident. . ." Bolting upright in shock, Juniper's eyes grew wide with horror, fixated on the television screen as it displayed an image
Juniper stood in front of the looming massive metal gate as the morning sun cast its golden rays on the sprawling entrance of the Bellerose Estate. It seemed a world away from the life she knew and had, yet here she stood, ready to take the first step into the heart of the Bellerose family. Today was the day she had to lay everything out on the table. The day she was going to reveal the truth, a revelation that would ripple through her life and the lives of the Bellerose family, leaving no stone unturned. She'd waited for a month. A month was quite enough time for them to mourn and. . . enough for her not to lose her mind from the weight of thinking about the child growing rapidly in her womb. The clock was ticking. It was barely five months remaining before the little Bellerose would be born. The earlier she got this settled, the earlier she could move on with her life. Whatever decision they decided to take over this issue would determine the future of their gra
Juniper was beyond relieved when she finally made it to the Royal Palace. It was nearly a fatal attempt trying to get passed the reporters, protesters, and very angry fans, who swarmed the major roads leading to the palace. In fact, it was a miracle she'd made it out in one piece— Though she couldn't say the same for her car. She still wondered why the public was still hassling her concerning the issue of Audrey's supposed suicide. The media had already revealed to the public that she had nothing to do with it and her charges were dismissed, but why did it seem to aggravate the issue even more? Someone was definitely fanning the flame in her direction, and she didn't need to think twice to guess who it was. Juniper sighed deeply as walked down the corridor to her room. Since she wasn't in the best state of mind, her major aim was to get everything behind her for now, retire to her room, and hope tomorrow turned out better. Socializing with anyone in the palace wa
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
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
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
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
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
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
"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
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