"She can't stay here, Your Highness!" Chloe protested loudly as she burst into Cedric's study. "She won't stay here! I won't allow it!" Cedric already knew who she was referring to without asking. He peeled his eyes away from the computer's screen to glance at her. "The decision has been made, Chloe," he said evenly, shifting his gaze back to the monitor. "There's nothing more we can do about it." But Chloe was not listening. She was furious. Maybe a little anxious too. "But I see no point letting her stay in the Royal Palace," she snapped. "We could just take your son away from her. Why should we indulge her?" Cedric barely managed to keep his tone neutral as he replied to the seething woman, "Because that was her only condition. She won't let us take Hector unless was allowed to accompany him." "And why should we even listen to her absurd demands? She's even not his biological mother. She's just a surrogate. We don't even need a good lawyer to fight for full
The sun was already dipping below the horizon when Juniper arrived at the Royal Palace. She had only been to the palace once as a kid, but now that she saw it again, she had to admit that her definition of definition was rather limited. The royal palace rose proudly like a shimmering symphony of glass, steel, and stone. Its walls were made of white marble and glass, giving it a clean and sleek look. The palace had tall towers and big arches, like traditional castles, but with a fresh and contemporary twist probably proposed by innovative architects over the years. The roof, a marvel of engineering, appeared to float above the structure, its crystalline panels glinting like a thousand tiny diamonds, casting colorful shadows on the ground. The Royal Palace was beyond magnificent. Juniper looked down at her son, whose eyes shone with excitement as he clutched her hand. "Hey, sweetie, you ready to call this incredible castle home?" "Yaaay!" Hector squealed, bouncing u
It was already hours since Chloe arrived at work but she was still fuming by Juniper's sheer audacity. "That sneaky, little witch!" Chloe spat aggressively. "Bold of her to think we could be FRIENDS after all she'd done." What the hell was she thinking? That she would erase from her memory everything she'd done and just be friends? Chloe was still struggling to get used to the fact that Juniper was not only the mother of her fiancé's child but also living in the same space with her. AGAIN! What kind of ill-fated relationship does she have with that woman that she wouldn't just leave her alone? What did she have to do to get rid of that woman? AHHH! Chloe screamed out of frustration, ferociously shoving files and whatnot off her table. It was when the glass nameplate, bearing her name and her CEO title, crashed onto the floor, shattering into smithereens that she popped out of her anger bubble. She squeezed her eyes shut, breathing deeply as she tried
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
"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. "
"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
[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
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
Juniper paced restlessly in the hall of Camille's house, murmuring to herself. "What are we going to do? What have I gotten us into?" But nothing eased her anxiety than seeing Camille burst through the front door. "Oh, Camille! Thank God you're finally here." "What is it? What's wrong?" Camille asked snappily, her eyes searching the other woman's face. Juniper noticed the slight bruises and scratches on her face and neck, not to mention the large ruddy stain on her shirt, but there were more pressing matters. Besides, if she looked this much of a mess, her opponent must be resting in a morgue at the moment. "HIM!" she replied tersely, her finger pointing directly at the problem at hand. A horrified expression took over Camille's face as her gaze followed Juniper's gesture to the lifeless man on the floor. His wrists and ankles were tightly bound with duct tape, and a crumpled grocery bag covered his head, obscuring his face. "Did you kill him?" she asked hesitantly, h
Camille let loose a heavy sigh when her phone rang, revealing her annoying boss' ID on its screen. "Hey, I need your help," Damien's voice poured from the other end as soon as she answered the call. "What do you want this time?" Camille drawled grudgingly. "Meet in front of your house, I'll give you the deets. I'm waiting." "How do you—" And he hung up. Truth to his words, Damien's sleek sports car sat outside her gate, its polished lines gleaming in the light. And there he was, leaning nonchalantly against the driver's side door, looking all gorgeous in a tan, woolly turtleneck sweater paired with light blue ripped jeans and tan shin-length boots. In addition, a luxurious beige fur coat draped elegantly over his shoulder, complimenting his casual ensemble and accentuating his handsome features. As soon as he noticed her, Damien flashed her a million-dollar smile and took off his designer sunshade, revealing his ever-glowing jade eyes. "Hey, you," he si
It was quite a hassle to have a one-on-one conversation with the Queen due to the New Year's Feast yesterday, but now that the festivity craziness was gradually blowing over, Juniper got her chance. Juniper gave the lady-in-waiting a polite nod as soon as she permitted her to proceed into the Queen's Study. A meaningful smile took over her chocolate-tinted lips as she strode into the glamorous working space of Forêt-Bleue's monarchess. "Good evening, Your Majesty," Juniper said with a respectful bow before settling into the seat in front of her. Her gaze hovered around, taking in the splendor of the grand room. "I'm truly humbled to be granted this rare audience. I must have saved a nation in my past life. To be frank, I half-expected my request to be denied," she added with a soft chuckle, her fingers splaying across her chest. "It's really an honor to be in the presence of the Queen of Forêt-Bleue herself." Without her lifting her gaze from the documents before her,
Camille swiftly jerked her hand back, not because his head was burning like hot coals, but to escape the traitorous surge of "Mama Hen" tendencies that surfaced and made her go all soft around vulnerable people. She DID NOT want to feel that way around this complicated man. He was already dangerous enough hale and hearty, she didn't want to find out how much more dangerous he could get with that fragile expression plastered on his pretty face. "What did I say about boundaries, Damien?" She complained, her tone taking on its usual coldness. Ignoring her dismissive tone, Damien coughed raspily, cleared his stuffy nose into the napkin in his hand, and whined weakly, "I don't know what's wrong with me. I usually never get sick. I always take good care of my health." He scowled at her in feigned annoyance. "Maybe it's because I've been spending too much time with a certain frosty companion." "Or maybe because you thought it was cute to keep swimming in the wint
Juniper's voice poured out from the other end of the line, vibrating with excitement. "It's been hella hectic all day around here that I didn't get the chance to contact you earlier, but I have news for you. . ." . she paused for suspense before dropping the bombshell. "Cedric asked me to marry him." Of everything Camille expected to hear today, that was the very least of them. The Crown Prince proposed to Juniper even though the public still acknowledged Chloe as his fiancée? Does he not realize how much backlash that would bring to the Royal Family? Whatever charm Juniper had on that man was really effective. "So what was your response to his proposal?" Camille asked even though she knew the answer. Juniper's response was accompanied by an unsettling laughter, "I said yes, of course. Why would I refuse such a proposal?" "So what exactly is your plan? To be the Queen?" "No. I aim to destroy the Royal Family. To let Cedric watch as his beloved family slowly crumble to d
Chloe knew it was quite uncourteous to bother the Crown Prince this early in the morning, but she was excited to share the new idea she'd come up with for the New Year's Banquet tomorrow. She wasn't sure why the Queen had insisted she oversaw the handling of the event and made her son assist too, but she was utterly grateful. She'd been able to spend more time with him than she had lately and without a doubt, they'd enjoyed each other's company. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but from the looks of things, he was bound to bring up their marriage anytime soon. Struggling on her titanium crutches, Chloe hurried down the hallway leading to Cedric's room. She was feeling all pumped by their meeting until her eyes spotted someone departing the Crown Prince's room. She stopped in midstride, the smile on her lips and in her eyes draining instantaneously as she realized who it was. It was JUNIPER! Leaving Cedric's room, clothed in his. . . in his SHIRT?! She stood f
As a good girl with a good head on her shoulders, Juniper sucked Cedric's erection real good, slurping nonstop and keeping her eyes locked on him to capture every single reaction he made. At first, her pace was slow and lazy, but with greater excitement came a heightened tempo. . . and she gagged on him faster and deeper, just as much as her small mouth could allow. Her body begged to be touched— especially the swollen bud at her sweet cunt. It throbbed so bad that she couldn't bear it anymore. Slipping her trembling fingers down the waistband of her trousers, she greeted her clits, alleviating its craving with delightful manipulations, until she felt pleasure spread across her body like wildfire. And soon after, she was shuddering from its gratifying effect. Everything she did drove Cedric crazy. The way she sucked him so well, the way her golden eyes remained hooked on his, the way her scrumptious boobs bounced in rhythm to her movement, the way she touched herself, the
Juniper wasn't sure how they made it to the Crown Prince's Chamber but once there she realized it didn't matter, all she cared about was making crazy love with this old flame of hers. Cradled in his strong arms, Juniper entwined her legs around his hip, anchoring herself in place as he subjected her lips to an endless series of fierce and hungry kisses. Her whole body had no choice but to surrender to the urgent pressure of his lips, flaring in response as if set ablaze by an ardent desire. She didn't want to admit it, but after that sensual night in Paris, she'd longed to be kissed, touched, and penetrated to the core by this man. And she intended to get all of those today. Finally, Cedric set her feet on the ground, noticing how her legs wobbled like jelly and how reluctant she was to detach her lips from his—not that he was complaining. In fact, he felt a triumphant kick of pleasure surging through him knowing that she wasn't completely immune to him. She wanted
Juniper wasn't drunk. She'd barely even finished the fifth glass of the wine that Dylan had brought from his cellar. She'd just been acting to stop Dylan from making her chug more than she could handle. No one needed to tell her it was a mistake being actually drunk in the same space with that wily fox. Also, she'd purposely called Cedric over to Dylan's house— with two good reasons: One, to get her out of Dylan's house before she was forced to share a bed with that scum. And most importantly, to make Cedric insanely jealous. Ever since Chloe hurt her leg, she'd used her injury as leverage to snag his attention to the extent that Juniper was starting to lose her grip on him. She knew he still had lingering feelings for her, even though he tried his damnedest to hide it, and making him jealous was the only way to put him back on track. Nothing gladdened her soul more than seeing him this way, consumed by jealousy and fury, and she had every intention of fanning th