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THIRTY-ONE: "I'll make them all pay"
Last Updated:
2024-07-24 23:56:10
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The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-TWO: The Gatecrasher
TWO YEARS LATER. . . At the Forêt-Bleue International Airport, a woman emerged from the departure gate, her confidence gripping attention as she rolled a sleek suitcase beside her. She was clad in an exquisite black micro short dress, its V neckline plunging daringly, showcasing a generous amount of her cleavage. The dress hugged her curves in all the right places, accentuating her toned physique and revealing flawless long legs. Over her stunning ensemble, she swung an elegant black fur coat, draping down to her calves in a subtle sheen. Her silky chestnut hair cascaded below her mid-back in soft waves, nearly camouflaging with the luxurious texture of her coat. As the gentle breeze rippled her hair, a black leaf-shaped diamond earring dangled from each of her ears. The enigmatic woman was Juniper Laurent, a stark contrast to the timid and unassuming woman she used to be. Her every step, every move, and every gesture screamed affluence and sophistication. T
Last Updated : 2024-07-26The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-THREE: The Secret Child
In over eight centuries, the Cathedral of Royal Light had witnessed a total of twenty-seven iconic royal weddings, but none had ever descended into chaos like this one. Probably because none of the past weddings had a vindictive woman like Juniper to deal with. Standing amidst the confused and buzzing crowd, Juniper stepped out of the pew, taking hold of the little child's hand sitting next to her—her son, baby Hector Bellerose, who was dressed in a cute, little black tux that made his lustrous blonde hair stand out so perfectly and matched Juniper's dark attire, creating an almost striking similarity between mother and son. Ambling almost at the same pace, Juniper and her tiny protégé, with a confident swagger, ate up the aisle like it was their personal runway as made their way to the altar. All eyes were heavy on them as they walked by, pew after pew. The cameras were clicking even more frequently than earlier, capturing the electrifying moment that was bound t
Last Updated : 2024-07-27The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-FOUR: "The Wedding Will Be Postponed"
The royal wedding was temporarily put on hold, and the parties involved—The immediate Royal Family, The Clermont Family, Juniper, and her son—were escorted to the private and relatively quiet space of the vestry to discuss the situation, away from the main cathedral area and the public eye. Even as they sat around the huge wooden table, Cedric could neither believe his ears nor his eyes. He was beyond flummoxed! After the last time he had seen Juniper, she'd disappeared, dropped from the face of the Earth. No one knew where she'd gone, not even the Clermonts. A lot of assumptions had gone through his mind the past few years— Perhaps, she'd taken his warning and disappeared from his life or worst. . . she'd died somewhere and no one knew about it. But now here she was, after all these years, with a child. . . claiming he was his. How was that even possible? Last he checked, the child she was carrying, belonged to her late sister, Vivienne, and her fi
Last Updated : 2024-07-28The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-FIVE: The Right-hand Man
Baby Hector was already fast asleep when Juniper finally arrived at the house that she shared with Camille. Even the voice of his favorite Aunt Camie and the barking of his furry best friend, Caesar, couldn't shake him from his slumber. "He seems dead to the world," Camille remarked in a monotone. "He IS dead to the world," Juniper returned with a chuckle. Camille's deep ebony eyes danced with affection as she took the sleeping child from Juniper's arm, planting baby kisses all over his chubby face. "Oh, my little cutie. Aunt Camie missed you so much." Hector was the only one Juniper knew who was capable of eliciting warmth from the stone-cold woman. And it was just pleasing to behold. Moments later, after tucking Hector into his bed, Juniper and Camille made a beeline for the study. As they entered the cozy room, their eyes fell upon a beautifully crafted miniature sculpture of Aphrodite, nestled among an assortment of other small, exquisite figurines adorni
Last Updated : 2024-08-01The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-SIX: The Shocking Test Result
It was already five days since Juniper had come back to Forêt-Bleue and turned their lives upside down, yet the Royal Family was still battling with the turbulent aftermath. Cedric was beyond exhausted. His eyes felt like leaden weights, his mind numb from the relentless barrage of scrutiny and the public pleasing. What has he not done? He had faced the unforgiving glare of the press, endured the harsh spotlight of television interviews, and painstakingly stitched together every fragile thread of their family's reputation, leaving no seam unpicked, no detail unattended, in a desperate bid to avoid any scandals from penetrating. As if the situation wasn't already volatile enough, Juniper was now pouring gasoline on the flames by taking to social media, fueling the public's outrage with her controversial posts and incendiary claims. He was struggling to comprehend what exactly she hoped to achieve by doing all this. Was this her way of seeking revenge? Was sh
Last Updated : 2024-08-02The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-SEVEN: War Between The Clermont Sisters
Chloe was not thinking straight. In fact, she wasn't capable of thinking at all. Her mind was clouded with sheer anger and murderous intent as she stormed into the Bellerose Mansion, clutching the test results in her hand. She needed no soothsaying to know that the cousin the doctor had spoken of was Audrey. She was the only living cousin she had. Even though, she still couldn't believe it. Audrey had had a child. How? When? As if that wasn't horrible enough, she had gone to the extent of switching her son with hers. Why? For what reason? She couldn't believe her most trusted relative, someone she'd regarded as her sister for as long as she could remember, had done this to her. With roof-rattling rage, Chloe roared the name of her current enemy. "AUDREY!" From somewhere inside the mansion, Audrey shuffled into the foyer where Chloe was waiting. "Jeez, Chloe," she mumbled drowsily, rubbing one of her eyes. "What is going on with you? Why are you
Last Updated : 2024-08-03The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-EIGHT: A Meeting With The Royal Family
Juniper's laughter saturated the air of the SID, a raucous and unrestrained sound, as she got off the phone with their mole inside the Bellerose Mansion who had just filled her in on the havoc unfolding within the enemy's walls. She wished she could witness the stunned look on their faces firsthand but it was satisfying enough that she knew they were ripping themselves apart. At this very moment, they must be racking their brains, trying to figure out how their son got switched. But little did they know, she was the mastermind behind the swap. And what's more, it had been a spur-of-the-moment move, a ridiculously easy one to execute at that. A sly smile spread across her face as Juniper traveled down memory lane. She and Camille strategically placed multiple moles within their enemies' territories, gathering intel from various sources. However, during her time in the United States, she had specifically instructed one of these moles to focus on keeping an ey
Last Updated : 2024-08-04The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-NINE: Prince Éti— Étienne Leaves The Palace
"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
Last Updated : 2024-08-05
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The Surrogate's Vendetta EPILOGUE
[THREE YEARS LATER!!!] "Hi, love, sorry I had an emergency meeting with the board of directors," Juniper spoke rapidly into her phone as she alighted her car and made for the mansion. "I just got home. I'll get the boys and meet you there in a bit. Sorry. Love you. Muah!" She disconnected the line right before her husband delved into nagging mode. Nothing was as terrifying as listening to him bite her head off. As soon as Juniper walked into the mansion, her ears were greeted with the familiar screaming and giggling. She found Nanny Inés in the foyer, clutching a couple of little fur jackets, and trying to catch her breath. She needed not to ask the older woman to know what she'd been going through. After sharing a brief laughter, Juniper flashed her an apologetic smile, taking the jackets from her. "In what direction did they go?!" Without delay, Inés pointed out the direction, leading to the laundry room, and Juniper followed. "Hector! Étienne! Mommy's
The Surrogate's Vendetta 127: Final Goodbye
"Are you certain this is what you want, Your Highness?" Gabriel Christophe asked for the third time that day. Cedric understood how the Prime Minister felt, he wanted to be sure his decision was a spur-of-the-moment. And it wasn't. His mind was made up. Even as he waited hours in the Council Chamber for the Prime Minister's arrival, nothing could change his mind. "I'm certain, Mr. Prime Minister," Cedric replied, his tone calm and firm. "The Royal Family has caused more harm than good to the people of Forêt-bleue in recent years. I feel mortified to face my people knowing what my family has done. This is the only way to make things straight." He paused for a breath. "We must abolish the monarchy before the day of my coronation." "Very well, Your Highness," Gabriel said with a nod. "I'll propose this to the parliament. It would be difficult to convince them of your decision, but I'll do everything in my power to ensure they agree to it. If it's the last thing I do
The Surrogate's Vendetta 126: The Fall Of The Royal Family
Commotion ensued as Jerome burst into the room, leading a team of heavily armed forces. The royal guards were swiftly overwhelmed, surrounded, and held at gunpoint before they could even react. "Drop your weapons and put your hands on your heads," Jerome commanded in a stern voice. Queen Catherine was startled and beyond flummoxed. She couldn't comprehend what was going on. As the police disarmed the queen's aides, she slowly backed away, her eyes wavered nervously, but she managed to maintain a stern, authoritative tone. "What is the meaning of this? How dare you barge into the. . ." She trailed off the moment she sighted her son amongst the cops. He stood in a spot—unmoving—watching her. Without a doubt, she could tell he was livid. His expression spoke volumes of that fact. Regardless, she tried to act clueless. To play the victim. "C—Cedric! What— what is going on here?" She flattered anxiously. "Are you part of this? How could you bring the authorit
The Surrogate's Vendetta 125: The Queenpin And The Thorn In Her Flesh
Pigheadedly, Juniper made her way to the location. According to the blueprint, the entrance to the underground meth lab was situated in an old, dilapidated barn. And with the GPS on her phone, it wasn't too difficult to find. Noticing a group of Royal Guards patrolling the area, she hid behind a shrub. When she realized the coast was clear, she ventured stealthily into the barn. The situation inside the barn was far worse than the exterior. She wouldn't be surprised if a tarantula popped out from nowhere and attacked her. It took quite a long while of thorough searching before she found a door underneath a wooden, worn-out shelf of some sort. As she pushed the shelf aside, she noticed there was a padlock on the door. Just as she swatted to inspect the lock, a guard suddenly burst through the barn door, flashing a torch. "Who's there?!" He barked. "Show yourself." Juniper had no time for this. Rising to her feet, she secretly pulled a tranq gun from her w
The Surrogate's Vendetta 124: Blueprint
[ Dear Juniper and Jerome, First of all, I want to apologize for what I'm about to do. I know you want what's best for me but I know this is the only way to put an end to Antoine for good. Thank you for seeing the good in me. But I've done terrible things that are beyond your imagination and I don't think I deserve a second chance. I have no right to request this from you, but please look after my son. And if possible, don't bother telling him about his father. I never deserved to create such a sweet soul in the first place. I'm glad my sister had people like you around her. People who she could put her life on the line for and people who would do the same for her. And I'm glad I got to meet her people, even for a short while, before I join her. I'm sorry and thank you for everything.ADRIEN. ] Juniper and Jerome heaved a deep sigh after reading the handwritten letter Adrien had mailed to Camille's house. Yesterday, when the news of the Prison Bus Explos
The Surrogate's Vendetta 123: Depression
It was already three weeks since Camille's death, but Damien was still lost in the darkness of depression. His arrival at the National Team Training Center was already a week overdue but he couldn't care less. In fact, that was the very least on his mind. All that was on his mind was the memories of that unfortunate day. He couldn't bring himself to do anything. LITERALLY. He lay all curled up on his bed, drenching his pillows with uncontrollable tears and mumbling incoherent words to the image of Camille his mind had conjured up. "I have to find a way to let you go, or else how can I forget about you, Camille? Hmm? I still. . . I still can't believe you're no longer here. Everyone says I should forget your death and move on with my life, but how can I do that? When I see you everywhere." He sniffled. "This morning, I saw you in our driveway. I knew. . . I knew it wasn't you. I knew it was only a fantasy. Just another illusion I've created in my head. Still, my hear
The Surrogate's Vendetta 122: Let's Burn Together
Antoine shouted so loud that it was a miracle Juniper's eardrums were left intact. He dropped to the ground like a bag of hammers, clutching his bleeding knee as he writhed in agony. Now it was Juniper's turn to laugh. "Yeah, you're right," she returned, her voice dripping with sweet sarcasm. "I'm not a murderer and I can't kill you. But I can very much disable you." BANG! Juniper shot him again at his other kneecap. "That's for my father," she spat indignantly, disregarding his howling of pain. BANG! She shot one of his shins. "That's for Vivienne." BANG! She shot the other one. "That's for Camille." BANG! She buried the last bullet in his injured shoulder. "And that's for everyone else you've hurt!" At that moment, her ears picked up the soft sob of sirens in the distance. The police were on their way. Juniper stooped, about ninety degrees, baring her pearly teeth at the suffering man. "You're going to rot in jail, Antoine Clermont," she whispered
The Surrogate's Vendetta 121: Invading The Enemy's Territory
Juniper sat in her car, her fingers drumming a rhythmic beat on the steering wheel as she waited, all pumped up. She'd spent the past week recuperating and training for this day— The day Antoine would be brought to his knees A couple of days ago, Adrien had informed her that Antoine had headed to his hideout, and their window to capture him was narrowing. Juniper had pushed hard to join the operation, and after some convincing, Adrien had finally relented. No way was she missing this for anything. Suddenly, the rear door of her car swung open and Adrien hopped into the back seat. "Let's go!" He said promptly. "Now!" Juniper glanced at him from the rearview mirror and shook her head. No salutations, no small talk— Adrien was always straight to the point like the gloomy, ice cube he was. Moments like this reminded Juniper of her beginning moments with Camille before she eventually got to know the warm version hiding behind that ice wall. This behavior might
The Surrogate's Vendetta 120: Exposing The Nasty Deeds Of The Clermont Family
Even though Juniper was well aware of who stood behind her, she remained still, trying not to provoke him. And then she felt the pressure of the gun no more, just as quickly as it had come against her head. Suddenly, Adrien appeared before her, his gun pointing at her face. "Relax," he said benignly. "I mean you no harm." Unfazed, Juniper looked him dead straight in the eyes. "Well. . . from where I stand, that's hard to believe." Adrien heaved a deep sigh and lowered his gun. "I'm not here to make trouble," he returned evenly. "I'm here to ask for your help. I need to find Antoine." The next hour, Juniper and Adrien sat opposite each other at the kitchen table, each with a plate of pasta and tomato sauce in front of them, though neither had made much progress in eating. Juniper wasn't in the best of her mood but she'd had insisted on whipping up a simple dinner for them, despite Adrien's initial reluctance. "You do know the police are already handling An
