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THIRTY: Vivienne's Last Will
Last Updated:
2024-07-23 21:06:24
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The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY-ONE: "I'll make them all pay"
Juniper felt overwhelmed, struggling to process the sheer magnitude of all the revelations. Just when she thought she was starting to grasp the situation, another shocking truth would surface, leaving her reeling. She was bombarded with information, and all she could do was sit frozen, absorb the blows, and desperately pray they did not destroy her. Sitting rigidly on the suddenly uncomfortable couch, Juniper listened keenly and emotionally shattered as Camille recounted the events that had fueled their unyielding determination to take down the Clermont Family. "We were quite younger when our parents died," Camille began, struggling to remain calm. However, she couldn't smother the rage in her voice. "I and my little brother, Adrien, had to live in an orphanage. He was still quite young and had better chances of getting adopted than I was. When I turned twelve and he, was four, a nice, wealthy family came to adopt him, but he didn't want to be parted with me. He wouldn't
Last Updated : 2024-07-24The 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 : 2024-08-04
Latest chapter
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
The Surrogate's Vendetta 107: Approval
Camille savored the soothing music emitting from the radio of Damien's car, nodding her head slowly to its melody. As Damien drove her home, one of his hands deftly controlled the steering wheel while the other was linked to hers perfectly. When he honked the car horn repeatedly out of impatience, Camille fluttered her eyes partially open to inspect the situation, only to find out they weren't on their way to her house, but to the Prime Minister's residence. "Uh, Damien. . . Why are we heading to your family house?" She asked lazily yet curious. He beamed, his eyes remaining fixed on the road. "My parents want us to have dinner with them." Camille's eyes immediately flew wide open and she turned to him. "What?!" she exclaimed, snatching her hands away from his. "And you're just telling me now?" Damien's lashes fluttered in confusion, his eyes unsteadily glanced from her to the road. "Why? Is something wrong?" "Yes!" Camille replied snappily. "You sho
The Surrogate's Vendetta 106: Altercation With The Queen
THE FOLLOWING DAY. . . Throughout the night, Antoine boiled with rage. All he could think of was confronting the queen. But now that he was here, sitting before her in the palace's grand courtyard, he felt somewhat intimidated by her imposing demeanor to even relay his case. "Your Majesty, I beg to respectfully remind you that the union between our children is more than a mere marital bond," Antoine said. "It's an alliance between our families. You can't simply discard my daughter in this manner." Queen Catherine held his gaze for a short while that felt like hours, regarding him with nothing but sheer contempt. "Allow me to comprehend this correctly," she said haughtily, dropping her teacup on the table with a soft thud. "You expect me to still accept your daughter for my son after her scandalous behavior? Have you lost your mind, Antoine? Or do you not know what's at stake here?" "I'm well aware of what's at stake, Your Majesty," Antoine retorted, struggling to kee
The Surrogate's Vendetta 105: Driven Away
Chloe hated that she was about to do the exact thing Juniper ridiculed her about, but what choice did she have left? If groveling meant she could remain in the Royal Palace, then she would grovel. And that, she did. The moment the Queen's lady-in-waiting opened the door to her, Chloe dropped to her knees and began to beg. "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I swear, I never meant any of this to happen. I'm so sorry." Queen Catherine barely acknowledged her presence as she slowly leafed through the pages of a magazine. "If you must know, Chloe, I've never had expectations of anyone— Not even once. But I had high expectations of you. I truly did," she said in a flat tone, her eyes never leaving the magazine. "However, you proved to be just like every other riffraff who was merely fortunate to step into the world of the elites. But what can I say? No one can truly leave their filthy background behind, can they?" "Your Majesty, I. . . I can explain—" "What's left
The Surrogate's Vendetta 104: Chloe's Waterloo
"YES. OH, YES. FUCK ME! FUCK ME HARDER, DYLAN! AHHHH!!!!" Loud moanings of pleasure boomed through from the speakers, and slowly the large display TV cracked back to live, revealing random x-rated footage of Chloe being put in multiple positions as Dylan licked, sucked, and banged her in his bedroom. Chaos erupted in the hall as the audience clamored about the explicit video playing before them while the reporters hurriedly clicked their cameras, determined to capture every single detail. But all that noise was lost to Chloe, fading into the background as she stood frozen at the spot. Her hand instantly grew weak, causing the wine glass she held to fall to the ground, shattering to smithereens. What was going on? Chloe thought to herself, her eyes glued to the big screen. She remembered clearly every video that played before and every word she'd said. But all these had happened in the secrecy of Dylan's penthouse apartment. How exactly did these vi
The Surrogate's Vendetta 103: The Anniversary
The magnificent ballroom room of the renowned Paradis Hotels shone with exquisite lighting and decorations, setting the tone for an unforgettable evening. The entire space buzzed with prominent guests of all ranks, dressed to the tens, and eager reporters, clicking away to capture every moment of the event. The gentle hum of conversation, the soft clinking of glasses, and the melodic background music all synchronized perfectly into an electrifying atmosphere of celebration. The Bellerose Fragrance 90th anniversary celebration was like no other occasion, packed with engaging and memorable programs that were bound to live rent-free in the attendees' minds. The event featured welcome addresses that highlighted the company's history and milestones, award presentations to honor long-serving employees, mesmerizing perfume exhibitions, educating video presentations, and a ceremonial cake cutting. The entertaining programs unfolded nonstop until the attendees were
The Surrogate's Vendetta 102: The Rumor
Juniper's face scrunched up in an expression of utter disgust as she stared at her phone, scrolling through article after article of the daily news. Chloe's face was plastered across the front pages of nearly every media outlet, from reputable magazines to sensational tabloids and blogs, glorified with catchy headlines that were impossible to ignore. . . [ "Meet Forêt-Bleue's Youngest CEO Who's Changing the Game: Chloe Clermont" "The Unstoppable Rise of Forêt-Bleue's Youngest Female CEO" "The Future of Business: Chloe Clermont's Inspiring Story" "CEO Sensation: Chloe Clermont's Recipe for Success" "Chloe Clermont: The Face of Modern Leadership" "From Startup to Stardom: Chloe's Journey to the Top" "The Power Player: Chloe Clermont's Impact on Bellerose Fragrance" ] It didn't stop there. The headlines kept getting more and more annoying as they came. And the articles, themselves? Nothing but overexaggerated facts to cover up her lack of better a
The Surrogate's Vendetta 101: More Suspicions
"Sorry, I couldn't call sooner," Damien's voice chimed through from the other end. "Did you get home safe?" Camille couldn't stop herself from grinning widely whenever she heard his voice— or stop her body from moving. I mean, how could she keep still when the entire zoo was parading in her belly? She beamed, slowly pacing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window as she interchangeably swapped the position of her phone from ear to ear. "Of course, I did. Thankfully, in one piece." "You're not changing your mind about us just because my mom disapproves, right?" He said, his voice laced with worry. "Let me apologize in her stead. She can be inconsiderate sometimes but she's totally harmless, believe me." "It's okay. I understand," she said with a smile. "And I'm never changing my mind about us. I didn't muster the courage to pour out my feelings before them only to relent afterward." A brief, silent fell at the other end of the line and Camille could bet her kidn
The Surrogate's Vendetta 100: "I'm in love with your son"
A short while later, they were all seated around the kitchen table, enjoying the meal Damien's parents had brought. Gabriel appeared to be taking the news of their relationship a tad better than his wife, Alice, who couldn't hide her disapproval. She never missed the opportunity to cast nasty glances at Camille and make subtle, biting comments. Damien, however, seemed completely unfazed by his mother's behavior, all his attention was focused on the woman sitting beside him. A sweet smile lit up Damien's face as he placed a bite-sized slice of charred lamb on Camille's plate. "You have to try this, it's so delish," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Returning his smile, Camille picked up the meat with her fork and savored the bite, blissfully unaware of the daggers Alice was shooting at her from across the table. The older woman cleared her throat emphatical, striving to gain their attention. When she succeeded, she spoke to Camille with a tone tin
