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TWENTY-SEVEN: Leaving The Bellerose Mansion
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The Surrogate's Vendetta TWENTY-EIGHT: Juniper's Tragical End?
"I'm keeping the child!" Juniper found herself declaring with all the confidence she could summon. A surge of conviction propelled her forward, and words began to flow from her lips like a river. "I'll raise him, at least until he's old enough to understand. I think every child needs their mother. Yes, he isn't biologically my child. But, I've given him a home within me. I've felt his tiny kicks, his gentle stirrings, and with every passing day, our bond grows stronger. I'm prepared to nurture him, love him, and sacrifice for him. And that, to me, makes me his mother." Antoine cleared his throat "Juniper. . ." "I know what you're about to say," Juniper interjected reasonably. "You're about to say that raising a child is a daunting task and that a Bellerose deserves to be raised in luxury and comfort—which I clearly do not have. And I agree. But, Mr. Clermont, the child needs more than just material comfort. He needs the love, protection, and devotion of a mother. Som
The Surrogate's Vendetta TWENTY-NINE: Camille Thomas
Juniper wasn't sure if it was real or if she was simply hallucinating, but amidst the ear-splitting din of the compactor and the crunching of twisted metal, a distant rumble of a vehicle began to build, growing louder with each passing heartbeat, accelerating into the junkyard with maximum speed. . . and then, a thunderous collision. Suddenly, the compactor came to a clunking halt. It seemed like whoever her savior was had collided with the control panel, thereby stopping the machine from operating and saving her life. Juniper tried to move but she realized her entire body was frozen. She couldn't even move a muscle. She was still shell-shocked from her near-death experience that the frantic banging on the crumpled car door seemed muffled and far-off to Juniper's ears as if she were submerged in a foggy dream. Bang bang! "Juniper!" A woman's pleasant alto voice boomed through with a tinge of dread and urgency in it. "Juniper Laurent, are you in there?" E
The Surrogate's Vendetta THIRTY: Vivienne's Last Will
A frown creased Camille's serene face as she asked, "Vivienne never got to fill you in before the accident?" "No," Juniper retorted, now growing impatient. "What exactly are you talking about? What is it that I do not know?" Camille sighed deeply before she began to explain, "It's about the child you're carrying, Juniper. As long as he has the Bellerose's blood running through his veins, he'll automatically inherit seventy percent of the Bellerose Empire's shares and assets the moment he's born. And whoever happens to be the parents or guardian of the child will have full control over that vast fortune until he turns twenty-two." "What?" Juniper whispered in rampant disbelief. Her senses were on high alert, but she couldn't wrap her mind around what she'd just heard. Was she truly hearing this or just conjuring it up in her frazzled mind? Her mind raced with a flurry of questions. What was the purpose of entrusting an unborn child with such immense power and w
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
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
The 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
The 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
The 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
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