THREE: At Wits' End

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 Fragrance, 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 of her sister and footage of a crane hauling a waterlogged car from the depths of the Valterre River.

    The world around her began to spin, time slowing to a crawl as the report echoed in her ears. Her heart slammed against her chest, thudding with every fiber of her being. 

    With panic consuming her entire being, she reeled from the crushing realization that her sister who she'd been desperately trying to reach had met an untimely, horrific end.

     What was going on? An accident? Just like that? 

    Her mind raced in a wild blur, struggling to comprehend the devastating news. She'd just seen her four days ago and now she was no more. How could this have happened? What was she supposed to do now? 

    "No, no, no, no! This can't be real," she pleaded in a whisper as if her denial alone could reverse the cruel situation.

    With trembling hands, Juniper's fingers closed around her phone, lying face down on the floor from her abrupt rise. In a last-ditch attempt, she dialed her sister's number, pacing frantically and pleading with fate for Vivienne to pick up, saying it was just an elaborate prank.

    But once again, she was met with the familiar sound of voicemail, leaving her feeling hollow and helpless.

    With the last shard of her fragile hope shattering, Juniper flung her phone onto the couch, sliding to the floor. Her heart withered in despair as she buried her face in her hand.

    What was she supposed to do now?

    In a bleak aftermath, Juniper found herself enveloped in the sobering atmosphere of her sister's funeral. Surrounded by mourning strangers, each of their faces were like an unfamiliar visage in a sea of grief. 

    Vivienne, the woman whose kindness had warmed her despite the fact they'd barely known each other, now stood as a silent centerpiece amidst the cold stone and muffled whispers.

    For the past few days, all the entire nation had talked about was the tragic news of Vivienne's passing. Her untimely death dominated every conversation, radio broadcast, TV segment, and online discussion. People from all walks of life raved about nothing but the kindness, generosity, and selflessness Vivienne had shown them and how death was so cruel to have taken such a beautiful soul too soon.

    And wholeheartedly, Juniper couldn't agree more.

    She couldn't help but reminisce on those brief moments she'd shared with Vivienne. Those moments that made her pause for a while and wondered if Vivienne's kindness was solely due to the fact she was carrying her child. But as time went by, she came to realize that Vivienne's compassion and generosity knew no bounds. She was truly an angelic person who did not deserve the cruelty that life had dealt her.

    However, from the look of things, there was no doubt that Juniper wasn't the only one who had partaken of the beauty of her sister's heart. Vivienne's love and generosity had touched the lives of many, and it was evident in the diverse crowd of people—from the elite to the lower class—who had gathered to pay their respects and bid farewell.

    The funeral grounds were a poignant canvas of pure mourning, the air thick with sadness. The mourners in black attire stood solemnly, their murmurs like subtle wind carrying the weight of their sorrow, the outpouring of tributes and memories as they commemorated Vivienne's remarkable life

    Among the sea of black, a medley of prestigious people gathered, from high-ranking business leaders in their well-tailored suits to members of the royal family, exuding an air of grave respect.

    Yet, at the heart of it all was the Bellerose family who couldn't prevent the tears from pouring down their face. Their tear-stained faces screamed how much agony they were passing through from their loss.

    Juniper knew for sure that she couldn't compare the grief she felt for the passing of her sister with that of the raw pounding feelings of her family who had been with her for ages.

    As swiftly and undetectable as possible, she offered her respects before dissolving back into the crowd. She couldn't exactly introduce herself to the bereaved family at the moment. That was a step too far. She had to respect them. 

    They were still griefing, revealing the existence of an unexpected additional to the family would be a little too much for them to bear. . . or believe. Especially coming from a strange woman they've never met in their life.

     She had to give them time to process their grief, biding her time until a more opportune moment to introduce herself and the little Bellerose in her womb.

    Because she couldn't do this. 

    She’d finally been moving forward with her life, getting used to the idea of being free from the burden of responsibilities. And now this?

    It seemed the universe was hell-bent on cruelly wrecking her attempts to build a reasonable life for herself.

    She really felt horrible about her sister's passing, but she wasn't going to lie and say that she was a hundred percent affected. 

    She wasn't cold-hearted. She was just used to people walking out of her life and it didn't seem to hurt that much anymore.

    Moreover, the child in her womb only added to her turmoil. She couldn't deny feeling guilty for the child's circumstance, but the prospect of raising a child, be it hers or not, was too great a burden to bear. 

    And she was not willing to carry it. Not now! Not even in the near future. 

    She'd been through a lot already and going into single parenthood was something she would never bargain for. 

    She had to get her life back. And there was only one way to achieve that. . .