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Chapter 25
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-02-07 21:19:02
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Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 26
Chapter 26ALEJANDRO POV“Okay, first of all, rude. Secondly, he is scary as hell. Thirdly, why the hell does he pretend like he doesn’t know you?” Rayana exploded facing James who had his hands pushed into the pockets of his coat. He glanced back into the direction we came from and shook his head slightly.“I came with company.” He responded nonchalantly. His response sparked something inside of me. I don’t know if my paranoia was getting the best of me, but something told me James William Mountbatten wasn’t being completely honest with us. I have been in this line of work all my life; I knew a deceitful facade when I saw one. “But that is no excuse to treat us the way he did. That man was downright arrogant. Like he had some formula to life or something.” A hint of a smile landed on my face at her sudden outburst. Looking at her expression; she was mortified. I couldn’t help but find that cute. The little baby had no idea just how ugly my world could be; just how horrible things w
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-08Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 27
Chapter 27ALEJANDRO POVIt was about nine in the evening when I walked to the open foyer of a giant family dining room that overlooked the green, large lands stretching for acres and acres. A steaming cup of hot milk was grasped tightly in my hand, and I could not help but let out a tiny laugh as I took a small sip. It was the most ridiculous thing I have ever been forced to but Agatha- bless her pure heart- claimed that hot milk was good for digestion and that I needed to drink hot milk daily. I couldn’t refute with her. Something about her motherly act as she obsessed over the idea had me silently sitting there and nodding as she presented the cup to me. It was a luxury I could never afford, even with all the money and power I had to my name. Somehow money couldn’t buy all things in the world!I eyed it one more time before taking another sip, then let out a large puff of breath that steamed against the cold evening air. My mind ran rampant as I tried to break down the happenst
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-09Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 28
Chapter 28 RAYANA POV“So… What’s the deal with you and Mr. Pants?” Charlotte asked from where she was curled on my bed, causing my movements to halt mid-way. I glanced in the reflection of my vanity mirror to find her watching my reaction, then sighed before continuing with what I was doing. I finished securing the earring on my ear and then proceeded to the other one, then ruffled my hair before heaving out a sigh. “Those are adult things, Charlotte, and we do not speak adult things.” I reprimanded, not wanting to touch that topic with a five-meter-long broomstick. I was expecting some sassy remark such as ‘oh, since when?’, but then she went ahead and said:“I don’t blame you though. I wouldn’t know how to stomach the thought of another kissing me right in front of my family and family.” My eyes again flew to her, only to find her facing upwards at the ceiling. “First of all Alejandro did not kiss me, he was whispering something to me. And secondly, he is not just another man.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-09Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 29
Chapter 28 ALEJANDRO POVThe Queen’s palace was crowded as always when we arrived, with parts of it opened to the public. Tourists milled with their cameras out, tour guides walking around with a bunch of people following closely behind them. All of that commotion… I wondered how the royal family survived it. “This is the only side open to the public,” Rayana said as though she could sense my worries. I spun my head to look at her. “We, as the Queen’s family, use the other wing, a totally different gate and everything. These people are just here to view history. Princess Diana’s wedding gown, the royal family tree, the throne, King Edward’s kink loveseat… the list goes on.” She explained briefly, and somehow her words calmed me down. I couldn’t even begin to imagine sitting down at a breakfast table having my morning cereal and a group of historians and students bombarded the room. Kaito swerved the car passed the people and rounded the big estate. We were about to peak to the o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-11Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 30
Chapter 30RAYANA POVThe day of the inauguration drew closer as though it was summoned. The night before, nerves clawed at every end of my being and everyone around me. I found myself yelling and screaming at almost everything that had eyes, and a mouth to speak. Even none-speaking objects were the subject of my wrath. Charlotte found me huddled in the living room, curled in a ball on a couch as I watched the flames in the fireplace roaring. I needed some peace, a place where I would be alone with just my thoughts. “I was starting to think you ran away.” She said as she dropped beside me, then unwrapped my feet from where I had them tucked in a warm fleece. “I ran away really. From everyone and everything.” I responded with a loud sigh. She gave me an apologetic smile before she pulled my feet to her lap and started rubbing them. Her magical fingers started kneading the tension out of my calves and ankles, and I released a low moan of pleasure. I closed my eyes to relish the ple
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-11Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 31
Chapter 31ALEJANDRO POVI fucking hated crowds. I always had. I hated the idea of sharing one space with more than 3 people, I hated being in a place where there were loud chatters, and I hated that my mind somehow had to crumble and tumble whenever I was cramped up in a space buzzing with people. But the sound of HER laughter as she cackled over some silly joke her aunt just said made all of this worth it. Somehow bearable. I took a sip of my wine before refocusing on the conversation I was currently having with The Queen and Rayana. “So Mr. Rodriguez, what do you do for a living? I cannot even begin to imagine what it is you do that led you to associate with my brother. The man had his own caliber, his own boring bunch of old white-haired men he hung out with. And you are definitely not one of those.” She said as she regarded me fully. She was an old lady, way past her prime. But I knew damn well not to ignore that glint inside her eyes. I knew a witty one when I saw them, and
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-12Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 32
Chapter 32RAYANA POVMy heart did a tiny flip-flop as I watched him step off the raised deck of the throne chair on sure strides. He beckoned Kaito with his finger before whispering something to him, then walked away. I expected him to be swallowed by the masses and the crowd, but he was a man of enigma and everyone glared at him like a mystery waiting to be solved. The crowds parted as he drew nigh, heads turned when he walked by, and I couldn’t help but wonder just how he did it. To command so much power without even saying a single word. He exited the ballroom, and I shook my head slightly before turning to face my aunt. She was watching me, closely so. With a knowing glint sparkling in her eye. I took a sip of my wine before murmuring a nervous “What?” The Queen let out a smooth chuckle before shaking her head, then looked ahead. Not at the people before us, but at a distant memory that caused a sad look to form on her face. “You know, Rayana, you should dread carefully wit
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-13Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 33
Chapter 33RAYANA POVBetrayal was thick and cloying as Alejandro swerved expertly between lanes on the highway, taking me further and far away from the Queen’s castle. He did say anything the entire time, just let me ride the emotions and be alone with my thoughts that were tormented by the images of my fucking best friend and my fiancee together. I was hurt. Anybody would fucking feel sad. I trusted those two with my life and the first thing they thought of doing was grasp a giant machete and stab me right in my back. Aubrey showed up to my inauguration dressed to the nines, looking as beautiful as ever. She hugged me and congratulated me, told me how proud she was of me and how she couldn’t wait for all of the adventure that came with having all the money in the world. Those were her exact words. And to think all of that time he was converting Lucas??“I feel like an idiot,” I called out after heaving out a loud, heavy sigh. I peeled my eyes open to find out we were parked on a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-02-14
Bab terbaru
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 76
Chapter 76RAYANA POVI woke up curled into Alejandro’s side, his whole being wrapped around me like a warm comforter. I let my eyes take him in fully, let them wander on every single nook and crook of his face. I printed each detail to memory, and for the umpteenth time, I was awed by the beauty of this man. Long lashes, thick eyebrows that only models could get from terrible laser operations, lips so full and lush that the V dipped so down low. He had these beads of sweat on his forehead that I just wanted to lick with my tongue because that’s how much I loved him. When sleeping, he looked so beautiful. No angry grunts, no heavy sighs, no tiredness that weighed so heavily on him that it was all evident in his simple glance… Just peace. His scent was the soothing elixir I never knew I needed. I was never really a big fan of scents and personal odors, but Alejandro made me find out things about myself I never really knew I had in me. If it were a few months ago I would cringed at t
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 75
Chapter 75RAYANA POVAlejandro balanced me on one arm as he attempted to open the door, but I beat him to it and twisted the door hand. He pushed it open to reveal a pathway of roses and candles all around. My mouth fell open in a small gasp of surprise as my eyes took in every little detail. Somehow in a span of few hours, they had managed to turn my bedroom into a whole honeymoon suite. The entire room was filled with red and white, from roses to the white small throw on the red bed… And everything else reminded me of the time he first took me. The time he claimed me and destroyed for any other man, living or dead. My breath hitched at the memory and heat spread all over my body like wildfire.“Wow…” I breathed out softly. Alejandro simply le
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 74
Chapter 74ALEJANDRO POVEvery time THAT thought crossed my mind, my whole body shook. Shivers rattled my bones and an unknown force slammed right into my chest, causing goosebumps to erupt all over me and sheathe my body like a second layer of skin.At some point, I almost freaked out thinking I was scared, that I was regretting all of this… But then I figured it was because everything was all too surreal. All unbelieveable. A man like me didn’t deserve this much happiness. A man like me with a closet so full of skeletons that they couldn’t be hidden anymore, deserved nothing but isolation for the rest of his life. Cause as they all love to say, people in our world were all beyond redemption. Right now, I was starting to wonder if that was even true.
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 73
Chapter 73RAYANA POVGrowing up, I always imagined that my wedding was going to be the grandest of all times. I imagined it being the most iconic, even more grand than Princess Diana’s herself. I pictured the entire country going on a national lockdown to celebrate the holy matrimony of the Archducke’s older daughter.I imagined chariots, horse carriages straight out of Disney movies, cherry blossoms littering the ground I walked on. I imagined a literal fairy tale, straight out of the books and brought to life. I pictured myself wearing a beautiful princess gown, all white, my teeth brighter than the golden rays of the sun.It probably would have been like that if my dad was still alive, or maybe if Luke was still alive and it was him I was tying the knot to. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever pictured myself being pushed down the aisle in a wheelchair by my younger brother, while my family stood at the head of the chapel watching with eyes filled with tears. At that point, I j
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 72
Chapter 72RAYANA POVAwareness came in bits and pieces. I could feel it by the slow intake of breath and the blood thrumming inside of me that I was alive. But I was not in the world where the sun rose from the east and set in the west. That one was very much evident. Where I was, everywhere I looked, everywhere my eyes landed on was nothing but pure and raw darkness. It was cold, bone-chilling and there was this eerie sensation that kept on washing over me, like cold fingers caressing my skin and making it crawl. And the funny thing was, I felt like I was floating. There was no ground beneath my feet, and my whole body was lighter than a feather. But in this darkness, nothing else existed. It was just me and the deep nothingness that had swallowed me. There was no pain, no joy, and the entire place was void of any sort of feeling.That’s when I heard it. A low murmur of voices, like I was somehow inside a closed drum and they were coming from the outside. That would fucking explai
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 71
Chapter 71ALEJANDRO POVNausea and fury rolled inside of me like hot green acid. I had hoped that the solo drive after the damn ambulance would calm me the fuck down, but the annoying wee! Wee! Wee! Oof the bloody siren made me want to gut the steering wheel right out of its cradle. Every single sound of it meant Rayana was inching closer and closer to death, and that could only mean one thing. My days of pure and unsullied happiness were over!And no. That couldn’t fucking be. I couldn’t allow it. Rayana was not going to leave me because if she left, then she’d leave with the little remaining piece of my soul.And that would be the worst punishment any man cou
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 70
Chapter 70ALEJANDRO POVPain sliced through me. The kind of agony that made me weak in the knees.I’d fucking seen that bloody red dot as it danced around her. But I was fucking slow. Too slow to react and was not faster than a damn bullet. Horror landed inside of me in all its form as I raced up the raised deck, watching with eyes snapped wide as Rayana went lax in her seat. Her head rolled to the side, and her eyes found mine just before she closed them and collapsed. I caught her body before it could collide with the floor, then placed my hand on the reddened spot where her blood was coming out in gallons. The tether of her pain echoed all around me, and I could all bu
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 69
Chapter 69RAYANA POVA rattling shudder rolled down the length of my spine as we rolled down the long, narrow, and carpeted hallway inside Buckingham Palace. It felt like forever since I had stepped foot in here and I hated the fact that I wasn’t so thrilled about being back to my office. If it were any other day, I would have been on the fucking cloud nine. “You alright?” Alejandro’s hand dropped to my lower back, and the heat from his palm seemed to permeate right through my skin and disperse the concentrated tension down there. I let out a huge puff of breath before staring at him in my peripheral, then gave him an unsure nod. I had wanted to carry out the press conference in my own time and on my own terms: when I felt ready to take over the world again. But that visit from my aunt had me sleepless for days, gnawing and churning me from the inside. The disapproval inside her voice had been deadly; but despite all of that, there was no way I would undo what I did. Yes, I und
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 68
Chapter 68ALEJANDRO POVMolten lava leaked into my stream with a haunting stance. I rolled my head on my neck trying to rid it of the sudden stiffness that held me captive. Having the attention of the Bratva was bad enough on its own, but having the Queen’s meant shit had really hit the fan. “Come. Playtime’s over.” I took Rayana’s hand before jumping off the ring, then held my hands up and caught her before settling her on her feet. She had a puzzled look on her face but didn’t probe until we were inside the lift and it was soaring skyward. “What is it? You are scaring me.” She said in a small voice. I turned to look at her, feeling a muscle working in my jaw. “You
