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Chapter 26
Last Updated:
2025-02-08 13:31:26
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Claiming The Archduchess Prologue
PROLOGUEALEJANDRO POVThe tension in the room was thick and cloying, the air dense and heavy to breathe. I pinched the bridge of my nose and stared at the small chair that was placed in the middle of the office, curtains closed and shadows hiding underneath the blinding light of the crystal chandelier above. It was a good place, the one grandmothers used to have. What enticed me was not the chair… No.It was the bambolina dressed in a white dress, hair pulled in a tight bun on top of her head. She had on her feet white stiletto heels with red bottoms, and her face held no emotions whatsoever. “Signorita, please. I did not mean to…”“To betray my husband and I? I know.” She nodded with mock understanding, then pulled the white gloves from the pocket of her white fur coat that was draped behind the chair, and dropped them to her lap.My blood ran cold with what came next!“They had my family. My wife and my daughter… I didn’t know what to do.” The traitor bawled from the floor in fr
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 1
RAYANA POVIgnorance is bliss!And so were the times I pretended to be one of the million citizens of Great Britain without the duties and the expectations of my ‘holier than thou’ last name following closely behind me like a shadow. Very unfortunately, those times did not end well; it so happened that every time I stepped out of the shell that had cocooned me my entire life, things just had to go to shit!And to shit they go. I raised my head as the heavy metal door slammed shut a few yards from where I was canoodled on the cold floor, blankly staring at my sparkly two-toned green and silver Jimmy Choo’s. Something about the gems studded into the fabric fascinated me!“Get up, princess. Looks like today is your lucky day.” The mean Latino officer intoned as she jiggled heavy cell keys, the sound creating a hollow echo inside my brain. The deadlock bolted into place before she yanked the bar door open, and then held it ajar. I got up from my pitiful position and straightened the non
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 2
Chapter 2ALEJANDRO POVThe clock’s timely ticks and tocks filled in the silent space, the words ‘Tell me about yourself’ lingering in the air between us. Everything about being here left a bitter taste in my mouth, and made me ache for something entirely different. I came here because somebody suggested I needed it. I needed to think about something; anything other than blood and white powder and reigning the underworld, yet all the red-haired bambolina did for the past eleven minutes and thirty-seven seconds was flash her undoubtedly fake tits in my direction and lift her skirt inches higher up her thighs.A universal ‘I want to fuck you’ sign women flashed whenever they wanted someone up in their nooks and crooks!I could fuck her right where she sat; considering I had already pictured all the ways I could switch positions in her like I was doing some yoga. Yoga! Maybe I should try that shit. Maybe it would ease the blood lust and make me think like a human!Tick. Tock. Tick. Toc
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 3
Chapter 3RAYANA POVThe sun floated across the sky as I sat on the elevated sill staring blankly at the greenery that stretched on the acres and acres of land. Tears left a trail of sticky mess on my face, and my chest rose and fell with short breaths as I tried to make meaning of the situation. It felt like a nightmare; a cold, inhuman, cruel dream and my heart was screaming in agony to be shaken awake. My dad and I may have had our differences but he was everything to me. The man got me in ways that nobody had ever done, and he was my safe space when the world kept me awake at night. And to lose him just like that… It was a cruel joke. He was sick. There was no doubt that he was ever going to make it. Leukaemia sucked him dry from the inside. I watched him wither and rot in his skin until he was nothing but the shallow reflection of the glorious and mighty man he used to be. It hurt me to see him slowly perishing, but all of that didn't prepare me for his death. None of it ev
Last Updated : 2024-12-27Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 4
RAYANAI whisked my head to the side and glared at the monster who was sitting at my right, looking so unaffected by the series of nonsense he just spewed. Inheriting the archduchy was all that he thought about. My blood roared in my veins, and venom threatened to choke me dead. I bit my tongue and swallowed the poison that was ready to pour off my tongue, then decided to glare out the window at the passing scenery. He was right, to some extent. Our lives, unlike theirs, were a long political charade, always open and exposed to the eyes of the public. And vultures and thieves were hiding in the shadows waiting for a moment of weakness, just a tiny lapse in judgment and they would latch on everything that had the archduchy name on it. I released a shaky breath and pinched my eyes shut.And in that moment, I wished I was born ordinary. At least I could mourn my father’s death without having to worry about being mocked for grieving my dad. “I understand it is hard for you, brother.
Last Updated : 2025-01-01Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 5
Chapter 5ALEJANDRO POVI watched her out of my peripheral vision as she rose from her seat and walked out. Her face was swollen, her feet wobbly, yet she managed to hold her head up high and walk out like she owned the place. I looked at the front of the ballroom at the excuse of a man called her brother, only to find him glaring piercing daggers at her retrieving back. I let out a smooth chuckle!Of course, he didn’t like it. And she just had to do it.My chest ballooned with pride as I cast another look at her, and a foreign feeling caught my heart in a tight grip.I swallowed hard. I don’t know what it was that propelled me to fly to the UK. And I knew damn well it wasn’t to pay tribute to the late archduke. Yes, we may have been business associates but that was all it ever was. Nothing more, nothing less. And we sure as hell were not on a friendly basis to attend each other’s backyard brunches and funerals. And heck, now that I thought about it, I had a shit ton of things to t
Last Updated : 2025-01-02Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 6
Chapter 6RAYANA POV The morning arrived, and I peeled myself reluctantly from the warm pillow. The inside of my head felt like a clubhouse of a thousand trolls, and there was this sinking feeling that seemed to be pulling my insides into a bottomless pit. I remained seated for a few minutes, trying to come to the current reality and not drift away in the musings of my mind. As much as my mind had rather amusing things- and I would rather be anywhere than in my current life- I had to get up and face the day. The door was yanked open and in came Charlotte dressed in a pair of black pants, black stiletto heels, and a black coat. She had on her head a small veil that covered her pale skin and undoubtedly poofy eyes. “You look like shit.” She said walking in my direction and stood before my bed. I wanted to ask where she got the energy to get up so early and prep up, while I was here feeling like I had had a one on one with John Cena in a wrestling mania!“And you bathed nice,” I said
Last Updated : 2025-01-03Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 7
Chapter 7RAYANA POVLiquid shock held my lungs captive as I watched HIM walk away, shoulders and frame larger than life. Everything in my body and soul just knew that it was the beautiful intruder from last night, the same man who'd moved into my head and decided to live rent-free. His face was the replica of an angel, his body the one only possessed by gods. It was clear to any onlooker that God took his time sculpting, modeling, and framing to be the finest specimen he was.And the voice... I now knew who the owner of that sweet voice was, and intrigue bubbled inside me like green acid.I wondered what his eyes looked like. Damn the bloody glasses that hid those killer jewels from me."I don't blame you for staring. He's hot as fuck." Charlotte's voice yanked me from my musings. Redness crept to my face and I thanked Heaven for the small blessings since my face was already red from all the crying.I cast a look at my sister to find her staring at me, a knowing look on her face. I
Last Updated : 2025-01-07
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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
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 25
Chapter 25RAYANA POVThe morning arrived and I woke up with a start. My energy was fixated on solving this mess that James had dumped us right into as soon as I possibly could, and Alejandro’s presence gave me the assurance I never knew I needed. Somehow I felt safe and secure when he was here. And now that the said problem was none but an underworld group of people, I was more certain that we were going to deal with this accordingly and get done with it. With my mind running rampant about what could go wrong throughout our day, I left my room dressed in a black fluffy coat and jeans., my feet clad in leather boots. The weather forecast had foretold angry rain, and I knew better than to argue with Mother Nature. I stepped into the foyer to find Alejandro and Kaito already waiting. Their mere presence seemed to fill the entire space with so much testosterone I could hardly think. But it wasn’t just their presence. It was in the way one particular man carried himself. Even standi
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 24
Chapter 24ALEJANDRO POVThe scars on my wrist pumped a dull ache into my arm as the car pulled in front of the big black iron gates of Windsor Castle- a telltale to the upcoming bad weather. I massaged it through my coat, careful not to disturb my little kitten as she was parading through emotions and questions in her mind while leaning against me.The ride from the airport was a silent one, and I was thankful because I got to bask in the silence and declutter the scenes that had cramped in my mind. It had been a busy week, one filled with blood and conspiracies, and being with Rayana gave me the sense of calmness I never knew I needed. The car came to a smooth halt as Kaito pulled it into the parking spot just before the castle. Rayana got up from the crook of my arm, leaving with her the heat of her body and the warmth that seemed to suck the coldness in my heart right through the arm she was touching. “You were not sleeping.” I pointed out as she fixed her hair, and then her ey
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 23
Chapter 23RAYANA POVI felt him before I could even see him. I threw my eyes toward the entrance and then watched from across the airport lounge as he walked through. Maybe it was just my mind, but his perfect strides were filled with so much confidence it looked as though he was moving in a slowed motion. My heart thumped against my rib cage, taking all of him in his might and how he seemed to have sucked all the air out of the giant first-class lounge with simply his being.Our gazes collided with what felt like an electrocuting crash that zapped through my brain, wrenching a tiny moan from my throat. Even from a yard away, this man’s stare held me captive. That was not normal. No way in hell or heaven that was normal.I hadn’t noticed he was walking with another man who was about the same height as him, except about an inch shorter, with a smaller frame. And unlike his perfect, Italian self, the man was Japanese. They stopped in front of me and reality suddenly walked back int
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 22
Chapter 22ALEJANDRO POVThe sun had just set when we arrived in the heart of Naples. Something inside my wretched soul had told me that it would be just right to pop when the light of the world had just disappeared, right when the night started to blanket the world with its darkness. After all, I did not like dealing with my problems in broad daylight; too many eyes, and loud noises. The night, however; it was a perfect cradle for all evil things in this world. And I was just that someone whose middle name was evil!It was about 7 in the evening when we pulled up in an abandoned alley just behind Francesco’s pub. Unlike the rest of the environment which was bustling with people, this one was cold, deserted, and perfect for me to execute all that I had planned. I was thankful to my second in command for taking the time to learn and print the outlay of the pub to his memory, which made invading much easier.We left the car parked in the alley, hidden away by the dark of the night,
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 21
Chapter 21RAYANA POVMy back hit the mattress as I plopped onto my bed, exhaustion seeped out of the pores of my skin, evaporating into space. I stared blankly at the white ceiling above my head, my thoughts scattered around the place. I became a spectator to a game called my life, trying to figure out where everything suddenly changed. It was not that fateful night I spent in jail. It had to be earlier than that. I went from being a normal, royal girl to somebody recognized by everyone globally, and that idea alone scared the shit out of me. Somewhere along the line, I drifted to a peaceful sleep because when someone knocked on my door, I almost jumped out of my skin. The door creaked open just as I pulled myself into a sitting position, my eyes taking in the subtle darkness that had already filled the room.Yahp! I must have dozed off there. “James…” I breathed out in surprise as my older brother came waltzing into my room on slow, defeated strides. He came to stop before my
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 20
Chapter 20ALEJANDRO POV“What gave her out? I swear I wouldn’t have thought she was a spy.” Viper said as the craft soared through the clouds, taking us to Naples where we were going to settle this mess once and for all. Somehow Francesco needed to know who the real boss was. I guess letting him just be made him think that he could go around branding shit in my territory. He was still in disbelief that we had encountered that, and that the girl almost outsmarted him just like that while he was blinded by the blue British eyes. “A few things. One, how she seemed to know exactly who we were as soon as she walked it. Two, the wine bottle was already opened. If the gun plan failed, then the poisoned wine would definitely get us. And three, the fake Alissia name? Anyone could tell that she is a bloody descendant of Athelstan.” I pointed out causing him to shake his head in disbelief. He wiped a hand down his face before slouching into his seat, causing Kaito to chuckle where he was ca
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 19
Chapter 19ALEJANDRO POV“What have you got?” I asked as I settled into the seat of the Cadillac, Viper slithered into the seat beside me, excitement bubbling from him like he was a kid about to show me his favorite drawing. I waited patiently.“You are not gonna believe it.” He smiled as he pulled out his iPad again and scrolled a few pages before thrusting the device my way. I grasped it and saw a picture of foreign men. Utterly foreign. I tried to search my mind as to where I had seen their ugly faces before, but I came out blank. They were all too new to me. “This is?” “That is the new Turantello Familia.” He pointed to the device, and confusion poked holes into my brain. “I am listening.” I probed, as calm as winter snow. That’s what sex did to me. It calmed the raging blood lust and made me reason with a clear head. “Since the former Turantello was absorbed by us, and its Dons gave you all the rights to their lands and everything, what you see there, are former members of
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 18
Chapter 18ALEJANDRO POVMy phone vibrated right when I flipped her over, wrenching a whiny moan from her. Kimberly wiggled her ass in my face as she attempted to have me concentrate on her. But I was a man living on borrowed time, and no amount of pleasure or sex could cloud my senses to a point where I could ignore calls. I mean people could be dying when I was busy, balls deep into some random woman; or my enemies could be flooding my territory all ganged up to kill me. “Don’t be greedy, sweetheart. You have claimed all of me already.” I slapped her ass as I walked away from where she was bent, ass in the sky and face on the couch. She let out another annoyed sigh, and I stifled a chuckle. Picking up my pants from the floor, I searched my phone from the pocket and when I found it, stared at the screen with utmost shock as the name ARCHDUCHESS remained displayed on my screen as the device continued vibrating in my hand like it was cursed. I contemplated letting it ring, because
