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Chapter 8
Last Updated:
2025-01-15 03:27:25
RARE Hey Sunbeams, Thank you for sticking this far with the story. I hope you are loving the twists snd turns as everything is unfolding, and would love to hear what all of you have to say about the story so far. Please comment below with what you guys think, and what you guys think will happen next. I love you guys so much, RARE
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Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 9
Chapter 9 THE WILLTo my amazing wife- Agatha Anne Mountbatten, my beloved children James William Mountbatten, Rayana Elizabeth Mountbatten, Charlotte Victoria Mountbatten, and Charles llI Harry Mountbatten, I leave the Archduchy of Fairefax and all its assets.However, I revoke all wills, codicils, and other testamentary dispositions previously made by me, jointly or severally, and I bequeath the title of the archduke, in this case, archduchess, and all the governing power to my daughter Rayana Elizabeth Mountbatten.It is my final wish that Rayana, as the newly appointed heir by this will, inherits the archduchy and leads our family with wisdom and compassion.Regarding the business interest of the archduchy, I appoint my daughter Charlotte Victoria Mountbatten as the new Financial Engineer, overseeing the financial strategies and growth of the leading company Royal Holdings and the archduchy.Charles shall serve as the new CEO of Royal Holdings at the age of 23 and shall continue
Last Updated : 2025-01-18Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 10
Chapter 10ALEJANDRO POVShock made way for utter silence as I stepped into the office, my hand itching to just pull out my AMT and burst James’s brains out and watch them splatter to the floor. It had taken everything inside of me to sit outside of the office and listen to all the bullshit he had to say after the will was read and let’s say, I was rather amused by my level of patience. I never knew I had that patience until today. Eyes bore holes into me from every corner of the room, and I rolled my head on my shoulders slightly, before running my tongue across my teeth, then turned to face James where he stood looking like he was staring at a bloody ghost. If only he knew I was worse than ghosts! Worse than any kind of nightmare he could possibly think of.I was the ruination! And today was the literal end of his crazy!“I am Alejandro Rodriguez, the executor of the late Archduke’s will.” I introduced myself briefly, then turned to look at the widow who was canoodled in a chair
Last Updated : 2025-01-18Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 11
Chapter 11RAYANA POVThe night came and my heart still felt heavy with the revelation that rocked my boat. I laid in bed trying to process everything single thing that happened in the past two weeks, from my dad dying down to the hot stranger in the garden being the executor of my dad’s will!Everything my mind landed on seemed to be like something straight out of a soap opera, and my head hurt just trying to decipher it further.Sleep eventually claimed me, and once again, my dreams were hijacked by the handsome stranger, now with a face, and eyes that stripped you bare with a mere stare. ~~~The morning arrived sooner, and I was woken up by the vibrating sound of my phone from the nightstand. With a deep groan, I picked it up and slapped it on my ear without even checking who the caller was, then let out a small “Hello!”“OH MY GOD YOU ARE THE ARCHDUCHESS. I CAN’T WAIT FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES WE ARE GOING TO HAVE. ARE WE GOING TO GO THOSE GATHERING YOUR MAMA AND PAPA USE
Last Updated : 2025-01-21Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 12
Henry was at the front door as though he had been waiting for our exit, then cringed at my flustered face before opening the door for us. We walked out and down the small stairs. “Rayana.” A familiar voice called out, causing me to come to an abrupt halt. I glanced up to find Lucas standing right in front of us, a shocked expression marring his face. I just stood there, unable to form any words, and stared back. He regarded Alejandro who was like a mountain standing beside me. “I didn’t know you were going out today. I tried calling you.” He said walking closer, his eyes lingering on the space between us. That’s when it clicked that my hand was still nestled in Alejandro’s big one. I tried pulling it off, but Alejandroo tightened his grip, and I gave up the small fight. “Sorry, I… I was tired. But I am going out today.” I realized how wrong that sounded, especially when the person in front of me was no stranger, but my fiancee. “On business. This is Alejandro Rodriguez. The ex
Last Updated : 2025-01-21Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 13
Chapter 13ALEJANDRO POVThe tension in the car was thick and cloy; I could almost taste her confusion on my tongue as she tried to decipher what the hell had happened in our walk from the office to the parking lot. I know it wasn’t in my right to be acting this way but good fuck!That man fucking irked me.He didn’t deserve her. Heck, no man deserved Rayana as much as I did. Cancel that, I was not even worthy to share the same space with her, let alone breathe the same air she breathed. Rayana was a rare kind of jewel. The kind that when you laid your hands on it, you stash it away from the prying eyes. I had watched her from afar since I signed the deal with his father, I had seen how she operates, and the sick fuck that lived in my soul wanted to claim her.All of her. From the silky black strands of her hair down to her tiny toes that were peeking out of those black shoes that looked so good on her. I didn’t respond to her. I was afraid that what was going to leave my mouth
Last Updated : 2025-01-21Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 14
Chapter 14RAYANA POVWe arrived shortly after six in the evening, and Alejandro dropped me off with the small information of him having to fly back to Italy that same night. My mind lagged behind and I nodded unthinkingly just for the sake of it while I kept on digesting on the things he revealed on our little excursion the whole day. I stood at the stairs of the castle and watched his car drive down the long driveway, red lights fading and swallowed by distance. I stood there for a minute longer, my bottom lip sawed through my teeth as my mind raced a mile per second. Before I could even think it through, my body decided for myself. I threw myself into the house before rushing to where the car keys were kept, then took the black key fob and raced out of the house. I bumped into James on the front door who cursed me like we did not share a DNA, but I paid no mind to his rumblings and ran out the door. At this point, it was clear to everyone who had eyes and ears that our relat
Last Updated : 2025-01-29Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 15
Chapter 15ALEJANDRO POVMy ears clogged on the descent, and I ground my teeth hard as the craft soared through the clouds to the ground. I stilled myself in my seat and pinched my eyes shut, letting the thoughts of a certain kitten with black eyes and lush curls fill my brain with fluff balls and butterflies that spread their wings in the pit of my belly.There was just something. Something about the way she moved made me feel like she was the holy grail that has been in my entire life. The way she smiled, the way her brows knitted when she refused to believe something… the simple way she caught her bottom lip through her teeth when she thought hard and deep…Rayana was the epitome of the woman’s beauty, and the beast inside me wanted nothing more than to claim her fully. Her very breaths, her laughter, her cries; I wanted to claim them and make them all mine. My musings were interrupted by the sound of the jet tires squealing as they touched the ground, and in no time, the night
Last Updated : 2025-01-30Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 16
Chapter 16ALEJANDRO POVI stood in the hotel room overlooking the black waters and white creeks. Lights from the boats and cruises cast a warm glow into the black oblivion, casting a sweet disguise of ferry lights and hiding what lurked in the night waters. I took a sip of my whiskey, my mind racing back to the recent happenstances of the past two weeks. Everything seemed to have been cooked straight out of the hell kitchen. And while everything that happened was right up there in my plans, nobody prepared me for the mental exhaustion it cast onto me. My life was a long charade of death, deceit, and lies, and not even once have I ever felt even an ounce of remorse. But this time… Something caught up with me. I was mentally drained, my body aching from the very scalp down to the little toenail. And as if that was not enough, some idiot out of hell thought it was a good idea to steal from me. And not just that, but to destroy my property.Emporium Express was mine just as it belong
Last Updated : 2025-01-30
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Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 54
Chapter 54ALEJANDRO POVI won’t lie and say I did not see it coming. I did! You do not raid the Russians THAT hard and sit back to enjoy the rest of your days with a bloody tea cup in your hand. That has never happened in all the history of the underworld. And my little angel may have known it, but she just invited us right to our doorstep, and this was it knocking. This was just the first of many!But fuck! The same day I acquiesced to her nagging about me always parading around her wherever she went; this kind of shit happened. “I am still trying to find out who could have planted the bomb,” Kaito announced from where he was seated, strapped in the passenger seat while typing furiously on his computer. I did not just promote him to being head of security because he was good as moving like a ninja and made no sound; the man was a fucking tech nerd and he knew all there was to know in the tech world. “Anything new?” “No! It’s like they froze all the cameras in the vicinity bef
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 53
Chapter 53RAYANA POVIt has been a whole week since the UNDP conference wrapped up and came to an end. But the memory of all the happenstances that went down in Russia was running rampant and fresh in my mind like it was all yesterday. There was nothing I did or held without that little voice in my mind screaming at me when I remembered what had transpired.Every time I thought of all that, a shin of cold sweat ran down my spine; because there is no way in a thousand years I would have ever dreamed of doing what I did. But I just remember standing there after that phone call and thinking Alejandro was dead. That was the worst feeling in my entire life. And the way I reacted… Heck! Who knew I was capable of that? Negotiating with The President of Russia about dispatching the Mossad to aid me in the criminal aid? But then again, any woman would move mountains for the man she loved. That was just it. “Rayana.” My aunt- the queen- called out as soon as I stepped into her lounge room
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 52
Chapter 52RAYANA POVThe twenty-minute drive to Odintsovo seemed to be taking an eternity. The President and Melanie had tried convincing me to stay behind while the Mossad took care of the criminals, but I kicked the idea straight to hell. I was not going to stay tucked safely in the white house while Alejandro fought for his life. Like he did with me, I was going to stand in front of bullets and carry them with my back instead. The tension was thick and cloying in the truck as we neared the base. I barked directions to the driver, and he patiently listened to my ramblings while swerving the car expertly until we arrived at the gate. Somehow we managed not to get lost and made it to the base. My prayer knew no end as I asked god to keep him alive until backup arrived. Alejandro needed to live.My heart leaped into my throat when I realized the giant gate was torched to the ground. I covered my mouth to stifle the cry that followed. There was no hope. There really was no hope.
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 51
Chapter 51RAYANA POVThe conference was utterly unlike anything I have ever been to before. The topics were long dragged, the arguments never ended, people called out each other with horrible names and the shit hit the fan way sooner than one would expect. But at the end of the day, everything was brushed off in such a formal manner I failed to understand how these people functioned. It was during this conference I realized that my life had really pivoted. And I am talking real ass change. From drafting the budgets for the archduchy to representing the whole of the UK and the crown was something I never dared to even fathom in my entire life. And it looked like it was just the beginning. Just as Alejandro had said.I knew there were many more conferences like this one I would attend, and I wish my aunt, the queen was here for a quick hug. This was such an eye-opener. I smiled from where I sat, alone and assessing everything before my eyes. Ambassadors smiled and chatted about ho
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 50
Chapter 50 ALEJANDRO POVThe throb on my side was slowly making me lose my mind. The drive back to Odintsovo seemed to be longer than usual, and somewhere along the ride, I felt my vision giving out. I ground my teeth, hating how weak I suddenly felt. Fuck. The knife must have been poisoned. That’s how shady the Russians were. “Hang in there.” Kaito rattled as he shifted gears and literally threw the car into sport mode. The roar of the engine and the exhaust pipe filled the streets, tires screeched, and all the side-to-side swaying made me even more dizzy. “Fuck. I told you we should get out of here.” He banged the steering wheel. “I am fine. This is nothing a medical patch won’t fix.” I said through clenched teeth, my skin growing hotter and hotter with each passing second. I could feel bids of sweat dripping down my spine, and I knew that if this continued, I might not make it. And fuck. My Rayana!“The Russians are going to come knocking at our door. Hard.” He took a sharp
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 49
Chapter 49ALEJANDRO POV“Call me as soon as the conference ends, you hear me?” I growled out the window at Rayana who stood there looking feverish and so excited about this whole new thing. She looked like a kid on her first time trip to Disney Land. And the mere look at her calmed the storm inside of me. “Yes sir. Even when I want to let out a stinky fart, I will surely reach out to you.” She teased with a wink, then laughed at her own joke before peeking through the window and stealing a kiss on my lips, then rushed into the gates of the big guarded gates. Kaito chuckled at her joke as well. I realized I had one hell of a dry humor when that little joke didn’t faze me. “She is such a character.” Kaito commented with a shake of his head, and I couldn’t agree more. We waited until she was further inside before we pulled back to the road and drove away. I hated this place. Every nook of it reminded me of all the horrible things that are in this world. Yet slithering down the stre
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 48
Chapter 48RAYANA POVAs It Was by Harry Styles poured out of the speakers of the Lexus SUV they picked us up with from the airport, and my hummings accompanied the tune while I continued bopping my head back and forth. Alejandro was clearly unfazed by my choice of music, and a snort of laughter bubbled out of me. He just shook his head and continued scrolling on his phone, not saying a word to me. The men who came to pick us up were more of the stuck-up Suitsthan Alejandro ever and nothing like Kaito, and I figured that it was a Russian thing. We drove for less than half an hour before we came to a heavily guarded black gate. The driver rolled down his window before leaning into the eye-detect security system. The green light flashed across his eye before a soft ping went by, and the gates whooshed open. I sat there, mouth hanging open while taking everything in. Not even the queen’s palace was THAT guarded. Heck, and the palace was known to be the most guarded place in the world
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 47
Chapter 47RAYANA POV“Please tell me we are wrapping this HAL thing. My mind can’t handle working in circles.” Charlotte burst into my office before walking straight to my desk and dumped a large folder containing undoubtedly, a bazillion files I was supposed to look into. “The money was deposited into their bank account, the ribbon cutting was a success, and the construction has already started, so I tell you, we are wrapping the HAL thing,” I responded with a smile as I watched her plop on the chair in front of me, leaning back. “How are you, baby sis,” I asked, taking her fully in with her movements. There was no denying it, something had changed inside of her that night, something that killed the innocence in her heart and opened her eyes to the ugly world we lived in. A pang of guilt stabbed my inside at how I failed to protect them. She and Charles did not deserve any of that. My fight was with James and they didn’t need to get involved. “Winter is almost over, I can’t wait
Claiming The Archduchess Chapter 46
Chapter 46RAYANA POVThe rain poured out the dark clouds that hung from the skies, as though the universe itself was mourning the loss of my brother. But I knew it in me that it wasn’t that. To me, it felt like I was mourning my humanity, my humility. The innocence I had clutched onto my whole entire life believing this world was a solid black and white. Everything that had happened in the past three months taught me that it wasn’t it. There was so much that we didn’t see with our naked eyes, and I can’t believe just how naive I had been this entire time. I had been there when my brother’s life was taken from him, and even as I sat in Alejandro’s fancy penthouse- curled on the lounger- I still couldn’t feel even a small tinge of remorse inside of me.James had signed his death contract the minute he killed our father. Me casting him out of the family tree was just a simple way of teaching him accountability for his actions; making sure he knew there were consequences to every littl
