Raffy's POV
Morrison's piercing gray/green eyes staring fiercely at me. His eyes were like a sword piercing into its adversary's heart, digging deeper. I leveled him with a burning hard stare, eyes glinting fire that could burn a soul. My hands curled into a tight ball, fighting the temptation to beat him into a pulp.
The tension in the room thickening, you could slice it with a knife, yet no one would want to back down.
I smirked.
"Please, William!" Maria begged, pulling him down to his seat. Morrison clenched his jaw and obeyed silently, but his form couldn't hide the repressed anger.
Maria shifted her gaze between grandpa and me. "You grace," she started, eyes lingered on me, and I met her soft brown ones. "My father is expecting the alliances to happen, though I'm quite happy to hear that there will be no arranged wedding, I can't disappoint him. If you may, I would like you to speak to him and explain what happened. I'm afraid he'll think that I did something to jeopardize this event."
I understand her circumstances, and I commend her selfless love for her family and her duties. "Of—"
"Then I'll marry you!" Nikolai interjected causing everyone to snapped their eyes at him, including me.
What in the hell has gotten to him?
Marry? It wasn't in his vocabulary. He never dated anyone. Sure, he had a fair share of women in his life, but he loves his bachelorhood too much to give it up for marriage.
"That still made the two countries allied is I marry her, is it, dedushka?" Just then I noticed Grandpa was staring at Nikolai who was now standing next to Maria.
"Are you sure, Nikolai?" Grandpa asked.
Nikolai stared at Maria. She was staring at him, lost. The two stared at each other while we waited for Nikolai's response. It seemed that there's something we don't know between the two.
"Well," Grandpa broke the silence. "I guess I'm going to talk to Mario. I'll see if he'll agree with the new proposition." I stared at grandpa, hoping that Mario would agree to it. "So Maria," Grandpa said causing Maria to break their staring contest and shifted her eyes to the old Duke. "If Nikolai will marry you, will you accept?" grandpa asked, shifting his gaze between the two.
Nikolai's face gave nothing away. He looked calm, yet no emotions in his eyes.
"It's really kind of Nikolai for trying to save me from humiliation and the wrath of my father, but I don't want to be the ruin of his happiness. I'm sorry, I don—"
"Can't you make me happy?" Nikolai shot back, interrupting her. His muscles taut, lips in a grim line as he stared at her intently. He downed whatever left in his glass, then he deposited it on the coffee table, then stood next to Maria with hands in his pockets.
"I don't love you," Maria swallowed hard, and Nikolai's face suddenly darkened in a repressed fury.
"I don't need love, Maria. Only stupid people believe in one. It was only a figment of their wild imagination. Men only need someone to warm their bed, and I'm sure you're good at tha—"
"Don't talk to my cousin like that!" William rose to his full height and charged at Nikolai, but Maria was quick to interfere, blocking Morrison before he could reach Nikolai. "There will be no wedding, Nikolai. And thank you for believing me that I can make you happy, but I'm not willing." Maria clenched her teeth and gave my brother a gaze that could slice through him.
"Go get some rest, Nikolai!" Grandpa stood up, giving my brother a warning stare, and Nikolai stared back at grandpa with repressed anger, but he obeyed anyway. Grabbing his wet coat, he stormed out of the room.
"I'm sorry about my grandson's impertinence," grandpa apologized to the two, and Maria just nodded. Morrison was just staring at grandpa with no emotions on his face.
"I wanted to wring Nikolai's neck for ruining this moment for me. Now, I had to wait and get a chance to talk to grandpa about my plan.
"So what would you like us to tell your father, Maria? I know he can be stubborn," Grandpa said, and Maria sat back down. She looked perturbed, and my heart clenched for her.
"I just want to let him know that arranged marriage doesn't happen anymore. It's the 21st century. Who does that?" Maria sighed, looking down on her lap.
I decided to butt in. "If your father is only after the alliances, I think Nikolai's offer would help you, Maria," I said a little cautiously, and she snapped her eyes up at me, glistening with unshed tears.
"But I want to get married with love, and he hated me!" Maria snapped, and my eyebrow shot up. Maria has been very sweet and seeing her losing her temper, kind of new to me, not that I know her very well. But since I met her, she never loses her temper. Always the prim and proper always has that cool effect to anyone, but now, she seemed out of her character, just like my brother Nikolai.
"Well, even after you said no to him, I don't think it ends there," I said. Grandpa didn't say anything. Maria eyed me with confusion. Morrison was just watching the whole time.
Nikolai is known for his tenacity, for his determination. If he wants something, he gets it. "Expect that he'll talk to your father and offer the marriage. He doesn't take rejection very well, Maria." I explained, and Grandpa nodded.
"Maria stood up. She paces back and forth. She stopped and heaved a sigh. "Nikolai and I had an awful start. I don't think this marriage would even work," Maria explained.
"Well, you have a week to think about it before your father comes for the ball," I said, and she shook her head stubbornly. Her face turned stony, and I just nodded my head.
"If you wish."
"Very well then," Grandpa piped in. "Perhaps Maria and William needs some rest after a long trip. I can ring Ms. Yuliana. She can walk you both to your room." Grandpa piped in.
"That would be lovely, your grace," William quickly stood up and shrugged his shoulders.
Just then Yuliana walked in. Maria gave grandpa a brief hug in which reciprocated with a short peck on her cheeks, then gave at Yuliana a small smile. Yuliana just gave us a brief curtsy before motioning the door at the two, then led them out.
I watched them disappeared into the door before I face my grandfather. He was now staring at me.
"So what is your plan?" Grandpa asked, motioning me to sit.
I took the spot Maria vacated, and leaned my back against the backrest. "I'm going to propose to her, and if she accepts it, then I'll announce our engagement on the night of the ball. She can plan the wedding if she wants to, or hire a planner, whichever suits her," I explained. Excitement instantly builds up in my chest. Just thinking her bearing my name, I felt overly happy. No man will ever think of pursuing her. She'll be forever mine.
"Do you have the ring?" grandpa asked, raising his eyebrow at me.
Just when I realized, I need to pick one soon and planned my proposal. That made me realized why I was here. "I'll go tomorrow morning. For now, I need your help. I don't know how Am I going to propose?" I sighed.
Grandpa smiled. "What do you have in mind?" he looked relax as he eyed me intently.
I honestly had no idea what to do that's why I came for him. I'm assuming he did it before. "I did not propose if that's what you mean, son. It was an arranged marriage, but later on, we fell in love." Grandpa explained briefly, shifting in his seat, and held a deep breath, perhaps releasing some tension upon remembering his late wife.
A soft knocked on the door, and instantly, our attention drifted to the door that was slowly opening. Osvaldo walked in with a magazine in his hands. There's a glint of panic in his amber eyes which pique my curiosity, and all my worries about the proposal temporarily forgotten.
"Your Grace," he curtsied briefly, then made his way towards us, shifting his gaze between grandpa and me. He looked uncertain.
"What's the matter, Osvaldo?" Grandpa asked before I could speak, and Osvaldo instantly turned to face Grandpa and silently handed him the magazine.
"Your highness, early this morning, a group of women were camping in front of the Markovich hotel and the bank. A group of women's association, fighting for women's right, and they are protesting against his grace. Apparently, an undisclosed information had reached the media.
As soon as his words sunk in my head, I shot up from my seat and grabbed the magazine that grandpa was reading.
"Who gave them the permission to publish such thing? Call Antoine, I want that article stop from being released, ASAP. And bring to me the editor in chief of the Chestnyye lyudi (honest people) magazine, the publisher, or whoever behind this issue!" Grandpa growled gruffly, barely containing his anger. "I'll make sure this will be their last issue..."
Grandpa's voice fading as the magazine grabbed my full attention. I stared at the huge, bold letter on the front page of the magazine.
THE DUKE'S SURREPTITIOUS WAYS.
A woman came to us to reveal a secret which will shock the whole Russia. We will not name her for the sake of her protection. According to her, the Russia's Eighteenth Duke wasn't as much as what they thought him to be. A perfect man. A loyal, loving boyfriend to his one and only girlfriend. Everything he showed was nothing but lies.
He promised her the world, his love, just like the rest, used her, and once he's done with her, he threw her out of his life.
Is Natalia Petropoulis was also just a front?
I didn't finish the column. I stared at the picture. It was me, half naked, halfway of getting my shirt on.
My hands clenched tightly. "FUCK!" I grumbled furiously and threw the crumpled magazine towards the fireplace. It went flying and landed on the carpeted floor.
Turning to face Osvaldo, he stared at me anxiously. "Find Maye Smith!" I scowled at Osvaldo. He shook visibly as he curtsied and strode off towards the door.
"Calm down, Raffy. I'll deal with the women's association leader. I'll explain it to them. Now, that proposal problem, it's solved." I stared at grandpa with confusion, my eyes narrowing at him.
How could he tell me to calm the fuck down?
"And how is that gonna solve the problem, grandpa. The people hated me now, and if Natalia finds out, I'll be damned!" my jaws tightened in repressed anger.
"It's time to clear it out. Tell the whole world that you're just human being. You are not perfect, and you are tempted. Say whatever you need to say, how do you feel, and live on TV, propose to Natalia. Tell her how much you love her. Then, it's for the Russian people to choose who to believe, you or the woman who feed lies to the media." Grandpa explained, and a little hope rose in my chest.
I contemplated his words, and he was right. This is my chance to rectify all that I've done, maybe apologize to the women I've unintentionally hurt.
"Yuliana!" Grandpa called out, and in a second, the door opened. Yuliana walked in across the room, then stopped and curtsied.
"Contact all the media, all TV producers. Arranged a meeting with the Duke and me, tomorrow morning, ASAP." Grandpa ordered.
"Will do, your grace." She nodded, then she continues. "Your grace, the security team had managed to seized the rest of the remaining magazines from the two hundred that was already out in the store. The rest, we captured them before it left the publishing warehouse." Yuliana reported, and I felt a little relieved, but I can't just stand and watch. "Where would you like it to send them?" she asked, shifting her gaze between us.
"Burn them!" I answered without waiting for Grandpa's response. Turning my gaze at grandpa, I spoke, struggling to keep my temper at bay. "I'll just talk with my security team." I grit out, and Grandpa nodded.
I quickly strode off, heading to the door. As soon as I'm out, I quickly pulled my phone out of my pocket and dialed my chief security, Rodion.
"Find Maye Smith, and bring her to me!" I grumbled as soon as the call connected.
"Yes, your grace," came his gravelly tone. With that, I ended the call.
She'll regret the very day she met me!
.....