The Duke's Surreptitious Ways (Rafael Benedict Valiente)

Chapter 4: Mrs. Valiente's temper

"Angels have very nasty tempers. Especially when they're feeling righteous." ― Clive Barker

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Third Person POV

Inside the large dining room at the long oval dining table sat Rafael Alejandro Valiente with his wife Tatiana Markovich Valiente seated to his right, while the old grand duke, Nikolai Markovich, seventeenth duke of Russia situated at the middle, and their son Rafael Benedict, sat across the couple with Vladimir next to him.

Luke Nikolai soon joined them, he was next to Raffy with his twin Alexandria, but Alexandria was left in New York. The Valiente has six children. Rafael Benedict was the eldest, Alexandria and Luke Nikolai were next, then Matthew who was two years younger than Luke Nikolai then came Bell and the youngest, Sid Vladimir.

The room filled with tensed silence, only the constant clanking of utensils, plates, and wine glasses that could be heard inside the dining room.

Tatiana was obviously seething. Rafael could only glance at her and sighed. He wanted to cool down her temper, but he knew he would only aggravate her. There's nothing he could do to ease her fury, other than just watch and let it wither by itself.

She had been constantly nagging him to fly to Russia to frequently check on their son, when she found out about his rakish behavior, that only the family has the knowledge of it, recently. When Maye Smith called them, a few weeks ago, blackmailing them to speak to the media if Rafael won't come back to her.

Rafael Alejandro Valiente, as shrewd and heartless as he is, he had dealt with her so easily.

Unknowing to the couple, the old grand duke had managed to keep his grandson's affairs from the media and spoiled him too much that he didn't realize his behavior is getting out of control.

Tatiana often tells his husband that he was acting like him. A reborn Rafael as she always referred their son.

"Dedushka (grandpa in Russian, pronounced as day-doosh-kah), Raffy will come with us to New York for the meantime," Tatiana said glancing at her grandfather and her son who has buried his attention with his food.

The old grand Duke is already in his late eighties, though he looks strong, but only him knew that one day, he'll be gone.

Raffy's head snap in her direction frowning at her, placing his fork and knife down on either side of his plate , then he gave his full attention to his seething mother.

He shifted his gaze between his mother and his great grandfather. His great grandfather was also frowning at her and obviously, he doesn't agree. The eighty-six grand old duke stared at his granddaughter with nonchalance. Even when he gets older with lines and wrinkles on his face, he still is handsome. His hair that is now all white didn't lessen his imposing rather a stubborn aura.

The grand Duke stared at his only granddaughter. "Why honey?" grabbing his wineglass, he sips and then places it back down on the table with his eyes trained on her.

"If the paparazzi finds out that the duke was a rake, then it will be a problem!" Tatiana sighed harshly. Nikolai Dmitri knew where this going. Giving his grandson a hard stare, he glances back at his granddaughter in an attempt to get them both out away from the ruckus his grandson brought, yet again.

Raffy narrowed his eyes at his mother. Tatiana stared at her son furiously. "You spoiled him too much, dedushka!" she said with hardness in her words, her eyes pinned her son.