Contract Marriage: Married to My Ex-Husband's Alpha Stepfather [BL]

Chapter 166: We’ll Live On The Dark Side

[FROLO]

Katya froze.

Chairman Romanov.

Not Moskowsky.

Not chairman Katya.

Romanov.

The omega hadn’t even realized how much he’d wanted to hear his own name again after so long.

And honestly, that was the first time Katya paid any heed to the reporters. It felt like he had his life back again.

He was back to being a Romanov.

God, was it the best thing he had heard all day?

"Chairman Romanov is free to pursue whatever future he chooses. He is no longer a Moskowsky and doesn’t need to abide by the house system anymore," Yaroslav said confidently.

You would think he wasn’t losing his shit over the surprise he had gotten in there.

Maybe he was just good at pretending about it.

Because now Katya didn’t need him. Katya would want to see him. Katya didn’t have anything to ask for from him anymore.

Yet deep down, Yaroslav was more than horrified for his omega’s safety.

Sergei was dangerous.

Just because the divorce was finalized months ago didn’t make it any easier because now Yaroslav knew nothing was stopping his father from playing hunting games with Katya.

He knew his father wouldn’t forget the humiliation over the months, and it was something that had him staring at Katya, wondering if the senator was powerful enough to keep Katya safe from Sergei Moskowsky.

It was still a nightmare that Yaroslav wasn’t sure he would accept.

"Mr. Gamov, many people blame the chairman for your separation. They say his inability to keep the family together led to this eventual separation. Someday it was inevitable.

"What do you have to say to that?" another reporter asked.

Yaroslav felt that stab. He knew it was meant for Katya, but after everything he had learned today, even before coming to the courthouse, Yaroslav knew he would always protect Katya.

Even if they were no longer husbands.

Even if they had nothing to legally keep them together anymore.

He would protect him.

Because it was Yaroslav’s fault that this had happened. And until Yaroslav figured out who the fuck had divorced them, he would not stop.

Then again, back when he was nursing gunshot wounds for his father, Anya had come with divorce papers for him. He hadn’t signed, and Katya hadn’t signed them either.

Yet someone had clearly done it.

Which could only point all this to Sergei.

And that terrified Yaroslav.

Not because his father was a suspect in the divorce.

But because of what came after the divorce.

Especially since when it came to protecting Yaroslav, there were no lines that Sergei Moskowsky wouldn’t cross.

And even worse, there were equally no lines that the devil of Frolo wouldn’t cross once someone stopped belonging to his family.

Yaroslav knew that better than anyone.

"Chairman Romanov is a person who has the right to live and be free in the city and beyond. Anyone who tries or continues to harass him, or attempts to interfere with his personal life..." Yaroslav said to the reporters.

Then he turned to Katya, who was just standing there playing the surprised omega.

But the thing is, it wasn’t fake this time.

Maybe because Yaroslav was not blaming Katya publicly again or even shaming him for something that the omega had no control over.

This man had left a dent in Katya’s desk just this afternoon, and now...

Oh, but it was a slippery slope.

"... Will answer to me and the Moskowsky household. We may not be married anymore, but you all are not new to what happens to people who try to harass others in the name of Moskowsky."

That was all Yaroslav said, like it was so simple.

Like he hadn’t just threatened an entire city the Moskowsky way.

Katya was grateful for it. Because he couldn’t deal with another league of trolls against him. He just couldn’t handle that shit right now.

Frankly, Katya was stunned at the protectiveness and even more at the fact that Yaroslavl wasn’t being possessive.

Maybe the Moskowsky beta meant it when he said he wanted to start over with Katya.

But did he know that Katya didn’t even want to share the same space as him anymore?

"I have to go now. Will you be alright, Romanov?" Yaroslav asked, stunning Katya even more.

Maybe it was because of how smooth the man sounded as he used Katya’s last name. Or maybe it was because of all the things that Katya had been dealing with, Yaroslav held the most surprises for him.

"Yes. Thank you," Katya said in earnest.

"Alright. Don’t be a stranger, Romanov," Yaroslav said before leaving the courthouse first.

Katya watched him leave, still surprised that Yaroslav Gamov could ever be civil.

But maybe dreams do come true sometimes, right?

With Yaroslavl gone, the media focused on him, and Katya didn’t feel terrified.

So, he answered them.

All their questions.

Like he had been waiting for this moment.

And by the time they were done, Katya heard one of them whisper something that had Katya wondering if he really was different this time.

"Chairman Romanov looks more at ease."

"He even smells like Senator Aleksandr."

"Maybe being loved by the senator gave him the courage to stand up against the Moskowsky dictators."

"I hope he is happier."

Honest Katya hoped for the same, too. He didn’t have a reason to keep looking over his shoulder.

As for the head that had been sent to the senator by Sergei, Katya already knew it would be a dead end with the investigation. There wouldn’t be much to find there.

Katya already knew it would be a dead end.

Funny how he’d become so certain of the Moskowsky way of doing things. But maybe because he’d spent years in the family too, right?

Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad at the end of the day.

So, when he heard Andre honking at him down the valet lane, he knew that this was truly a new beginning for him.

Especially when he found his backpack and phone with them. The same backpack that reeked of rainforest scent and had a scarf and a familiar sweater.

This was the sound of freedom after so many years.

Would it be worth it, though?