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

Chapter 182: Just Us, In A Familiar Hell... Maybe

[FROLO]

Sergei stared at his phone the rest of the drive to the gala.

He couldn’t explain it, but he felt at peace. He had started searching for farming videos on his phone, something that had Volkov suspiciously eyeing him, especially given the way that the alpha was so focused.

Sergei Moskowsky, the man who didn’t care about farming, was watching videos.

"Sir, we are here," Volkov said when they got to the venue’s parking lot.

He had wanted to go to the valet lane, but Sergei had insisted they find a parking lot somewhere first. It was almost insane, seeing as Sergei was never the kind to watch me or even focus on anything other than commitment.

Yet as people streamed into the event, Sergei had stayed rooted to his phone, watching videos, smiling at farming products. Googling seedlings and smiling at it all.

At some point, Volkov wanted to ask about his sudden obsession with farming, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know what it was about hats that got the alpha in a good mood, but he knew it had to do with Katya Romanov.

"What time does the auction start?" Sergei asked passively.

"In thirty minutes, sir."

"Perfect. I got more time then," Sergei said before he went back to watching the videos.

Volkov stared at him through the rear-view mirror, and the sight itself was confusing as fuck. Yet he did talk about it. He just sat there and waited. He knew to be patient with Sergei. He had always learned that.

Well, until he saw Irina, he wasn’t sure if his boss wanted to interact with her.

"Sir, Irina is coming this way," Volkov said.

Sergei ignored him.

"What do I tell her, sir?" Volkov asked again because, hesitantly, after that messy breakup and with Irina still posting videos of her and Sergei, Volkov wasn’t sure this was something that he knew how to operate around.

"Tell her I have a work meeting and don’t want to be disturbed," Sergei said with a straight face before he went back to watching videos of seedlings sprouting.

Oh, he was far gone.

Volkov could see it now.

"Sir?"

"Did you go see the otolaryngologist?" Sergei asked suddenly, and Volkov froze.

Why the fuck was Sergei talking about an ear doctor?

"I—"

"I’ll give you a reason to see one if she interrupts my video," Sergei said flatly.

That was all that Volkov needed to step out hurriedly and stop Irina.

"I know he is there, Volkov. Tell him I need to speak with him. The media are here, and we have a relationship to keep going," Irina said, and Volkov sighed.

This was not going to be easy.

He wasn’t even sure what his life was supposed to mean at this point.

On one end, Katya Romanov had his boss watching farming videos, and on the other, there was a very strong-willed woman with Sergei’s insanity staring at him, challenging him.

What the hell was he supposed to do then?

"He is finalizing an impromptu meeting. You know the boss, Irina. Don’t cost me my job, please," Volkov said, adding that last bit quietly, even thug a part of him had long learned that Sergei would never let him go.

There was a time Sergei had stressed Volkov out so much that Volkov resigned and quit working for him. It was a direct thing, and he had made sure to explain why he was resigning. And that evening, he went home a happy and light man.

But when he woke up the next day, Sergei Moskowsky was working from his kitchen, coffee cup in hand, laptop on the counter, while he chaired a meeting from Volkov’s counter like it was the most normal of things.

"You quit working in the office," he had said, like it was okay.

"I resigned from my job," Volkov had said as if to remind the alpha where he stood.

"Okay. I’ll just work for your home then," he’d shrugged like it was normal.

Now here Volkov was, dealing with Irina, the woman who was not supposed to ever be in a relationship with Sergei right now because Sergei had called it quits in the most serious of ways.

But Irina was back.

For the press.

And it wasn’t helping.

"He is avoiding me," Irina said, and Volkov snorted at the absurdity.

Sergei Moskowsky was only ever terrified of one thing.

Losing his son.

Everything else was not worth shit; well, until Katya came into the man’s life, and Sergei was terrified of losing his son, and was determined to make sure Katya didn’t hate him.

Irina was nowhere on that scale at any point at all.

"And I wonder why," Volkov sighed tiredly.

"Volk—"

"You know the man, Irina. If you go in there, he will kill me and embarrass you in front of these media men and women you’re relying on.

"So how about we all keep our lives and dignity and let the boss finish his meeting first?" Volkov reasoned that the man he was keeping away was not watching farming videos.

Goodness, it was going to be a different season of his life, and the longer he stayed, the more he realized that this would either end in peace or in the worst ways possible. But surely, he had to have hope that things would be good, right?

Sergei got out of the car five minutes before the event began.

He was not here to please anyone, yet at the same time, he had to sit through all of this, so stand, whatever the hell happened at auctions. He was here for his visits, thanks to his Solnyshka.

What a man.

"Sergei..." Irina rushed to him once he stepped out.

He looked at her flatly, as if this was not what he wanted to deal with right now. And maybe he was right, but also, there were media personnel staring at them, because the moment Irina mentioned Sergei’s name, cameras began flashing.

Sergei Moskowsky was at the auction event.

He was here, and it was not a rumor that had been spread across platforms.

Soon enough, the usual questions hit Sergei, with cameras flashing in his face.

"Mr. Moskowsky h—" a reporter asked, but Sergei muted them out.

He didn’t care for any questions. So, he walked ahead, with Irina wrapping her arm around his, like they were just a normal couple.

He could hear Irina speaking, but he couldn’t give a shit about what he was saying. If anything, his eyes were focused on a different sight in the far end, one that had a few fewer reporters than the ones who had surrounded him.

His Solnyshka was here.

With the senator.

Katya looked like he had been sent by the moon goddess to ruin Sergei’s life with his beauty; the omega looked divine in his blond hair and piercings that made him look like sin.

His hair had always been black, but Sergei figured the omega had dyed it for this event. But what Sergei knew was that he couldn’t think straight, especially when he saw the senator’s arms around Katya’s waist.

It was sitting there so perfectly, so at ease and natural, like they belonged together.

Sergei willed himself to remember that he had come to this auction because Katya had asked him to. He was here as a supportive boss, not as someone who wanted to kill the senator for even touching his omega.

As if that torture wasn’t enough, Katya turned just slightly, his bright brown eyes meeting Sergei’s, and the alpha could swear breathing had turned into a useless choice in that moment.

Katya Romanov was breathtaking.

Gods, was he a beautiful man.

"Sergei, the reporter asked you a question," Irina’s sickeningly sweet voice hit his ears, and for a moment, Sergei turned to glare at Irina. He didn’t care that the reporters were here, but at the same time, he couldn’t ruin this.

So, he looked at the reporters, not bothering to force a smile because, honestly, there was nothing to smile about right now. His Solnyshka was with his boyfriend, and there wasn’t a thing that Sergei could ever be able to about it.

"We’re late, sweetheart," Sergei said before he held Irina’s hand and walked away from the group of reporters.

He had been hoping to see Katya again, but instead, the only thing he got was the omega’s back disappearing through the doors of the damn building.

He couldn’t even say anything right now other than go and be a good citizen like he had sworn to be. But how good could he be when he couldn’t shake Senator Aleksandr’s arm off of Katya’s waist?

Gods, Sergei was domed.

Begrudgingly, he walked in, only for his phone to ding.

"You look like the man I’m placing my first bid on. Thank you for coming," Katya messaged.

And instantly, Sergei fixed his face.

For his Solnyshka.