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

Chapter 198: Please Forgive Me, Moy Solnyshka

[FROLO]

The office was quiet by the time Sergei was done cooking and setting the meals.

Katya had been watching in silence and awe as the man everyone was terrified of worked his way around the open office kitchen like it was home for him.

Like he could camp anywhere and things would be alright.

It was intriguing how one moment Katya was being asked to stop him for killing another, yet now he was just staring at Katya like the omega was his greatest friend in the whole realm.

And that tugged at Katya’s heart.

The difference between the first time he had met Sergei unofficially in the hospital two years ago and today was evident, and Katya couldn’t help but chuckle softly at that.

"It’s not poisoned," Sergei defended suddenly as he spread the fluffy blanket on the company floor and settled the pillows.

He had made several trips to his penthouse just to make sure everything was in order. At some point, Katya felt bad for him and offered to go with him to the penthouse, but Sergei told him that the trips were worth it.

Well, now they had a picnic-like setting in the middle of an executive floor, with pillows and blankets and candles that brightened the dimly lit office.

Hell, it was tempting to think of the setting as romantic, but to Katya, it was just Sergei trying to think of something less.

Besides, it wasn’t that bad.

Sergei Moskowsky couldn’t even make proper friends, what more of a brain that could help him figure this out, as a somewhat romantic setting, right?

Perhaps that was why Katya went along with the absurdity he was seeing right now.

But who was to tell Katya that Sergei’s delayed trips to the penthouse were because the barbarian kept stopping in his office to read the next pages of his latest addition to the romance 101 book library?

"If it is, this is quite a nice way to go into the afterlife," Katya joked, and Sergei stared at him softly, the food on the little table on the blanket, like the omega was worth everything.

"I would never hurt you or put you in dangerous situations, Solnyshka," Sergei said quietly as their eyes held.

"I know," Katya said with conviction, and Sergei breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Solnyshka..."

"Hmm?"

"I never apologized for what happened the months after the contract signing," Sergei said, and Katya stiffened for a moment.

Those had been the hardest months of his life, and all because he never read the instructions.

"It’s in the past now," Katya said quietly.

"I know. I just... we are friends. And I wanted to apologize for how things turned out. I should have clarified the terms instead of pushing them on you. And I should also have known my reputation didn’t do my presence in your life any good," Sergei said as he looked at Katya.

The steam from their dinner was the only reminder of what they were doing tonight. And how things were between them for now.

"I judged you too fast," Katya admitted after so long, and Sergei laughed lightly.

"I don’t exactly have the warmest of reputations. But I’ve been meaning to apologize for that period of your life for a while now.

"I could have been better. Communicated better instead of leaving you in limbo," Sergei said, and Katya made a move to speak, but Sergei continued.

"Please forgive me, Moy Solnyshka."

Katya stared at the alpha before him. The one who had paused after setting everything up.

He looked at the man who had been trying to be better for the last time, and honestly, he couldn’t even blame him. So much had happened.

So much that Katya had learned over the year. Granted, their start wasn’t exactly the best of the best, but it was a tad comforting to see that the man had changed.

Because an apology wasn’t something that came easily from Sergei Moskowsky. Yet Katya heard just how effortless it had been for Sergei.

Like he wanted to make things better.

And that mattered more to Katya than their messed-up past.

It was the past after all.

"You’re forgiven... But if the food goes cold and we die of hunger, I will haunt you even in the afterlife," Katya said mischievously, and Sergei laughed in earnest.

The tension that had threatened to ruin the night was gone.

And in the middle of it all, Sergei realized Katya hadn’t flinched at the claim Sergei had made.

He didn’t just say Solnyshka.

He said Moy Solnyshka, like a man testing the waters.

And Katya wasn’t even bothered. Like those two were one and the same, even when they were so different. But maybe time would tell, right?

"Yessir," Sergei said as he served them up.

"Can I tell you a secret, Vladimir?" Katya said suddenly.

"You need to whisper it, though, because there might be listening ears on this floor," Sergei said, whispering suddenly, and Katya found his elf chuckling at the barbarian’s change of tone.

And so, Katya scooted closer, their foreheads nearly touching, but it didn’t matter to Katya. After all, this was a night with a friend, right?

"Pelmeni is my favorite meal," Katya whispered, and Sergei stared at him warmly, their faces barely inches from each other.

One imbalance from Katya, and they would be in each other’s space more than they were at the moment.

Of course, Sergei knew Katya loved Pelmeni. It was the first thing he had learned about Katya, weeks after Yaroslav first introduced him as his boyfriend nine years ago.

"What a coincidence... I’m glad you love it. Hopefully you’re not saying that to make me feel better," Sergei whispered hoarsely, as if he wasn’t slowly feeling himself losing control.

Thankfully, Katya burst out laughing as he positioned himself back on his pillow. Otherwise, a line would have been crossed.

By Katya? Not really.

But Sergei?

Oh, Sergei was a starving man.

Nine years of waiting was bound to do that to a person, right?

"Let’s get you fed before we start a whispering contest," Katya laughed as he subconsciously put more food on Sergei’s plate.

The alpha just stared, his mind buffering at the idea of Katya Romanov feeding him. Sure, Katya wasn’t exactly putting food into his mouth and all. But Katya had served him food.

That was all that Sergei could think of right now.

"Thank you for inviting me, Solnyshka," Sergei said, dropping the ’Moy.’

As much as it was fun and beautiful, claiming Katya as his Solnyshka so openly and brazenly, Sergei could dismiss the first time as a slip of the tongue, but if he continued, it would sound intentional.

It was intentional.

Just not intentional enough to feed Katya’s possible discomfort. The omega was, after all, still in a healthy relationship with the man Sergei had wanted to murder today.

"You’re not as terrible a cook as I imagined," Katya teased later when they were done eating.

They’d spent their moment eating while stealing mischievous glances at each other, easing any awkwardness that was bound.

"I brought wine from the cellar," Sergei said, and Katya stared at him, mischief still written all over his face.

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Moskowsky?" Katya teased, and Sergei froze.

"I... I’m sorry, it’s just... Force of habit... I’m not trying to... I’m sorry," Sergei tripped over his own words.

Only for Katya to laugh at him heartily this time.

"You’re so gullible, Vladimir... It’s fine, go on. Fill the glasses," Katya said lightly.

And Sergei breathed a sigh of relief.

This omega would certainly be the death of him.