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

[FROLO]

Sergei didn’t say a word.

Didn’t even look in the direction of Katya’s office. If anything, he just walked to his office, like this was just another day for him. Like it was the one time he didn’t have to look.

But that was the thing about the deal Sergei had gotten himself into.

He had to give Katya space.

He had offered.

He couldn’t take it back.

And frankly, maybe he did have to take it back.

Maybe Katya would choose him. Maybe the omega would see him and decide to let the world know that he belonged to Sergei.

But the anxiety was killing the alpha, yet even then, he walked to his office, his signature cold mask on like his heart wasn’t hammering in his chest. Like he didn’t even trust himself to walk in a straight, proper line.

When he got to his office, Sergei didn’t hesitate.

He grabbed the remote for the frosty glass that was in his drawer.

And activated the frost.

It was like a wall between him and Katya, and while Sergei hated that he was doing this, it was the only way to survive being in the office with Katya.

It was the only way for him to do anything productive because otherwise, he was never going to think clearly. He was never going to get anything done.

That didn’t scare him.

But the thought of failing the empire he had handed Katya terrified him just as the thought of losing Katya to anyone terrified him.

Perhaps this was for the best.

Perhaps.

On the other side of the glass, Katya stared at the separator as if he had been insulted indirectly. He didn’t know what to make of it, and he hated that it was bothering him.

Sergei had promised him freedom, and honestly, this felt like the first stage of it all.

Katya was supposed to be happy.

After all, he was free, right?

Sergei had cleared the misunderstanding between them, and while Katya didn’t trust him or his words, seeing the glass get frosty was somewhat confusing.

Maybe this was a test.

To see if Katya would break the silence first.

To see if Katya would ask about it.

But what was Katya supposed to ask about when the man hadn’t demanded anything from him?

’This is for the best, Katya... Enough embarrassment for the week,’ Katya told himself as he turned his attention back to the folder he had been trying so hard to focus on.

Rahim had brought two folders to him earlier.

One was about Yaroslav’s house on 13th Emerald. The house that the company was going to take in exchange for the list project last week. It felt like a befitting punishment, honestly.

However, it was the second folder that had Katya staring a little longer.

A Moskowsky property was being sold.

It had been listed on the real estate market. Sure, there wasn’t a price for it yet, but Katya figured that was why the folder had been sent to him.

He was the chairman.

He had to approve this.

But then this wasn’t just any folder.

And the property was not just any property.

It was their matrimonial home.

What had once belonged to him and Yaroslav.

Now it was being listed, and the only way it even got this far had to be that Sergei and Anya approved it. What the fuck was even happening?

Katya looked at the frosted glass to his right, the weird ache in his chest making him wonder what the fuck he was even doing. He knew he could say no to the sake of the property, but damn a sort of him had hated to hold onto it.

Then again, if he didn’t sign the papers, he would have to go and face Sergei.

He would have to explain why the fuck he didn’t approve it.

And right now, he wasn’t even sure he could stand and face Sergei.

So begrudgingly, Katya signed the documents. It was all he could do anyway. After all, even if he wanted to keep their matrimonial home, what evidence was he supposed to use?

That had been his home for over five years?

That he still wanted to go and see it occasionally?

Yaroslav had cheated with Milan on their couches. The man had probably already defiled their bedroom with the woman. There was nothing for him in that house anymore.

Not Yaroslav.

Not any good memories.

There was nothing there.

And it hurt to sign it away.

But this was his job. And he had to do it well. Even if he was not ready to deal with that part of the truth. Maybe this time, he would get to understand the specifics, no?

’I’ll be fine,’ Katya thought to himself as he dove back into work.

He occasionally glanced at the Frost glass, and honestly, it didn’t make things any better.

Still, Katya endured.

Maybe it would be off tomorrow.

He didn’t even know why he was hoping, but maybe it was because he had gotten used to seeing the other side of the office, right?

That had to be the reason.

Just that.

At least that was what Katya told himself the whole day. Even when Sergei stepped out to go for lunch with his son.

Even when the time to clock out hit and Katya was still on his desk.

He had not left work yet because he had to have dinner with Sergei.

Maybe he would ask about it later at dinner when they were being a bit normal, right?

Oh, but it was supposed to be simple.

Way simpler than the flowers he had gotten from the senator.

Perhaps this was for the best.

"Sir, are you not going home?" Rahim asked hours later, when everyone had already left, and Katya was still working.

He was distracting himself.

Maybe because of how the day had begun, but he said that shit scared the hell out of him.

He had a scandal that would probably not go away anytime soon. He was working in the same office as his cheating husband. He was given freedom by the devil, who had caged him with a contract in the first place.

Everything made absolutely no sense, yet drowning in work made things easily forgettable for Katya. At least for a moment before he had to snap out of the chaos and get real.

"I’ll be out in a few. You can go home, Rahim. I’ll drive myself home," Katya said, and Rahim didn’t argue with him.

Normally, she would try to explain to him that there were rules to be followed. Yet right now, she just agreed like it was okay.

Like that was the most normal of things, and it got Katya suspicious.

Was this a test of the freedom he was given?

"Goodnight, sir," Rahim added before leaving.

And then it was just Katya in the office.

At eight o’clock in the evening.

And no call from Sergei about the dinner they were to have.

"Maybe he doesn’t know my new contact..." Katya tried to convince himself.

However, even that didn’t sound as reasonable, especially coming from a man who had given him thirteen high-end phones just because he didn’t know which one Katya would prefer.

"I’ll wait a little longer," Katya said as he rested his head on the couch in his office.

Besides, it wouldn’t be long now...

Right?