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

[SERGEI]

Sergei’s world fell apart at the pregnancy realization.

A part of him had always known that family was important to both Yaroslav and Katya, but seeing it become a reality, seeing the possibility staring right at him, and that too in a time when Yaroslav had not stopped cheating?

That messed with his mind because he didn’t know how to process that.

He didn’t know what direction to take.

The past five years had been spent on staying dedicated to Katya Romanov. He had done everything to make this easier for the omega, and honestly, Sergei had never had any expectations for Katya.

He was fine with watching from a distance.

But there was something about finding out that Katya was pregnant for Yaroslav that ruined him completely. Perhaps that was also why he had slept for three continuous days. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

When he woke up, Anya was sitting on his bedside, disappointment written on her face and disbelief too. It was like she was not sure if she wanted to scold him or be glad that he was awake.

So, she just stared at him, taking the sight in like she was wondering what part of life Sergei would go to explore again.

Deep down, they both knew the pregnancy changed everything.

It was proof that Katya wanted to stay.

Proof that Katya wanted his marriage to work.

And that hurt because Sergei, for the life of him, would never have the strength to go against what Katya wanted. He was not strong enough to challenge himself against the one thing he had been living by all the time.

Whatever Katya wanted, Katya got.

It had always been so simple.

Until now.

Until he realized how twisted his analogy was. Because he couldn’t let go.

Even now.

Even with the announcement.

Even with the facts staring at him, Sergei could not lean into it. Because leaning into the pregnancy was the reminder that he would never be able to see Katya happy. And that haunted him.

Then came the questions of what Katya’s happiness was, and Sergei knew she would never win. Not in this life, at least.

Because Katya had always wanted a baby.

Not because of societal pressure, but because he wanted someone to hold. Someone to stay with when Yaroslav was out. And it hurt because Serge knew that a baby would never change what his son was doing.

Yaroslav was a serial cheater.

He would never stop.

That meant that Katya would still get hurt even more.

And boy did Sergei despise that reality.

Now with Anya glaring at him, the Alpha stared sheepishly, like it was bad to mask the sound of his shattered heart. Like it was bound to fix the madness he had had to deal with.

Sergei did not know how many days had passed, but Anya had changed clothes. That had to be something.

"How... "How many hours was I asleep for?" Sergei asked, even though a part of him knew he had slept for at least a day. But maybe if he stared with hours, Anya wouldn’t be mad at him, right?

"You have to stay away, Sergei. He is pregnant," Anya said, instead of answering him.

He should have seen that coming, but it didn’t make it any easier. Of course, Anya was right. Sergei would have to stay away, but what was the man going to do then?

Watch from a distance as Katya got to live a life with this undeserving son?

Stay like a dog and pretend to be engaged in the family gatherings just to see Katya?

Merge Knox Technologies and Moskowsky Holdings just so he would have a good enough reason to be close to the omega?

Sergei knew it was bad.

But then there was no easy solution for him.

"I know," Sergei said defeatedly.

"You almost died driving to this place because of that," Anya scolded.

Sergei kept his mouth really shut. He knew this was the time to play smart with this woman because she could as easily kick him out, and frankly, right now, he wanted someone who knew him.

He needed peace, and Anya came with all that.

Anya felt like home, and Sergei would be damned if he fucked up the one relationship that made him see things from a different perspective.

"You have to let him go. No more following. No more ruining things. Just leave the kids to have their own family," Anya said, more like pleading with Sergei, who was listening to him, even though a part of him was so stubborn.

What was he supposed to do without Katya?

What was he going to move like without the omega who made him sane?

What kind of life was he to live without his citrus-scented obsession?

"I’ll keep my distance," Sergei said.

Anya didn’t believe him.

"The apartment... I won’t stay on the balcony anymore. I’ll just... I’ll just live there. I promise he won’t see me on the balcony ever. He won’t even know that I will be there. I’ll stay away, Anya," Sergei said.

For a moment, Anya wondered if this was what she had signed up for.

Dealing with Sergei when it came to Katya was a real pain for her.

There was no denying it, yet it was one that she couldn’t step out of. Because he knew that without her in his life, the city would burn, and everyone would lose, the same way that Sergei was losing Katya.

It was something that she wanted to understand but couldn’t. And even making peace with it was a far stretch for both of them.

Oh, but Sergei was too far gone in his obsession.

"Fair enough. That also means you will be nowhere near that house on their anniversary," Anya said.

Sergei stiffened.

His entire world, which was already tilted, seemed to crash and burn at that moment.

Anniversaries were meant to be special, and Sergei knew they had been trying for a kid for so long. Katya would probably let Yaroslav know on that day. Then Sergei would lose him forever.

Anniversaries were not meant to hurt, yet as Sergei stared at Anya, as he tried to take in what Anya had said, the selfish part of him wondered if Katya was finally going to choose him on that anniversary.

If Katya was going to tell Yaroslav that he knew about the cheating.

It was something that Sergei had wondered, and yet now, as Anya spelled it out, it sounded more real.

And it terrified him.

Because this?

This wasn’t how things got.

"But Anya... if he breaks up with Yaroslav on their anniversary... he will need someone to take care of him, like he deserves a home that will be filled with affection. He will need stability...

"I can... I can offer that," Sergei said quietly, like the concept of Katya and Yaroslav being together was too lost on him.

This man was a maniac.

"What?" Anya asked, because surely, she wasn’t hearing the man right, no?

There was just no way she was telling Sergei to stay away from the omega, and the man was already trying to poke holes into the possibilities of what life could be with Katya.

"I’ll stay away... but what if... I mean, we have to consider the possibilities, right?" Sergei asked.

Anya knocked him unconscious.

"You will not raise my blood pressure today, stupid."