[SERGEI]

The day had been long.

Longer than Sergei had imagined possible.

Yet as he sat in his office in Katya’s residence, he couldn’t help but be happy. All he could think of was Katya.

How the omega had stood up for him.

The way Katya’s voice had been firm.

Sergei had felt his heart beat faster in that moment, and honestly, it was a memory that he would forever cherish, even if he knew Katya was scared of him. And that Katya hated him for the terms and conditions.

But Sergei had no regrets.

If he had to do it again, then he would.

He would give Katya everything, even without a contract.

But the contract had been a necessity. To make sure no one questioned Katya’s legitimacy.

"Hey, are you busy?" Anya asked as she peeked at the door.

She had spent the entire evening confused by his actions, and he understood the complexity of it. Because even he didn’t understand anything.

All he knew was that he was happy.

"It’s past midnight... Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?" Sergei asked, the genuine concern on his face a familiarity for Anya.

"You need to see this," Anya said, and Sergei stared at her curiously.

"What is it?" Sergei asked, but Anya just handed him the tablet she had walked in with.

Then he pressed play on a particular video.

"Drink! Drink! Drink!" Svetlana encouraged.

"You’re free, Romanov! I hope that cheater dies a painful death!" Andre added.

"You’re supposed to be the nice one of us, Andre!" Katya laughed lightly.

Sergei’s heart leaped in his chest.

"To hell with being nice. Anyway, drink!!! The world finally sees the bastard for who he is!" Svet cheered as the music played in the background.

"Wait... This is our song! Come on, let’s go dance, guys!" Katya said as he dragged his friends to the dance floor.

Sergei turned to Anya, who was seated right in front of his desk.

"Looks to me like they’re having fun. They have each other. Let the boy live a little," Sergei said, and Anya snorted.

"Keep watching," Anya insisted.

"Fine," Sergei grumbled before he pressed play again.

The video was still normal.

Just Katya and his friends having the time of their lives. Sergei wanted to have him for himself, but he knew that he had to let Katya be free. The omega was no prisoner in his home.

If anything, he owned everything. Because Sergei had given it all to him.

Anya could see that the alpha was in a good mood because the Sergei she knew never let Katya walk alone without a protective detail.

Or maybe today there had been enough chaos to last them a thousand lifetimes, and it was only fair that Katya unwind with his friends, right?

Sergei didn’t see anything wrong with the video.

If anything, he was watching with a smile on his face.

The way that Katya danced freely, as if the weight of the world was no longer on his shoulders.

He looked happy. Genuinely happy, and it tugged at Sergei’s heartstrings.

Then the music slowed.

And the friends... They stayed dancing together.

Not bothering anyone.

But Sergei could see the moment everything started changing.

"Well, well, well... If it isn’t the senator’s new plaything. Katya Romanov... Or should we say... Omega Chairman Gamov?" A man stepped forward to the DJ’s booth, his voice filled with so much spite and mockery.

He looked like he was not used to seeing omegas win, and it wasn’t something that anyone would go against. In their society, omegas never sat at the high table like Katya was.

Omegas belonged in tender spaces, thinking for the alphas.

Omegas were supposed to stay home and be housewives and househusbands.

Not running corporations.

Not ruling the city with just a stroke of their pens.

"You need to shut the fuck up, Carlos, before I shut you up myself," Svet warned, her voice filled with so much rage.

Andre stood beside Katya; hand gently folded at his back like he was ready to reach for his weapon and keep Katya safe.

"Oh... You’re here too! Svetlana Vasilieva. The woman who assigned herself as the guard dog of the city’s whore... Who’s to say he didn’t cheat? I saw you snap his husband’s neck...

"... You really haven’t stopped snapping necks, haven’t you?" The alpha Carlos. Said and Svet didn’t step back. Instead, she stepped forward, waning in her eyes like he was trying to tell the alpha to slave.

"You need to stop, before I make you," Svetlana warned.

And Carlos...

He laughed.

Really laughed.

Like the situation called for his kind of humor.

"You want to stop me? His husband won’t even stop me. So, who are you to try?" Carlos asked smugly as he looked in the direction of a dark corner.

And sure enough, Yaroslav was there.

But he wasn’t alone.

He was with her.

Milan Popova.

"No way," Svetlana said as she looked at the once dark corner that was now dimly lit and saw the familiar face.

Yaroslav was watching smugly, with Milan by his side, a glass of juice in front of her like that was the most normal drink in a club.

"Beta Moskowsky! The chairman is here!" Carlos said confidently.

Katya looked in the direction of his husband, confusion in his eyes as he tried to steady himself. The omega looked like he was about to fall with the way he had staggered.

But Andre held him steady.

"Oh, look, the beta already got someone else... You know, we heard rumors about the betas omega not being able to give him kids. If I were him, I would cheat on you, too, Chairman Gamov," Carlos said.

Svetlana grabbed the nearest bottle of beer and smashed it against Carlos’ head without thinking twice. The man was bleeding, but he didn’t seem as bothered.

In the corner, Yaroslav got up with Milan in his arms, holding onto the woman like this was their lifeline.

And Katya watched.

As they came in his direction.

Hands entwined. Smiles on their faces like they were in their own heaven and not Katya’s hell.

"Does anyone else have opinions on Romanov?!" Svetlana raged as she stared at the club that had gone quiet.

They all knew the woman had quite the temper and expectedly, no one said anything.

Well... Not just no one.

"You’re doing too much for an omega who is never going to be yours, Vasilieva. Maybe it’s time for you to move on, too," Yaroslav asked boredly.

"You really want a second beating, don’t you?" Svet raged.

And Yaroslav chuckled.

"Thank you for that, by the way," Yaroslav said, looking between the friends.

"What?" Svetlana asked, caught off guard for a moment.

"Thanks to you and that senator, I don’t have to hide my love for Milan anymore. So yeah, thank you," Yaroslav said smugly before turning to Katya. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"If you are thinking of divorce papers, don’t even dream of it, honey. Last night meant nothing. And we Moskowskys don’t divorce. No judge will approve of it.

"You’re stuck with me, until the bitter end, Romanov," Yaroslav said calmly, but loud enough for everyone in the club to hear what he was saying.

But Katya...

His focus wasn’t even on Yaroslav’s words.

It was on her.

Milan.

On her belly.

How she kept touching it like a habit.

And Katya...

He knew.

"He got his mistress PREGNANT???" Sergei bellowed, his voice reverberating around the house as the tablet flew across the room and landed on the wall.