Chapter 287: Hope Your Heart Is Strong Enough

[FROLO]

"He’s alive," Masha said when she got to Sergei.

Even composed and stoic, Masha could see right through him. He looked like he’d been mourning for centuries, which was a stark contrast to the man the city knew.

"Uhh... Th... That’s great," Sergei said awkwardly.

What the fuck was he even supposed to say to the woman who was technically his in-law up until the divorce years ago?

How was he even supposed to act now that this woman’s sixth sense had somewhat convinced her that Sergei wasn’t a threat to her son?

"You love him, don’t you?" Masha asked quietly as she sat right beside him on the tiles.

Sergei stared in confusion because, honestly, he wasn’t expecting the woman to come at him that bluntly, and worse for him, to freeze. After all, Masha Romanova was sitting beside him.

"He’s my son’s beloved. That’s why I’m here. Yaroslav went to bring the senator; they would be here soon," Sergei said, his tone courteous like he had been practicing for this moment hours ago.

But even that didn’t sound convincing because the woman just chuckled at him. It was as if she had seen every side of him and wasn’t exactly as worried for her son’s safety with the man who was glitching here.

"Well, he sure is a loved man, isn’t he?" Masha teased.

Sergei raised a brow at that.

He didn’t like that statement at all. What the fuck was he to do about it, though? Complain about it to the woman who probably would think of him as insane?

"It would appear so," Sergei said in a clipped tone, trying not to combust at the woman for even suggesting that there were more who loved Katya. He didn’t want competition, honestly, not anymore.

Yaroslav was content with loving Katya from a distance.

The stupid senator had fucked his relationship up more than twice and didn’t deserve any second or tenth chances, and that left Sergei.

Sure, Sergei knew he wasn’t exactly the choice of the year for anyone to even consider him with Katya, but it didn’t make him love Katya any less.

"I know about the breakfasts, Sergei," Masha said, and Sergei stiffened.

"Employee policy," he rushed out.

"Employment policy, I mean. I don’t like overworking my employees. And they deserve a good breakfast too. It’s the most important meal of the day, and some of them usually don’t eat breakfast at home.

"That’s why there is always breakfast," Sergei rambled, and Masha stared at him before letting out a chuckle.

The most powerful man in Frolo, glitching over his own breakfast routine with her son, was something Masha had never thought she could ever see this close. It was almost unrealistic because why the fuck was she even supposed to explain that as?

"Romanov and I will implement it then, because my son is always happy after breakfast. I think it’s a good motivator for work if it gets my Michka that moved every morning. We’ll credit you for the idea, don’t worry," Masha said.

Sergei let out a defeated groan.

That was his routine with Katya. Not some benchmarked policy for corporations to lean into. That was his sacred choice with the man he loved. That was about them.

But how the fuck was he to explain that to Masha Romanova without shooting himself in the foot?

"Right... It’s good... Good policy," Sergei said instead.

"Michka is happier at work lately. He glows more when he hears about going to work than going home to his own boyfriend. I suppose the chairman... The employee benefits are that good.

"We really should send a benchmark team to your company sometime, Sergei. I hope you won’t mind us borrowing some of the things from you guys.

"After all, you did invest in Romanov Steel, no?" Masha said politely while Sergei was already short-circuiting, trying to think of a better way to say no to the woman without coming off as a wicked man from the east.

Gods, he was doomed.

Why hadn’t he exactly gone back to work? He would probably be wallowing in his own sorrow instead of being haunted and threatened by his idea being shared out there.

Breakfast was sacred for him and Katya. It was the one meal of the day that Sergei looked forward to.

Because he got to see Katya first before he began his work. Because he got to spend an hour with his Solnyshka without having to worry about what the day would be like.

And on days when Sergei had busy mornings, he would send breakfast and watch on the cameras like an obsessed man while Katya ate his food.

"Actually... I don’t think that’s a policy you should borrow," Sergei forced out.

And Masha...

The woman snickered.

"Why not? I mean, it gets my boring corporate son smiling every morning whenever he comes to check in, and Michka isn’t exactly the kind to smile at anyone in the morning.

"So, the policy must be good," Masha pressed, and Sergei knew he had to be very careful. Because he could see the woman was being serious.

That was nice and all, but this was his and Katya’s.

Not some company policy for Frolo to tap into.

"Long hours. Chairman Romanov and I only have breakfast before meetings because he never eats his breakfast. He always says he came to work in a hurry, and I don’t want him to have stomach ulcers.

"Need him efficient," Sergei said, and Masha just listened as the alpha fumbled and tried to talk her out of the breakfast idea.

"I think it could work for my people, too. They rarely take breakf—" Masha began, only for Sergei to interrupt her.

"No," he said, fast as he looked at Masha like he was trying to organize his thoughts.

"Which is which, Sergei? No, or yes?" Masha pressed.

"I mean, the policy isn’t even that good. Just a waste of time," Sergei defended faithfully.

"So, you’re admitting to wasting your employee’s time in the morning with your breakfast policy? I didn’t know that was how Moskowsky operated. Interesting," Masha pressed even harder.

And Sergei broke into a cold sweat.

What the hell was he to say without incriminating himself for his forbidden relationship with Katya? Was it even a relationship? Maybe if he used friends, he would be safer, right?

"Chairman Romanov is my friend," Sergei said, and Masha raised a brow.

When she didn’t say anything, Sergei continued.

"Uhh... My friend at work. He’s the chairman, and I’m the CEO. Of course, we work together and interact many times. We work long hours too. So, breakfast is like a tradition to get us both working more efficiently," Sergei said, knowing his excuse was stupid.

Then again, he had run out of excuses.

"Your friend betrayed you and blew his own office to cover up his tracks," Masha said, looking into Sergei’s tired eyes.

"No. He didn’t."

"There’s a video that says otherwise, Sergei, and witnesses who have a video of it too. You don’t have to spare my feelings just because I’m his mo—"

"My Solnyshka would never betray me. I know it," Sergei defended.

"Sergei, you’re his former father-in-law. Maybe he is doing this because of what Yaros—"

"He is kind and has a good heart. It’s why I fell in love with him. Vengeance is not his thing," Sergei said sharply.

"That wasn’t hard to admit now, was it? Come, the doctors are about to give us their reports," Masha said before walking away.

And Sergei...

He didn’t know what to say.

So, he just followed.