Chapter 452: Every Day I Bathe In Shards Of Glass

[FROLO]

When the footage of the court case was played, it brought the city back to the memories of the omega who had suffered so much under the care of the one person who had sworn to respect patient privacy and practice humanity.

And the fact that this case was resurfacing right after Katya was kidnapped and the government was playing with the city didn’t help.

But for the live footage, the past court case wasn’t even needed. Maybe as a refresher so people would understand what the doctor was going through, or maybe as part of the things that the doctor had fucked up a few times too many.

On that screen, Sergei Moskowsky sat.

Face cold.

Fatigue written all over his face like a man who was holding on to the last tether of his sanity. A man who was trying this hard to stay functional and who had no idea how to get his omega back.

He looked like he was one step away from bombing the entire realm, not that it was past him. But now, he had a gun in one hand and a katana in the other, like it was okay. Like it was normal. Like it was supposed to make things better.

Sergei looked like shit.

But the person in the chair before him, he looked worse.

"You look good, doctor," Sergei said, a smile on his face.

"You wanted fame... the kind that came with treating a Moskowsky, right? And a Romanov... the fame that would build your career. We are doing that right now, doctor.

"I’ll make you famous one last time." Sergei smiled at the doctor, his gun tracing the doctor’s cheeks.

Doctor Belyaeva had been beaten black and blue.

She looked like she was having the worst day of her life, but the fact that Sergei was just staring softly like this was all that he had been living for, was creepy as hell. He wasn’t even angry, just calm as hell.

"Mr.... Mr. Moskowsky," Doctor Belyaeva said as she tried to wiggle out of the ropes she was bound with.

"Oh... are the ropes tight? My bad, give me a moment," Sergei said, setting his weapons down like he genuinely cared for the woman. He looked so calm about it; it was unnerving.

And Sergei, he actually undid the ropes.

He didn’t give the woman some huge speech about not running, or even trying to scream and whatnot.

He just smiled at her, even then.

"I was supposed to kill you before I killed Daniil, you know," Sergei said, sitting back in his chair.

"But they took my Solnyshka... and I need to kill someone. So you’re my lucky choice today, doctor," Sergei said, picking up his gun and using it to scratch his hair.

Or was it just him trying to be rational and regain control of what he was feeling at the moment?

"They have him in a bunker at the old mill, you know. But I can’t... I can’t go after him yet. He told me to trust him. He begged for them. Told me to try and choose diplomacy," Sergei laughed, wiping a tear that fell down his cheek.

"My beautiful Solnyshka..." he laughed tiredly.

"I finally got the courage to tell him I loved him... I listened to your advice, by the way. I admitted it. And he... he marked me for it. He told me I belonged to him and no one else.

"...My possessive little wolf," Sergei said with pride, his eyes softening at the memory of Katya Romanov.

He looked sad, defeated, yet for the sake of Katya he was holding on. And he was flaunting his mark to the doctor. The woman who looked like hell was suddenly not a bad place for her to be in.

"He marked me in his father’s house... if Mr. Romanov learns that, he’s going to kill me. But at least I get to die a happy man...

"...at the same time, I can’t exactly die, because I promised Solnyshka I would go home to him when the sun went down," Sergei added sadly, the loneliness in his voice something that was heard by everyone.

He looked devastated, and he yearned for more than just the emptiness he had been left with.

Across the city, as the footage replayed, they realized the footage wasn’t from today, no.

It was dated three weeks ago.

Sergei had lost his shit completely two weeks after Katya had been taken, and it was obvious in this clip.

The video that was being premiered.

And Gods, it was something that had the city mourning in silence for the mad barbarian. He looked genuinely devastated and like he was trying to be good for his omega.

Following rules even when they hurt.

"Solny— my beautiful Solnyshka. I got so used to our routine, doctor. I would come home early from work, just to prepare his food, and bathe and ready a massage for him.

"He works so hard, in his research... I told you before, right?" Sergei said, pointing his gun aimlessly at the doctor.

The doctor stared at the man, not even the gun.

Of course she knew.

She had sat through weeks and months trying to teach this barbarian how to understand his feelings. She had tried to atone for what she did, even if she was sure it would never match up to the damage she had caused Katya Romanov.

"The one with his research partner, Greg?" Doctor Belyaeva asked, and Sergei laughed defeatedly at the mention of Katya’s coworker.

"Yes, that one. I used to think that alpha researcher would be my only problem in life. He was the only problem I was willing to tolerate. He spends so much time with my Solnyshka at work, but I did sneak into work one time.

"Mr. Romanov almost strangled me that day... but I... I got evidence that Greg, the alpha coworker, only shared work with my husband... just work... but then now... now my Solnyshka can’t even do his research.

"He can’t even check his results and worry about mundane things like what alloys are needed in Romanov Steel. He doesn’t have to go to lunch with Greg, who made him happy...

"...as a coworker, you know," Sergei said, stressing the coworker bit like he was reminding himself that Greg was always and only ever going to be Katya’s coworker.

That Greg was not that much of a threat as she had once upon a time assumed the man would ever be.

He was tired and stressed, fuck.

"You can still go for him... You can still get him out, Mr. Moskowsky," Doctor Belyaeva advised like she was offering a solution.

Maybe she was.

Maybe she was just trying to be nice.

But she also knew Sergei Moskowsky was not one to defy whatever Katya wanted of him.

Katya’s word...

Was Sergei’s law.

Belyaeva knew it.

Sergei shot her in the arm, making the woman scream out in so much pain.

She couldn’t even hold her bleeding arm because Sergei had warned her that any sign of her trying to check on herself would result in more bullets across her body, just enough to incapacitate her and not to kill her.

Not until Sergei was done with her, anyway.

"You’re asking me to defy my Solnyshka’s wishes? What kind of doctor are you? Is that how you hurt him with the therapy notes from what you guys did to him back then?" Sergei asked.

The doctor shook her head fervently, like she was only trying to communicate with Sergei. But would it work? Would it make sense right now?

"No... If he is in danger and you can save him... you will regret it if he dies and you don’t get the chance to bring him back," Doctor Belyaeva said, and Sergei stilled.

"If he dies??" Sergei asked, like he had not even comprehended that yet. Like he couldn’t believe that was a possibility for him and his Katya.

What the hell would he do if Katya died on him?

"Yes. His body is weak. You and I know it," Doctor Belyaeva said, and Sergei grabbed the katana on the ground and slashed Doctor Belyaeva’s ear.

"My husband is not weak. You seem to remember the man you broke. But I know the man who got out of that madness. The man who fought back and is living his life. The next time you talk of my husband as weak, I will not forgive you," Sergei warned.

"But you’re not married to him... and he is not like Vitya, is he?" she asked.

And everyone watching the footage facepalmed.

Did this doctor not love her life?