Strange. She had only wandered a short distance, yet the world already felt overwhelming. She had been alone ever since the age of fifteen and had always managed on her own. So why did she feel like a lost child now?

Luckily, she hadn’t gone far and Jurgen soon found her.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw him. For a moment, it felt as though she was seeing him for the first time in years, and she was glad. But as he strode towards her, fear rose up. He looked furious. She even considered running away.

Just as she had expected, he seized her wrist roughly; his face burned with anger.

‘It hurts.’

Svyeta stared blankly at the wrist he was gripping.

“What if you disappear without a word? Do you know how worried I was?”

She had expected him to be angry, but he only sighed. She realised that he had misunderstood something, but she also felt that she had been wronged.

“I just… I just needed some air. My head was too full…”

“Have you forgotten already? You’re still a patient. It’s chilly out, and if you go wandering around half-dressed, what if your health takes a turn again—!”

So it was spring now. Svyeta looked up at the clear blue sky and took it in anew. She hadn’t even noticed that the season had changed.

“I’m not cold at all. And I’m better now.”

“Why leave without telling me? Do you know how worried I was?”

“I… I’m sorry for not saying anything. I didn’t think you’d be this worried.”

“Don’t ever leave again without my permission.”

Her eyes widened, and she looked up at him. She swallowed down the urge to ask Why? and instead gave him a logical reply.

“I’m a citizen of Elkinsky, too. I have the right to be free. You seem to have forgotten that.”

“Your dictator would be thrilled to hear you say that.”

“Ah! You’re hurting me, Jurgen!!”

Startled, he immediately loosened his grip and apologised. She knew then that he hadn’t meant to hurt her. She no longer misunderstood. Having forgiven him, she could see him more clearly and objectively.

As a child, she had thought him cold and distant despite his good looks. When she met him again in her twenties, she had found him arrogant and unpleasant. But now, he felt no different to her.

“It feels like we’re becoming more alike. It’s neither a compliment nor an insult. It’s just how it feels.”

Jürgen took her hand in his and they interlocked their fingers. His wedding ring was still there. She had only just noticed it.

Somehow, she felt certain. She was certain that she would never be able to leave him.

‘We’ll live well together.’

Do you truly believe that, Jurgen?

She lacked confidence, but he seemed completely certain. She wanted to believe him. She decided to give it a try.

✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹

“Did you truly never miss me?”

In the pitch-black dark, his voice came. With nothing to see, his warmth, his scent, felt all the sharper.

“I did.”

Two days later, she was finally discharged. However, she barely had time to enjoy her freedom before Jürgen bundled her into his car.

Time flew by.

Before long, Svyeta was on the verge of graduating from technical school. With her final exams approaching, she was so busy that she had no time left for the children. They were always in Jürgen’s care.

On the day of her exams, Jürgen insisted on dropping the children off right outside her school. He even brought Rex the dog.

“Go on, give Mama a kiss.”

The children kissed her in turn. Rex barked and wagged his tail, as if he wanted to kiss her too. Svyeta burst out laughing and kissed Rex as well. Delighted, the dog licked her face all over.

“What if you fail?”

Jurgen pressed a kiss to her lips and whispered in her ear.

“Then I’ll have to feed you again. Feed you, bathe you, dress you, put you to bed…”

“Ugh…!”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

A shiver of goosebumps ran down her arms at the sound.

“I need to go in. Thanks for the encouragement.”

“I’ll never let you go hungry. So take the test without worry.”

Svyeta clenched her fist and held it up to Jürgen and the children before stepping into the school.

In so many ways, she was bound to stand out: she was entering at a late age, she was a foreigner, and on top of that, she was a married woman with children. There was no way she could blend in. With all eyes on her, she had no choice but to maintain high grades.

Even when exhaustion tempted her to give up, shame forced her to study harder. Perhaps it was luck… perhaps nothing more than that.

Perhaps that was why the exam hadn’t felt difficult. After checking her answers again, she handed in her paper and stepped outside, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. Convinced that she had passed the written part, it was as though a great weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders. The practical exam hardly troubled her either, as it would merely assess work she had already carried out in the field, and she was confident that she would succeed.

‘When I get home, I’ll sneak some beer without the kids knowing.’

She craved the taste of something cold and bitter. Tonight she would have hamburgers. Hamburgers, crisp French fries, and beer—it would be perfect happiness.

“How was the exam?”

As always, Jurgen was waiting in front of the school. Even when she insisted she could go alone, he never listened. But today, she was glad to see him. She ran to him and leapt into his arms.

“I think I did well.”

“You worked hard.”

With his arm around her waist, he set off walking slowly at her side.

“Question 9 was tricky, but when I looked it over again before handing it in, the answer came to me. Aside from that, there wasn’t anything too difficult.”

“What was the question?”

“It was about the chassis…”

She chattered away, explaining the problem she had solved. Meanwhile, he led her to a car parked nearby.

It was a sleek sedan, a luxury model from her favorite brand. Clearly new—its flawless surface gleamed without a single blemish.

“My God, Jurgen! You bought a car behind my back?”

“A graduation gift. Do you like it?”

Svyeta remembered telling him once that she needed more mobility now.

“I meant a bicycle…”

She had broken her arm in a cycling accident a long time ago, which was why he refused to buy her a bike. Now a student, she was entirely dependent on him and couldn’t even afford to buy a bike herself. It was absurd to be nearing thirty and still be unable to buy a simple bike, but her rubles were worthless here.

“Thank you.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she threw her arms around him.

“Thank you so much, Jurgen. Did you know this was my favorite brand?”

“If you’d prefer, I can exchange it for a bicycle even now.”

She silenced him by pressing her hand over his mouth.

“Today I was planning to drink as much beer as I wanted. But no—I’ll take you and the kids and drive all night instead.”

“The children are with Otto.”

“What? Why?”

“You really can’t take a hint.”

She only blinked at him, wide-eyed.

“With your studies and the children, I’ve always come last, haven’t I?”

He bent his head and pressed a kiss to her lips.

“You weren’t exactly last…”

“Svyeta, drive for only an hour.”

“An hour? That’s stingy.”

She tilted her head, unlocking the door with the key. After all, he had given her a car and then only allowed her one hour with it?

“Shouldn’t I try the autobahn at least once? I’ll need two hours for that.”

Caught up in rare excitement, Svyeta didn’t notice Jurgen’s sigh.

“I’ve already named the car. How about Groza? That was the name of a horse I had when I was little.”

“As you like.”

“Hello, Groza! I’m Svyeta—your master now.”

Svyeta was giddy, all smiles and laughter. But Jurgen’s mind was tangled.

If she ever tried to run from him again, he would lock her away forever. Somewhere just for the two of them, far away from the children. He would break her ankle if he had to.

But he gave no sign. He wouldn’t shatter the fragile peace they had now. Instead, he let her experience freedom while binding her to him in another way.

Just as promised, Svyeta drove for only an hour. She parked deftly in the garage and turned to him, grinning triumphantly and brimming with pride. Adorable, yes — but unbearably oblivious.

Jürgen got out of the car, lifted her into his arms, and strode up the stairs.

“Mmph…!”

Even before they reached the bedroom, he showered her with fervent kisses in the middle of the living room. The children weren’t home, so there was no need to feel embarrassed, but her face burned as though it would explode.

“So this is why you left the children with Otto.”

“I think of you all day, every day.”