He couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“I’m the only one burning with impatience.”

Holding her up with one arm, he tore at her blouse. She, by contrast, loosened his tie at a slow, unhurried pace.

“That’s not entirely true.”

Tilting her head, she pressed a kiss to his right cheek.

“But you never know how to restrain yourself.”

She kissed his left cheek this time and fixed him with a playful glare.

“I can’t stay up all night because of you right before my final exam—ugh!”

He pulled her hard against him. There was no time to strip her bare. Lifting her into his arms, he rocked her as his *rect p*nis rubbed insistently between her thighs.

✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹ ✹✹

Svyeta’s dressing room was crammed with bespoke clothes that Jürgen had forced upon her. These were not ready-to-wear items, but extravagant, non-refundable haute couture pieces. It pained her to think of such beautiful garments being left untouched in the wardrobe.

‘I’ll pass them down to Yelena one day.’

They were the kind of dresses that would suit a storybook princess like Yelena, not someone like Svyeta, who spent her days in the repair shop, her hands forever carrying the scent of oil. Silk gowns and a woman like her simply didn’t match.

“Svyeta.”

He stepped into the dressing room. She was holding a plain shirt and trousers. They were hardly suited to the occasion, given that they were going to a hotel restaurant to celebrate her birthday. But she had never known how to dress up in a grand way.

“Do you dislike them?”

“…What?”

“I bought you the clothes. If you don’t like them, I’ll get some more made.”

“N-no!”

 She shook her head quickly.

“It’s not that. I just… don’t think they suit me.”

After all, she hadn’t worn a single one of the gifts he had given her. Of course he’d be disappointed. Even if he didn’t show it, she knew his question came from that disappointment.

From the closet, she pulled out what seemed the most ordinary choice—a green velvet dress that fell to her knees. For someone who usually wore roomy overalls or wool skirts down to her calves, it was something of a bold attempt.

“How about this?”

Holding the dress against her body, she asked. Jurgen’s expression hardened.

“Not that one. Choose something else.”

His curt answer deflated her.

‘But it looks pretty to me… Is my taste really that bad?’

“Then how about this?”

She asked, pointing to a silver-gray silk gown. He gave no reply.

“Not good?”

“That’s not evening wear.”

“Anyone can see it is evening wear…”

“The neckline plunges too low. Pick something else.”

The more he forbade her, the more she longed to do it. Finally, Svyeta held the silver-grey dress tightly to her chest.

She had lived her whole life without breathing space. There had never been time or money to waste on clothes. She had always chosen the cheapest clothes, and after marrying Jürgen, she wore only the most practical garments he provided. She had tried to convince herself that clothes were nothing more than protection from the cold and had no greater worth.

But she was human. Sometimes, despite her best efforts, she was moved by beauty. She would always turn away, telling herself that such things were never meant for her.

“You want it that badly?”

She nodded. Sighing, he slipped off her nightclothes.

“I don’t like it. I don’t like other men looking at you.”

“It’s not even that revealing…”

Yes, the neckline was low, but the dress flowed elegantly down to her ankles. It was certainly not indecent.

“You already attract enough attention as it is.”

“Don’t you think that’s an exaggeration? You bought this dress yourself.”

Svyeta chuckled. She knew she was pretty, but not nearly as beautiful as Jürgen thought she was.

“I bought it for you to wear when I’m the only one who can see you.”

He frowned, trapping her in his arms and holding her tightly against him as she laughed.

Svyeta never gave others’ attention a thought. Her world was too narrow. She never realised that men still followed her with their eyes even when she did nothing.

Brushing off lecherous men was bearable for a day or two. But now, the mere sight of anyone standing too close to her made him want to hit them. There had been far too many rivals for him to fend off, starting with Archum.

“I have no interest in other men.”

Fingers tangled in her hair, he pulled the zipper of her dress upward.

“Still—I don’t like it.”

Men were predictable, and she was far too beautiful for him. Of course he wouldn’t like it. Svyeta might have dismissed his reaction as fussiness, but any man would have felt the same. No one likes seeing their partner being admired by others.

In her fitted dress, she was dazzling. Every graceful curve was revealed, and Jürgen swallowed hard. He draped a white fur coat over her shoulders.

She swapped her scuffed leather boots for white shoes and sat down at the dressing table. On top of the vanity unit was a gift box tied with a silk ribbon.

“What is this, Jurgen?”

“Open it.”

Inside lay a splendid diamond necklace and earrings. The necklace, dripping with clusters of jewels like a bunch of grapes, made her blink in astonishment.

“They’re beautiful, but far too much for me.”

“They’re not.”

He lifted the necklace and fastened it around her neck. Against her pale skin, the diamonds spilled down, catching the warm glow of the lamp and glittering like stars. Their brilliance blended perfectly with her delicate beauty.

“It suits you.”

She studied her reflection in the mirror, adding the earrings as well. It wasn’t as strange as she had feared. Although she was now wearing clothes that she had previously thought were unsuitable for her and adorned with glittering jewels, she found the sight more bearable than she had expected.

“Doesn’t it look awkward?”

“You’re beautiful. So much that I don’t want anyone else to see.”

She wore makeup for the first time in a long while — just a hint of colour on her cheeks and lips — and it made all the difference.

Jürgen was impeccably dressed, too. Unlike him, however, Svyeta had always dressed plainly, like a worker from Elkinsky, so the change in her appearance was all the more striking.

“You don’t look like Mama at all.”

Alexander was so startled by her appearance that he hid behind Yelena.

“Don’t I look good?”

Svyeta asked, her face falling.

Alexander quickly shook his head from side to side.

“Mama’s not Mama—you’re like a fairy. You’re too pretty.”

“You little rascal, already learning how to flatter?”

Feeling embarrassed, Svyeta reached out and ruffled Alexander’s golden hair, which Jürgen had carefully combed into place. At that moment, Jürgen stepped out of the room to answer a phone call.

“What’s flattery?”

“It’s when someone tells a nice lie to make you feel good.”

“What’s a nice lie?”

The endless spiral of childish questions went on and on. Patiently, Svyeta answered each one, never once raising her voice. Watching, Yelena whined.

“Mama, Sasha always asks such annoying things.”

Though she was no older than Alexander, Yelena always treated him like a little child. For children, even a few months’ difference felt vast.

“He just has too many questions. When our Yelena was little, you were the same.”

“But Mama wasn’t there with me.”

Unlike Alexander, Yelena remembered the times her mother had been absent. If only she hadn’t—but she remembered everything. And Svyeta’s heart ached unbearably.

“Come here, Yelena. Let Mama hold you.”

Yelena nestled deep into her arms.

“Papa said you were very sick. That’s why you couldn’t come to me. Is that true?”

“…”

“I hope you won’t get sick anymore.”

Svyeta’s eyes filled red with tears.

“From now on, no matter what happens, I’ll be by your side. With you and Sasha. No matter how hard or painful it gets, I won’t run away. I promise, Yelena. Mama promises.”

While waiting for her to return, Jurgen had spoken to the children only in Elkinsky’s tongue. Thanks to that, when Svyeta finally reunited with them, she could speak with them freely, without stumbling.

‘You were waiting for me all this time.’

The realization struck her heart with heavy force.

‘I was waiting for you too.’

Even if she came to hate Jurgen again one day, she would never be able to cut him away. Because she loved him far too deeply.

✹✹✹ End of the Side Story✹✹✹