After an hour of conversation between Evering and Kretos, Johan quietly enters the office. He finds Ivering deeply asleep in his chair, looking pale and exhausted, with the strain from his weak heart clearly visible. Johan stands silently, fully aware of the immense burden his nephew silently endures. 

Softly, Johan calls out, "Evi..." But there’s no response; Ivering remains in a deep sleep. Johan steps closer, gently placing his hand on Evering’s shoulder to make sure he is resting peacefully, then carefully lifts him into his arms. Evering’s frail body is light in Johan’s hold as he passes through the door that separates the office from his private bedroom, making sure no servants take notice. 

Johan gently lays Evering on the bed, adjusting the covers around him, ensuring he is comfortable before leaving the room quietly. 

In the hallway leading to her chambers, Johan encounters Yursina, accompanied by her maids. Her expression is concerned but steady. She approaches him and asks, "Uncle Johan, how are you?" 

He replies with a faint smile, "I’m fine, Yuri."

He then gestures toward her maids. Yursina orders them, "You may leave now. If I need anything, I’ll send for you." 

The maids bow gracefully and depart without a sound. 

Johan takes a step closer to Yursina, speaking in a very low voice, as if he doesn’t want anyone to hear: "Evering is in bed now. He’s very exhausted, please take care of him, my dear." 

Yursina smiles, though a hidden pain flickers in her eyes. "Uncle, I’m afraid of losing him..." 

Johan places a loving hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes with reassuring confidence: "Don’t worry, Evi is strong... he’ll survive." 

They exchange looks filled with both worry and hope before each walks in a different direction—Johan to his thoughts, and Yursina to stand by her husband's side.

Yursina quietly opens the door, entering without making a sound, as if afraid to disturb the stillness that envelops the room. She steps softly toward the bed, where Evering lies peacefully, his features soft and serene, as if he were an angel lost in his dreams. 

She sits on the edge of the bed, gazing at him with tenderness and affection. Unable to resist her desire to touch him, she slowly extends her hand, gently brushing through his hair and caressing his face with trembling fingers, careful not to wake him. She tries hard to control her emotions, but she fails. For a brief moment, she completely surrenders to the flood of feelings she has suppressed for so many years, placing a light kiss on his lips, like a fleeting dream. 

The instant she did it, she realized what she had done. Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she tried to rise quickly, but suddenly she felt Evering’s hand grip her arm tightly, pulling her onto the bed beside him. He had woken up. 

She looked at him with panicked eyes and blurted out, "Damn it, what have I done? Evi, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to wake you." 

But Evering didn’t respond. His expression was strange, and his eyes were pale, as if they were devoid of any emotion. She tried to speak again, to understand what was happening, but her words were suddenly cut off by a deep kiss from Evering, a sharp kiss that nearly took her breath away. 

In the tense moment between Yursina and Evering, the heat between them rises, and the light tension transforms into something deeper. Yursina’s eyes meet Evering’s, which were initially empty, but now burn with a mysterious passion. She hadn’t expected what was happening, but she found herself swept away without realizing it. 

With every touch from him, the longing and intensity between them grew. Their breaths mingled, the atmosphere charged with emotions long held in check. Evering pulled her closer, kissing her with greater fervor, as if the whole world had paused for a moment. Yursina responded without resistance, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time. The intimacy between them deepened, as if it were an endless moment. 

But suddenly, Evering’s body stiffened, and he froze for a moment before collapsing beside her in a sudden pain in his chest. He clutched at his heart, his face pale. His eyes widened with agony, and a muffled cry escaped his lips. Yursina quickly pulled away from him, fear evident on her face. 

"Evering!" she cried out in panic, holding his hand as she looked into his eyes. "Evi, what’s happening?" 

Evering tried to take a deep breath, but the pain in his heart intensified, as if it were mocking him with every beat. 

As he struggled, Evering tried to compose himself and said in a strained voice, "Damn it, was this real? I thought I was dreaming... I feel ashamed that my wife has to see this weak side of me." He spoke with a painful smile. 

Yursina, frantic, held him tightly, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, "I’m so stupid, this is all my fault!" 

Evering, trying to calm his racing heart, whispered with difficulty, "Yuri, my love, calm down... I’ll be fine. I just need to rest, and everything will be okay." He gazed at her lovingly, wiping her tears with his fingers, but the pain in her eyes didn’t fade. He tried to kiss her again to soothe her, but she pushed him away harshly, saying, "Evi, please… if being close to me will hasten your death, then…" 

He paused for a moment, then asked sorrowfully, "Then what? Will you leave me?" 

She quickly replied, shaking her head as tears flowed from her eyes, "No, no!" Then she embraced him tightly once more. "Please, Evi, just don’t die... I’ll do anything for you!" 

The warmth of her embrace, which he had missed for years, filled him with the feeling he had long needed, but at the same time, it was poison to his weary heart. With every beat, the pain doubled, but he held on for her, not wanting to frighten her further. 

He whispered softly, "Yuri, let’s just lie here quietly. Then I’ll be fine." 

She nodded and lay beside him quietly, trying to control her tears as he closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep. The tears still shimmered in her eyes, knowing that the end might be closer than she imagined, or perhaps she was the one who had brought death nearer. She wanted to get up, but his hand clung tightly to hers, like a child afraid his mother would leave. 

In his sleep, he murmured, "Yuri... don’t go..." and sometimes said, "Theo... I must save him..." 

Yursina silently wondered as she watched him, "Theo? Does he mean Theodor, his friend? Damn, his stepmother must be trying to kill him again!" She sighed with sadness. "Oh, poor Evi... you have a new reason to suffer." 

She watched over him in silence until she drifted off beside him, without letting go of his hand.