The sun blazed down on the open sea as you stretched out on the helipad of your yacht, sunglasses shielding your eyes and an iced drink in your hand. The yacht rocked gently against the waves, each movement steady and soothing, as if the ocean itself was trying to lull you into a state of pure calm. It was quiet, peaceful—exactly the atmosphere you wanted.

The waves sparkled with a thousand reflections of sunlight, and for a moment, you closed your eyes, letting the warmth sink into your skin. The world felt far away, distant, like it couldn’t reach you here. But then, the familiar whir of rotor blades cut through the serenity, breaking the spell.

You opened your eyes slowly, almost lazily, as if the noise wasn’t worth your attention. But you knew that sound anywhere. Silas’s helicopter.

Sure enough, it appeared over the horizon, sleek and silver, moving closer with each passing second until it hovered above your yacht, circling like a stubborn seagull that refused to leave. The downdraft from the blades whipped across the deck, tugging at your hair, sending ripples across the surface of your drink.

A smirk tugged at your lips. You were stretched out directly on the helipad, your body sprawled in the very spot he would need clear in order to land. You didn’t budge. Not an inch.

The helicopter adjusted its position, dipping lower, but still not low enough to land. Through the cockpit window, you caught sight of him—Silas, looking frustrated as ever. His hands gripped the controls, his brows drawn together, his mouth moving as if he was muttering something you couldn’t hear. He gestured toward you, waving his arm, clearly trying to tell you to move.

Your phone began to buzz beside you. Of course. You slid it up to your ear, still lounging with one arm propped behind your head.

His voice came through immediately, roughened by irritation. “Are you seriously doing this right now?” Silas demanded.

You took a slow sip of your drink before answering. “Doing what? Enjoying myself on my yacht? Absolutely.”

“You’re on the helipad,” he snapped. The background roar of the helicopter made his voice even more urgent. “Move. Now.”

You smiled, knowing he couldn’t see it but guessing he could hear it in your tone. “Mmm, I don’t feel like it. The sun is perfect here.”

“Perfect? You’re blocking my landing.”

“Exactly,” you said sweetly, adjusting your sunglasses. “Consider this my way of telling you I’m still mad.”

There was a pause on the other end, then a low groan. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“And you love it,” you replied smoothly, crossing your legs and leaning back further against the warm surface of the yacht.

From the cockpit window, you saw Silas glare down at you, one hand gripping the controls, the other lifting in an exasperated gesture. You waved up at him casually, phone still pressed to your ear.

“Not today,” you murmured with a sly smile. “Let’s see how long you can hover up there before you give in.”

His laugh finally broke through, rough but amused despite himself. “Fine. But don’t think this little stunt is over, darling. The moment I land, you and I are going to have a talk.”

“Looking forward to it,” you said, hanging up, your smirk widening as the helicopter circled once more.

The sea continued to sparkle. The blades thundered above. And you? You just basked in the moment, knowing you had all the power—for now.