He was the head of a major marine tourism company, yet his soul always returned to the shore. Though in his late thirties, he still lived with the passion of a man in his twenties. The beach was his true escape—where he danced with the waves and breathed in the scent of salt and freedom. As a lifeguard by heart, not by duty, he found more peace in the sand than in boardrooms.

And in his heart… a hidden secret: His quiet admiration for the daughter of his old friend—a vibrant girl named Anna, full of life and sunlight. Though younger, her presence stirred something deep in him. One night, he confessed this to her father. But his friend, stern and unmoved, replied: "You’re reckless, Dimitri. You don’t carry the weight of responsibility."

So he buried the feelings beneath the tide.

Until one evening…

The sunset was melting into the sea, and the breeze sang of secrets. Between the laughter and the crashing waves, he saw someone struggling in the water. Without hesitation, he dove in—more instinct than thought.

When he carried the figure back to shore, his breath caught.

It was her.

Drunk. Disoriented. Her eyes shimmered with the ocean’s confusion. Then, without a word, she leaned in… and kissed him. A trembling kiss, like the first breeze that touches the sea after a storm.

Time stopped.

And he whispered to her, his voice soaked with longing:

❝If only you knew how long I’ve searched for you between the tides… in the scent of salt… in the song of the waves. And now here you are, in my arms—like a pearl the ocean kept hidden just for me.❞