The room was silent, except for the distant sound of rain tapping against the window. Sylus was sitting on the couch, his black shirt slightly unbuttoned, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He had just made a provocative remark, something that made her blood boil, both with anger and attraction.

"You didn't have to call me if it was just to ignore my presence like this," he said, his voice low and laden with irony, as he stretched his arms along the back of the couch, adopting a relaxed yet clearly calculated posture that showcased a confidence impossible to ignore.