To distract herself from her fear of riding in a helicopter, Sienna averted her gaze out the window. She saw Zachary with his back to her, removing his suit and passing it to Logan, who stood beside him.

It worked!

At least for a moment.

The tight knot in her chest loosened just enough for her to breathe again.

Her eyes lingered on him longer than she intended.

There was something effortless about the way he moved, something calm and controlled that made everything around him feel... steady.

He rolled his sleeves up to his arms, revealing toned forearms, and listened quietly as Logan spoke to him. Whatever Logan was saying sounded important, judging by the serious look on his face, but he simply nodded once or twice.

’Gosh... Zach, did you know you look so hot even when you’re not trying? Unfortunately, you are someone else’s husband—’

The thought slipped into her mind so naturally that it almost made her choke on her own breath.

She pressed her lips together, forcing herself not to smile like an idiot. This was not the time to admire a man. Not when she was about to board what she firmly believed was a flying danger box.

Still... her gaze betrayed her.

For a few seconds more, she allowed herself that quiet moment, watching him like a scene from a movie.

And then, as if sensing her stare, Zachary suddenly turned, and their eyes almost met.

Sienna could feel her heart jump so hard it felt like it hit her throat. In a panic, she immediately turned her head away, her eyes landing on the pilot panel in front of her as if she had been deeply interested in it the whole time.

Unfortunately, the sight of all those blinking lights and complicated buttons did not help her calm down. If anything, it made everything worse. Her earlier fear, which had briefly faded, returned with full force.

’Zach... I hope you can really give me a smooth first ride experience,’ she muttered inwardly, her fingers curling slightly against her lap. ’Or I swear I will never ride this flying machine again for the rest of my life...’

She let out a quiet sigh and leaned back in her seat, trying to relax her stiff shoulders. But it didn’t work. Not even a little.

Then, just as she was trying to convince herself that helicopters were statistically safe and not personal enemies, the pilot door opened.

Sienna stiffened.

Zachary stepped in. He moved with ease, as though stepping into the pilot’s seat was no different from sitting at his office desk. Calm. Natural. Almost unfairly attractive.

He settled into the seat, adjusted a few controls, and casually wore the headset. His focus shifted instantly, his posture straightening slightly as his attention moved fully to the controls in front of him.

For a moment, Sienna simply stared.

’Oh... he really knows what he’s doing. And he looks relaxed and confident. This is a good sign...’ she admitted silently, though that realization didn’t completely calm her racing heart.

Zachary then glanced back, his eyes first landing on his son.

"Are you ready, buddy?" he asked, his voice gentle in a way Sienna had never heard before.

"Yes, Dad..." Skylar replied calmly, already buckled in, looking completely at ease, as if flying in a helicopter was as normal as riding a bicycle.

Then Zachary’s gaze shifted to her.

"How about you, Sienna? Are you ready to fly?" he asked, his tone even gentler.

Sienna tried to say something, but nothing came out. Not even a word. Her brain had officially stopped working and had betrayed her.

So, in the end, she simply nodded.

From the outside, she looked composed. Calm. Maybe even confident.

But, inside? Completely opposite.

’Ready? Of course not. Not at all. I am sitting in a helicopter, next to a mysterious child who turns out to be his son, being flown by a man who casually revealed he’s a pilot and a father on the same day. How is anyone supposed to be ready for this?’

Sienna let out a long, deep sigh, forcing her back to stay straight against the seat.

The cabin fell into a strange silence. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it wasn’t relaxed either. It was filled with things unspoken.

She could sense Skylar’s quiet curiosity as he occasionally glanced at her, and Zachary’s steady focus as he prepared for takeoff.

Sienna became painfully aware of every little sound, the faint hum of the system, the click of switches, the soft movement of the blades outside.

It didn’t take long... Finally, the engine roared to life.

Her entire body tensed instantly.

Her hands gripped the edge of her seat without her realizing it, fingers tightening as the vibration of the helicopter spread through the cabin.

’Oh no... it’s starting... it’s really starting...’

Her heart began to race uncontrollably, each beat louder than the last.

She dared a small glance out the window, only to see the ground still beneath them, but not for long.

The helicopter began to move.

Slowly at first.

Then steadily.

And just like that, they were off.

Sienna sucked in a sharp breath, her body going completely stiff as the ground beneath them started to fall away.

’Okay... okay... this is fine...’ she tried to calm herself, though her thoughts were anything but calm. ’You are fine. You are strong. You are a professional woman who came here for a job... not someone who will scream in a helicopter...’

A pause.

’...Right?’

Her fingers tightened again.

And despite everything, despite the fear, the confusion, the chaos in her mind, her eyes slowly drifted forward, toward him.

Zachary sat there, calm and focused, his hands steady on the controls as if nothing in the world could distract him.

And somehow...

That was the only thing keeping her from completely drowning in fear and fainting.

After a few minutes of flying in the air, Sienna slowly dared to open her eyes wider.