CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - *HELICOPTER RIDE

As night fell and stars began to appear in the sky, Erik leaned back, his expression turning more serious. "Anna, can I ask you something?" Anna nodded, curious. "Of course." "What do you want out of life? What are your dreams, your ambitions?" The question caught Anna off guard. She took a moment to consider before answering. "I want... I want to make a difference. To help people. But beyond that... I want to experience life fully. To love deeply, to see the world, to challenge myself." Erik listened intently, his eyes never leaving her face. When she finished, he nodded slowly. "That's beautiful, Anna. And admirable." "What about you?" Anna asked, genuinely curious. "You have everything most people dream of. What more could you want?" Erik's gaze turned distant, looking out over the dark water. "Sometimes I think I have everything, and other times... I feel like I have nothing at all." Anna leaned forward, intrigued by this glimpse of vulnerability. "What do you mean?" Erik s