Every beautiful story begins long before the first meeting.
It begins in silent struggles, in unseen battles, and in hearts that keep dreaming even when life gives them every reason not to.
Charlie was a middle-class boy with ordinary means but extraordinary dreams. Life had never been gentle with him. Family troubles followed him like shadows, and a broken love from his past had left wounds he never truly spoke about. Yet he carried on—quietly, stubbornly—hoping that someday, someone would love him enough to make him feel whole again. Enough to give him strength. Enough to bring him peace.
Academics had never been Charlie's comfort zone. Not because he lacked ability, but because life demanded his attention in ways books never could. Responsibilities came early, and with them, pressure that weighed heavier than any textbook. Still, he knew one truth—if he wanted to change his family's future, he had to fight for it.
So he did.
He pushed himself beyond limits he never knew he had. Long nights, restless days, and a heart full of determination led him into a good college—a place he once believed was beyond his reach. From there, his purpose became clear: secure a respectable job, ease his family's financial burdens, and finally give them a life that felt less fragile.
When Charlie received his offer letter and learned he had been selected to join a reputed workplace, it felt like the first time life had truly answered his efforts.
A new chapter had begun.
Ruth, on the other hand, carried light wherever she went.
A joyful girl with a kind soul and a smile that could soften even the hardest days. She dreamed of building a meaningful life—of independence, growth, and becoming someone she could be proud of. From a good college of her own, she stepped toward her professional journey with quiet confidence and hopeful eyes.
Where Charlie was shaped by struggle, Ruth was guided by warmth.
Where he searched for peace, she seemed to bring it with her.
Fate, with its subtle hands, brought them to the same destination.
The same office.
Before they stepped into the world of work, there was a phase of waiting. College was over, yet the office life was still a promise. It was a time filled with excitement, nervousness, and countless questions about what lay ahead. And it was in that very phase that Charlie and Ruth first found each other.
That was where their paths crossed.
In an official group chat meant for newcomers.
Ruth hesitated for a moment before typing. There was something she couldn't understand, a small confusion that had been bothering her. So she typed it into the group and pressed send, thinking nothing of it. To her, it was just another message. To him, it would soon become everything.
Charlie noticed.
Charlie replied.
That was all it took.
No dramatic encounter.
No exchanged glances.
Just two strangers connected by words on a glowing screen.
Yet, in that quiet moment, something shifted. Neither of them knew it then, but this brief interaction was the first thread of a story that would grow into laughter, longing, hope, and heartbreak.
Sometimes, destiny doesn't knock.
It simply appears as a message.
And so began a journey that would change two lives—
a story that would soon unfold as...