Nathan's world had crumbled in a single argument. It wasn't the first time things had been strained with Lucy, but it was the breaking point. She'd kicked him out - twice - and without warning, everything he knew was gone. The life he had built, the family he'd raised, was no longer his.

He moved into his uncle Jim's house. It was small, modest, and smelled of stale coffee and old books. Jim, who had been disabled for years, didn't have much to offer, but he didn't mind Nathan being there. For Nathan, it was a place to lick his wounds and try to find some stability.

Every day, Nathan tried to see his kids - Caleb, his step-son, and Mia, his biological daughter. They were the only things that kept him going. But every time he tried, Lucy was there, filling their minds with poisonous words about him. She painted him as a villain, telling them he wasn't a good person, that he was dangerous.

"Dad's not a good person, Caleb," Lucy would tell their son, her voice dripping with disdain. "He's bad for you."

Nathan couldn't understand it. He had always been there for them. He'd been kind, loving, and attentive. But nothing he did seemed to change their minds. Every time he showed up, they pulled away. He was a stranger in his own home.

Feeling defeated, Nathan found solace in something small and simple: his phone. He'd always played a mobile game casually, but now, it became his refuge. For hours each night, he would escape into the game, matching blocks, battling enemies. It kept his mind occupied, preventing him from spiralling deeper into the sadness that threatened to swallow him whole.

Then one night, something unexpected happened. He received a message from a player named LuckyLady42.

"Hey, I noticed we play the same game a lot. Want to team up for this challenge?"

Nathan was hesitant at first. But the friendly, genuine tone in her message caught his attention. He responded, and what started as casual game talk soon turned into deeper conversations. Sophie, as he learned her name was, had her own life, full of struggles and challenges. She was in a long-term relationship, but things were far from perfect. Sophie was a nurse, working long, exhausting hours, but she loved her job. She found purpose in helping others, even as she tried to fix things in her own life. Her partner was distant, and the relationship had lost its spark, but they had been together for years. She didn't see a way out, but neither did she feel like she could give up just yet.

Over the years, their relationship grew, not in the typical way, but through words, through shared experiences and long, late-night conversations. They never met face to face - never even exchanged pictures - but they were there for each other in ways no one else was. Nathan found that he could be completely himself with Sophie. She listened to him vent about his struggles, his doubts, his loneliness. And in return, she shared her own heartache with him, how she was torn between the love she had for her son and the growing distance between her and her partner.

Nathan never expected it, but over the course of three years, they became more than just friends. They were each other's emotional lifelines, two people in desperate need of someone who understood their pain.

Sophie had a son, Alex, who was her whole world. Nathan couldn't help but admire the way Sophie talked about him with such love and pride. She would share stories of Alex's school days, his little triumphs, and struggles. She didn't get to see him much during her long shifts at the hospital, but every moment she had with him was precious. Nathan admired her for the way she always saw the best in people - even in herself, even in her failing relationship. She was a beacon of positivity, and for Nathan, she became a source of strength he never expected.

One night, after Nathan had a particularly tough day at work - a monotonous desk job that paid the bills but gave him no joy - he sat down to his phone. Sophie had messaged him first, as usual.

"How was your day?"

Nathan sighed, rubbing his eyes. He didn't want to lie, so he just told her the truth.

"Another Monday. Nothing exciting. Just the usual. I feel like I'm stuck in this cycle, Sophie. I don't know how to get out."

Sophie's reply was gentle, but firm.

"You're not stuck, Nathan. You've always been good at what you do. But you need to ask yourself: what do you want? What would make you feel alive again?"

Nathan thought about it. He'd always been good at his job, but he didn't care about it. He didn't feel fulfilled. He didn't feel like it was his life. He wanted something more - something that was his, something that would give him a sense of purpose. Sophie's words echoed in his mind, and for the first time in a long while, he really thought about his dreams.

"I guess? I've always wanted to open a sports bar. A place with pool tournaments, karaoke nights, maybe even some live music. A place where people can just come and have fun. I don't know. It's always been a dream, but I don't think it's possible. I've never had the guts to try."

There was a long pause before Sophie replied, and when she did, her words were filled with encouragement.

"Why not now, Nathan? You've always wanted it. What's stopping you? You have the skills. You have the heart. If it's something you really want, go for it."

Nathan stared at the screen, her words sinking in. Sophie had always been the one to believe in him, even when he didn't believe in himself. For the first time in years, he felt like maybe, just maybe, this was something he could do.

But it wasn't just about the bar. It was about him. About finding something that made him feel alive again, something that gave him purpose. And with Sophie's support, he started making plans. He began researching locations, gathering ideas, and thinking about what kind of place he wanted to create.

Sophie remained in her relationship, trying to fix what was broken, but deep down, she didn't see a way forward. She and Nathan were still a world apart, but they both knew something had changed. The more they talked, the closer they became, until one night, after a long conversation about their hopes, dreams, and everything in between, Nathan realized he had fallen in love with her. It wasn't something he had expected, but it was undeniable. And Sophie, too, had developed feelings for him over the years. They had become each other's safe space, each other's anchor in the storm.

"I don't know where this is going, Nathan," Sophie confessed one night. "But I think I'm falling for you, too. It's crazy, right? We've never even met."

"It's not crazy," Nathan said softly. "It feels right."

They both knew the situation was complicated. Sophie still had a family to figure out, and Nathan had his own mess to untangle. But there was something real between them - something more than just the game.

As Nathan continued to work on his plans for the bar, he realized that he wasn't just building a business. He was building a future. And maybe, just maybe, that future would involve Sophie.

One evening, after a long day of researching and planning, Nathan sat back in his chair, staring at the blueprint for his dream bar. Sophie's voice echoed in his head: "Take the leap. Do what makes you happy."

He picked up his phone, texting Sophie.

"I'm going to do it. I'm opening the bar. I'm going for it."

A few seconds passed before her response appeared.

"That's amazing, Nathan. I'm so proud of you."

And for the first time in a long time, Nathan felt the weight of his dreams no longer seem out of reach. He wasn't stuck anymore. He had a purpose. And even though his journey was still uncertain, he knew he was on the right path.

A path that, maybe, one day, Sophie could walk with him.