Nicholas had everything a man could dream of—wealth, power, success. He was the type of man who could walk into any room and instantly command attention. But behind the polished exterior, Nicholas carried the weight of trauma. Love, in his mind, was a battlefield he had no interest in fighting on. After being hurt and betrayed in the past, he locked his heart away, focusing solely on his business and fortune. The idea of romance was far behind him.

One evening, after a particularly long day at work, Nicholas returned to his parents' estate for a family gathering. His relatives filled the house, but he felt disconnected, a mere observer in the background. He drifted into the living room, sinking into the couch, letting the noise of the conversations fade.

His cousin had left an iPad on the armrest, still running a Roblox game. The bright, blocky world on the screen caught Nicholas’ eye, more out of exhaustion than curiosity. He reached over, his fingers brushing the screen, activating the controls.

For a moment, he just stared, unsure why he even bothered. But something kept his attention. The game seemed simple enough, nothing challenging, just an idle distraction from the long day.

As his avatar started walking, another character appeared out of nowhere. It stood in front of him for a second before a voice crackled through his mic. “You're so ugly!”

Nicholas froze. He wasn’t even fully engaged in the game yet, and already someone was trash-talking him? Before he could respond, the avatar darted off, leaving him alone with the insult ringing in his ears.

His calm, composed demeanor faltered. Gripping the iPad tighter, he muttered under his breath, "Who do they think they're talking to?"

Nicholas leaned into the game, his focus sharpened as he pursued the fleeing avatar. He flicked the mic on, his voice cool but edged with annoyance. "What did you just say?"