Long before they ever spoke, their paths crossed in quiet, unnoticed ways. Esther had known Chris’s brother, Steve, since high school. For years, they moved in the same extended circles without realizing how closely their lives were orbiting one another. At one point, Chris worked at McDonald’s. It’s more than likely that Esther passed through that very drive-thru window, placing an order without knowing the person on the other side would one day become so important to her. Later, they even worked next to each other — Chris at Best Western and Esther at Aveda — again separated only by a few walls and a twist of timing. The universe seemed determined to keep introducing them… just not quite yet. Then came October 13th, 2017. Both Chris and Esther were out that night at the nightclub Distrikt, each with their own group of friends. Fate finally decided it was time to stop the near misses. Steve recognized Esther across the room and walked over to say hello. Soon enough, she was standing at the bar with them, where Justin Stewart served Chris and Esther their very first drink together — the now infamous grapefruit shot. From that moment, there was an instant connection. They spent the rest of the night together, talking, laughing, and dancing. Neither of them noticed the hours slipping by until they had officially shut the club down. At 2 a.m., after everyone had spilled out into the night air, Chris and Esther were standing outside continuing their conversation when something truly unforgettable happened. A bird in the tree above chose that exact moment to poop… directly onto Chris’s shirt. At two in the morning. What bird is even awake and waiting for its next victim at that hour? Clearly, it was a sign — and according to superstition, a very lucky one. After that night, Chris and Esther kept seeing each other, but there was a complication. Esther already had a two-month trip planned to Hong Kong and Macau, making the timing of their newfound connection both exciting and uncertain. Starting a relationship right before leaving the country wasn’t exactly simple. But as time passed, Chris and Esther grew closer and closer. Eventually, they made it official. Esther took her trip, and not long after she returned to Canada, the two of them moved in together. After being together for some time, Chris and Esther began planning something very special — a trip back to Hong Kong and Macau so Chris could finally meet Esther’s family. They had everything arranged for March 2020, but like so many plans around the world, the trip was unexpectedly cancelled due to COVID. What was supposed to be the moment Chris met Esther’s extended family was suddenly postponed indefinitely. As it would turn out, the delay may have been for the better. Years later, Chris and Esther finally booked the long-awaited trip for November 2024. The trip was everything they had hoped for and more. Chris met Esther’s extended family, experienced the culture, and fell in love with the places and traditions that were such an important part of Esther’s life. What Esther didn’t know was that Chris had brought something very important with him. Chris had planned to propose during the trip, but finding the right moment proved harder than expected. For an entire week, he carried the ring in his pocket while they explored Hong Kong and Macau together, waiting for the perfect opportunity. That moment finally came on November 7th, 2024, their anniversary. Chris and Esther were spending the evening at Disneyland in Hong Kong. After the fireworks lit up the sky and the crowds began to settle, with the Disney castle glowing in the background, Chris finally asked Esther the question he had been waiting to ask. And she said yes. After all the near encounters, missed moments, and years that led them there, fate had finally brought Chris and Esther exactly where they were meant to be. And the rest, as they say, is history.