September 2nd, Morning.
"Although brain glioma is difficult to cure, our hospital has world-class advanced technology and the most experienced medical team. As long as you have relevant commercial insurance or your parents can afford the expensive surgery and follow-up treatment costs, we are confident that we can extend your survival period from the current three months to two years and significantly improve your quality of life in the rest of your life."
Ava Bennett sat numbly in the office of St. Lance Medical Center, a top-tier private hospital, as Elliot Holden—the world's most renowned neurosurgeon—delivered what felt like a death sentence in a calm, detached tone.
Wealthy parents? Commercial insurance plan that could cover the astronomical treatment costs?
"I have neither."
Beside her stood her boyfriend, Bradley Carter, who had accompanied her to this appointment. He was a trust fund heir, and it was through his connections that she had managed to secure a consultation with this esteemed doctor.
Ava drifted out of the hospital like a sleepwalker. The sun shone brightly overhead, yet she felt nothing but cold.
Ever since she had first mentioned her symptoms, Bradley's usual charming smile had been fading. Now, after hearing the diagnosis, it vanished completely. He strode ahead of her with long, impatient steps, paying no mind to her sluggish pace as she struggled with the throbbing pain in her head.
When they reached the hospital entrance, he finally turned back to look at her—his expression distant, almost indifferent.
"As of this moment, we're over," he said flatly.
And with that, he turned on his heel, heading straight for the parking lot. Within seconds, his flashy red Porsche was nothing but a blur in the distance.
Only then did Ava realize the real reason he had insisted on coming with her today. He had simply wanted to confirm how serious her condition was before deciding what to do with her.
She had suspected as much. On the way to the hospital, she had even joked, half-serious, that if her illness turned out to be something severe, she wouldn't want to burden him—he was free to leave at any seconds.
Bradley had only chuckled, ruffling her hair affectionately.
"Don't be ridiculous," he had said. "We've been together for almost three years. I was planning to propose as soon as you graduate from university. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side. I'm not going anywhere."
His words still echoed in her mind.
How laughable.
Now, he was gone, his Porsche speeding away without a second glance.
Ave made her way home in a daze, taking the subway as if on autopilot.
Her parents had been teachers. Years ago, they had died in a car accident, and most of their savings had gone toward compensating other victims of the crash. All that had been left for her was less than a hundred thousand dollars.
For years, she had struggled to move past their deaths, clawing her way out of grief. Through sheer determination and academic excellence, she had secured a full scholarship at one of the country's top universities. At least, finishing school had never been a concern.
But now…
Now, none of that mattered anymore.
Young, incredibly beautiful, with a great personality—a true genius.
With these labels attached to her, Ava became the dream girl of all male students the moment she stepped into university.
Bradley, with his charming looks, ample free time, and gentle blue eyes, spent a full six months before finally winning her heart.
Thanks to her outstanding performance during her internship, Ava received offers from three top global investment banks at the beginning of her final year. Meanwhile, two renowned mathematics professors, both recipients of prestigious awards, expressed their desire for her to become their graduate student.
In short, with her perfect looks, stunning figure, and brilliant mind, Ava had a limitless future ahead of her.
It was at this promising moment that Bradley brought Ava to meet his family. Though their attitude was somewhat reserved due to Ava's pathetic background, they ultimately expressed their acceptance, though kindly reluctant, of her.
Everything seemed to be going perfectly.
But now…
Ava stared at the pitiful balance in her bank account—sixty thousand dollars.
Ironically, it was even more than the inheritance left by her parents. She had been spending money all these years, but she had also been working nonstop.
Unfortunately, standard commercial insurance didn't cover the surgery fees at St. Lance Medical Center. Only high-end private insurance did.
Ava didn't have that kind of insurance.
And she no longer had her parents.
So, perhaps the time she had left was no more than three months.
"Food costs at most five hundred a month. Including daily expenses and necessary treatment, two thousand dollars should be enough," Ava calculated as she stared at her balance.
Her life has been too exhausting these past years. Whenever she wasn't in school, she was working part time.
For the rest three months, she wanted to live freely and relax.
She wanted to do things she had never had time for in the past few years.
Like…
Playing games and watching movies.
If her health allowed it, she would have loved to travel.
With that thought, she turned on her computer, randomly picked up a game, and started downloading it.
The download speed was unexpectedly fast.
Almost the instant she clicked the mouse, a green dialog box popped up on the screen.
[Installation Complete]
[Please pick one as your digital boyfriend!]
"The installation speed is too fast! It must be some kind of a computer virus. Should delete it immediately..."
If someone who played games frequently saw this, they would have deleted the game right away.
Unfortunately, Ava rarely played any game, so she didn't notice anything unusual.
Her attention was completely drawn to the two images on the computer screen.
The image on the left showed a young man with tanned skin, his upper body bare, a rose held between his lips.
Not only was he incredibly handsome, but he also had a well-defined eight-pack.
His deep, mesmerizing eyes stared straight out of the screen, locking onto Ava.
The moment her gaze met that of the charming man, Ava felt it hard to breathe.
This was the man of her dreams.
She had never admitted it to anyone, but deep down, she was truly attracted to strong, muscular men—not someone like Bradley, whose refined and scholarly appearance never quite moved her.
Lingering for another second, she reluctantly tore her gaze away from the seductive man and looked at the image on the right.
The second image depicted a frail-looking boy.
His short brown hair was thin and uneven, his eyes tightly shut as he sat on the ground, leaning weakly against a rough stone wall.
Judging by his tattered clothing and the coarse stone structure behind him, the setting resembled medieval Europe.
His face was deathly pale, his lips devoid of color—he looked more like someone on the brink of death than Ava herself.
Her interest faded instantly, and she was about to shift her focus back to the left image when, suddenly, the boy on the right trembled slightly before collapsing onto the ground.
Ava jumped in surprise.
At the same time, a pop-up notification appeared on the screen.
[Please select your digital boyfriend NOW.]
A countdown timer appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen.
10 seconds...
9 seconds...
7 seconds...
...
3 seconds...
2 seconds...
As the countdown neared its end, Ava didn't have time to think.
She moved her mouse to the right image and, with a spasmodic twitch of her finger, clicked.
She couldn't tell whether it was because of her recent breakup, leaving her uninterested in having another overly sexy boyfriend—
Or because she simply pitied the miserable-looking boy.
Either way, she had chosen him.
At that moment, Ava had no idea that the wheels of fate had just begun to turn.