After being diagnosed with terminal cancer, I locked myself away, waiting for death. Every day, waves of agonizing pain tormented me endlessly. To distract myself, I downloaded an AI digital avatar app. This AI was peculiar; it seemed to know everything about me, startlingly in tune with my thoughts and feelings. Until one day, I had a deeply intimate FaceTime call with it that soothed both my soul and my body. Afterward, I collapsed on the bed, utterly exhausted yet feeling a rare, long-lost sense of satisfaction. I thought, maybe God was pitying me, allowing me to steal a moment of pleasure before I died. However, in the digital avatar app I had forgotten to close, a conversation suddenly started playing. “Blake, are you serious? That idiot really thought you were an AI?” “I told you, these low-class types, they’re always so devious. Look at her, moaning like that to an AI.” “Chloe, that was a brilliant idea. Using your family’s app, we exposed that poor trash’s true colors.” Then, my ex-boyfriend’s voice cut through the static, cold enough to chill me to the bone. “She dumped me because I was ‘poor.’ Now she’s so desperate, she’d go for an AI? She’d literally take anyone.” “Tomorrow, I’m uploading the video and audio online. She’ll regret ever crossing me!” Blake Harrison, you swore up and down back then that you were an orphan with nothing to your name. I broke up with you precisely because I had a terminal illness; I didn’t want to burden your life. And now, you’re telling me this multi-billion dollar app is *yours*?! Fine. You think I’m a joke? I’ll give you a show you won’t forget!
The phone’s ringtone pierced the deathly silence. On the caller ID, the name I thought I’d never see again flashed frantically: Blake Harrison. I slid to answer, remaining silent. On the other end, his voice sounded frantic, carrying a raw panic he hadn’t even recognized himself. “Willow! Something happened! Your… your video and audio, someone uploaded them to the dark web, and they’re about to be publicly auctioned off!” I lay on the bed, feeling the agonizing gnawing of cancer cells through my very core, my insides utterly desolate. Video? Auction? Oh, so that’s the stuff they tricked me into recording with their digital avatar app. They were finally making their move. Seeing my lack of reaction, Blake’s tone grew more urgent: “Willow! Are you even listening?! If that video leaks, your entire life will be ruined! Do you understand?!” My ‘life’… I tugged at the corner of my mouth, a ghost of a laugh escaping my throat. A cold, bitter sound. Blake Harrison, do you even know how many ‘days’ I have left of this so-called ‘lifetime’? I used every ounce of my remaining strength, forcing a single word from my dry throat: “Oh.” I knew he was waiting for me to break down and beg. Waiting to see me crawl at his feet like a whimpering dog. Too bad for him, he miscalculated. On the other end, a sharp female voice erupted, just as I expected: “Blake, I told you! These poor people don’t care about dignity, only money!” It was Chloe Sterling. “Shut up!” Blake roared at her, then, suppressing his anger, said to me: “Willow, I talked to the seller. He can pause the auction. I’ll give you one night to come up with a million dollars and buy it back. This is your last chance!” A million dollars. He was testing me. Testing if I would cry and beg him, beg my ex-boyfriend to be merciful, to generously open his wallet. Then, he could stand on the moral high ground and openly mock my materialism and my vanity. How many days did I have left to live? These elaborate farewell gifts you so painstakingly planned for me. It was utterly laughable. “Oh.” I said it again. This time, Blake completely lost it. “Fine! Fine, Willow! I must have been damn blind! I thought you were just materialistic, but I never imagined you’d have no shame left!” He roared hysterically, then slammed the phone down. Listening to the dial tone, I slowly closed my eyes. It was over. Let it be. However, not long after, my phone rang again. An unknown number. I answered, and a middle-aged man’s voice came through the receiver: “Is this Ms. Willow? I’m from the property management of your mother’s old residence. We’d like to confirm that your mother has sold the property. When would be convenient for you to come and clear out her belongings?” …What? Mom sold the house? A powerful wave of unease shot through me like a jolt of electricity. The physical pain was instantly overshadowed by this dread. I sprang from the bed like a madwoman, pulling on whatever clothes I found and tearing out the door. I hailed a cab and sped towards Harrison Tech Tower. That was Blake Harrison’s company. Before the car even stopped, my gaze cut through the crowd and fixated on the center of the plaza. There, on the polished, reflective floor, under the indifferent or curious gazes of countless people. My gray-haired mother, Eleanor, was on her knees, kneeling before Blake Harrison and Chloe Sterling.
I lunged through the onlookers like a maniac, rushing to my mother. “Mom! Get up! What are you doing here?!” But the whispers around me drowned me out first. “Well, look who finally showed up, the main attraction!” “Is that her? She looks so innocent, but she’s quite the player, isn’t she?” “No self-respect, and she makes her old mother clean up her mess. How filial.” Those poisoned words, like invisible steel needles, pierced my soul, leaving it riddled with holes. I didn’t want to listen. I just wanted to drag my mother away from this place of utter humiliation immediately. “Mom, let’s go home! There’s nothing to say to them!” But Eleanor clutched my hand with all her strength, her nails almost digging into my flesh. She cried and shook her head: “No, Willow! I can’t just watch them ruin you! Those videos… they absolutely cannot get out!” My tears instantly broke free, a torrent I couldn’t stop. “Mom!” I practically shrieked, “I don’t have many days left! What do I care about reputation?!” At that, Blake’s face darkened, enough to wring water from stone. He stepped forward, his initial shock quickly replaced by contempt and disgust. He pointed a finger at my nose and demanded sharply. “Willow! To save a few bucks, you’d make up a lie like that, cursing yourself? Saying you’re dying in front of your mother? How could your heart be so cruel! You’re not just materialistic, you’re utterly vicious!” Eleanor was sobbing brokenly, her heart utterly shattered. “Willow, don’t say such nonsense! Listen to me,” she pulled a sweat-wrinkled bank card from her pocket, trembling as she handed it to Blake, “I’ve sold the old house, and I took out your father’s pension. I’ve gathered nine hundred thousand. We’re only ten thousand short… Please, I beg you, give my daughter back her videos…” Dad’s pension… his life’s sacrifice, Mom’s last shred of security. Now, that money had become the ransom for my shame. My heart felt crushed by an invisible hand, a dull ache making it almost impossible to breathe. I took a deep breath, wiped away my tears, pulled my own bank card from my bag, and threw it at Blake’s feet. “Here’s ten thousand. The PIN is six zeros.” That was the money I’d set aside for my painkillers and my funeral arrangements. “Now, the million is complete.” I met his gaze, the last trace of warmth in my eyes gone, replaced by a cold, as if I were a lifeless object. With that, I didn’t look at him again. I turned, helped my trembling mother to her feet, and led her away. Behind us, Chloe’s acidic mockery echoed: “Blake, see that? That’s your ‘perfect’ ex. Your taste is really something.” Back in the dingy, sunless rental apartment, shielded from the outside world. Only then did I dare to hold my mother, letting my body tremble uncontrollably. “Mom… you sold the house, and gave them Dad’s pension… What will you do now?” Eleanor held me, tears streaming down her old face. “My Willow is almost gone. What future is there for me alone…?” Just then, my phone chimed. A push notification popped up, the icon for that digital avatar app.
The phone screen suddenly lit up, a push notification appearing with a cheerful sound effect: 【Congratulations! You’ve been selected as this week’s lucky user! Claim your $100 lucky bonus now!】 A hundred bucks. What exquisite irony. What a malicious crumb of charity. They took my mother’s entire life’s savings, and now they were using a hundred dollars to buy my dignity. I wanted to uninstall it immediately, but my fingertips searched my pockets, only finding rough fabric and a few specks of dust. Mom had given them all her money; we were penniless, and even a decent dinner was a luxury. I swallowed a towering wave of hatred and humiliation, and clicked 【Claim】. The money instantly hit my account. The next second, Chloe’s call came through. “Willow, I just bet Blake you’d take it. He didn’t believe me; he said no matter how pathetic you are, you wouldn’t take money from the app that ruined your reputation. And? Haha! Not even a second! You poor trash, you’ll do anything for money, won’t you?” My dead silence apparently bored her. “Whatever, you’re silent as a dummy, no fun at all. I’m going to bet Blake again!” The call didn’t disconnect. I could clearly hear her walk over to Blake, her voice laced with provocation: “Blake, let’s bet again. I bet if we set a ‘bark like a dog for $10’ task, she’ll still do it! Want to bet?” On the other end of the line, Blake’s silence was heavy. Seconds later, a new pop-up appeared on my phone screen, stark and unmistakable. 【Fun Challenge: Impersonate a dog’s bark to receive a $10 cash reward.】 I stared at the words, my blood froze in my veins, then exploded a second later. I wanted to smash the phone. But at that very moment, a fresh wave of agonizing pain seized my insides without warning! My abdomen felt clamped by red-hot pincers, twisting and tearing me apart. I gasped, my vision blurring, and cold sweat instantly soaked my clothes. I stumbled towards the pill bottle, only to discover in despair that the painkillers were empty. I had no money. Not a single cent. I didn’t even have enough to buy the cheapest box of painkillers. The pop-up on the screen, like a devil’s eyes, silently sneered at me from the darkness. I stood there for three minutes, which felt like three centuries of torment in hell. Finally, I trembled, clicked the record button, and two dry, raspy sounds rolled out of my throat: “Woof… woof…” On the other end of the line, Chloe’s hysterical, utterly triumphant laughter instantly erupted, followed by the dull thud of a fist hitting the table from Blake. I didn’t care. I claimed the $10, rushed downstairs, and bought the cheapest painkillers at the pharmacy. I didn’t even wait to get home, swallowing a handful of pills dry and desperately. Before the medication fully kicked in, the pain still raged wildly inside me. I couldn’t hold on any longer. I squatted on the dirty roadside, clutching my knees, and sobbed uncontrollably. Just as my consciousness blurred, the screech of brakes ripped through the air, deafeningly close. A black van slammed to a halt beside me, aggressively. The door slid open with a loud WHOOSH. Before I could react, strong arms clamped down on me, dragging me roughly inside! 【Cut-off Point】
When the blindfold was ripped from my eyes, the heavy scent of rust and mildew instantly choked my nose and mouth. I was in an abandoned factory, cold ropes digging deep into the flesh of my wrists. Several figures closed in like predators, their bodies reeking of stale cigarettes, cheap liquor, and sweat, making my stomach lurch violently. “Help… help…” I shrieked in terror. One man grabbed my chin, a lecherous grin on his face: “Little girl, you were moaning like that for an AI. We’re real men, we’ll make you even happier!” With that, they ripped my clothes. I struggled desperately, but my cancer-ravaged body was utterly helpless against their brutality. Blows and kicks rained down, numbing me. Finally, I was pinned down hard on the cold, rough concrete floor. The moment the first man pressed down, my consciousness seemed to detach from my body. My senses became numb, only a buzzing sound filling my ears. Humiliation, excruciating pain, despair… countless emotions were crushed, ultimately forging into a single thought: I just wanted to die, right now. I don’t know how much time passed. I lay curled on the ground, barely clothed, like a discarded, broken doll. I stared blankly at the peeling paint on the ceiling, until a crisp “tap, tap, tap” sound approached from afar. Chloe Sterling walked in. She wore a dazzling, star-spangled dress and delicate rhinestone heels, her makeup perfect as if she were attending a grand ball. She looked down at me, a high-and-mighty queen, looking down at the pathetic mess I was. “Oh, Willow, darling,” she exaggeratedly covered her mouth, her eyes glinting with venomous glee, “Did you enjoy the little gift I sent you? Isn’t playing with real men much more fun than with an AI? It’s been a while since you had such a good time, hasn’t it, ever since you broke up with Blake?” I looked at her, my cracked lips trembling, squeezing out a few words: “…Just kill me.” “Kill you? That’s too easy.” She slowly squatted down, her nails, painted a vivid crimson, tapping maliciously on my face. “I want to turn you into the most depraved, disgusting piece of trash in Blake’s mind.” “Tomorrow is Blake and my engagement party. I’ll bring you there, so everyone can get a good look at what kind of woman Blake’s ex-girlfriend really is.”
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