**Chapter 1**
Congratulations, Host. You’ve completed 99 tasks for Aurora Vance. Just one more, and you’ll successfully return to your original world and revive your beloved, Elara Stone.
Hearing the system’s announcement, my heart clenched, and tears welled up in my eyes.
Five years. I’d waited for this moment for five long years.
I don’t belong in this world. In my own world, I was supposed to marry my girlfriend, Elara, who I’d grown up with. But just before the wedding, we were in a car accident. Elara shielded me instantly, leaving me unharmed, but she died on the spot.
I was utterly devastated, almost to the point of death, until I inexplicably bound myself to a system. It brought me to this world and gave me the chance to bring Elara back. The system’s task was simple: complete a hundred tasks for Aurora Vance, an heiress from one of the most powerful families on the East Coast. Once done, I could revive my love and return to my original world.
From then on, I approached Aurora with a clear purpose. Because of my unconditional devotion, I became known in our circle as her infamous admirer. Everyone just scoffed whenever my name came up.
“Him? Oh, he’s just a simp sticking to Aurora like glue, can’t shake him off.”
“If I were him, after being rejected so many times, I’d be too ashamed to show my face.”
“Seriously, everyone knows Aurora only has eyes for Julian Hayes. He’s just delusional.”
The ringing of my phone abruptly pulled me from my thoughts. “Hey, you doormat, hurry up and get over here! Aurora… she killed someone!”
It was Chloe Davis, one of Aurora’s close friends. She hastily told me Aurora had killed someone and ordered me to rush over before hanging up.
It was a winter night, just past midnight, and heavy snow was falling. I didn’t even bother with an umbrella; I just dashed out into the blizzard.
When I arrived at the venue, a group of people was gathered inside the private room. A woman lay on the floor, her face ashen, utterly drained of color. Seeing me, everyone’s gaze shifted to me.
“You’re here. Quick, think of something! Aurora drank too much, didn’t watch her strength, and… she killed this person.”
“The Vance family might be influential, but they’re not above the law. Murder means jail time, you know.”
“Noah Reed, you love Aurora so much, why don’t you go to jail for her?”
I glanced around at the people gathered, and without a moment’s hesitation, I nodded and agreed, “Okay, I’ll do it for her!”
Everyone froze, seemingly shocked by my swift decision. A moment later, the entire room erupted in scornful laughter.
Amidst their cheers, Aurora Vance slowly emerged from behind a decorative screen. And the ‘dead’ woman who had been lying on the floor also stood up.
“Hahahahaha, Aurora, see? We told you! Noah Reed is utterly obsessed with you. He’s even willing to go to jail for you!”
“He really is the circle’s famous simp. I say, just give him that donation form already. With his love-struck brain, he’s bound to agree to anything.”
Looking at the cool, alluring woman before me, I realized I’d been played again. Aurora’s face was impassive as she walked slowly toward me, handing me a document.
“Since you’re willing to go to jail, then surely you’re willing to do this too?”
Flipping to the first page, I immediately saw the bold title: **[VOLUNTARY HEART DONATION AGREEMENT]**!
I looked up, meeting Aurora’s cold eyes. “Julian has a heart condition, and your heart is the only match in the entire city. Don’t worry, you won’t die after donating it. I’ve already arranged for a custom-made artificial heart for you abroad. It will be perfectly fine for basic living.”
“Noah Reed, if you agree to donate your heart to Julian, I’ll marry you.”
I always knew Aurora was deeply in love with Julian Hayes, but I never expected her love to run *that* deep. For him, she was willing to marry someone she didn’t love at all.
As the successor to the Vance Group, Aurora had been raised with incredibly strict discipline since childhood. Because of this, she harbored a deep, enduring affection for Julian Hayes, who had shown her kindness in her youth. However, Julian had always only seen her as a sister. When she was about to confess her feelings, he decisively left the country with another woman. Since then, Aurora had quietly protected him, waiting for seven long years.
She loved him profoundly. Upon learning that Julian had developed acute heart disease and been abandoned by his girlfriend, she immediately flew abroad to bring him back and nursed him meticulously. She even nearly turned the city upside down to find a compatible heart for him. But I never imagined she’d come to me for it.
Seeing my prolonged silence, Aurora was about to speak again when she saw me suddenly lift my gaze, my eyes filled with a strange smile. “Okay, I’ll donate.”
My voice was light and utterly decisive, as if I were simply answering a casual question about whether I’d eaten. Aurora’s pupils slightly trembled. “You… you’re really willing?”
She seemed surprised that I would agree so readily to such a major surgery, donating a heart. I continued to smile, answering gently, “Whatever you ask, I’m willing to do.”
Donating my heart to her ultimate crush—this would be the hundredth task I completed for her. Once it was done, I could revive my love and leave this place for good.
Looking at my expectant expression, even the typically cold Aurora felt a tightness in her throat. Before she could speak, I signed the document without hesitation. She still seemed a bit stunned, then, perhaps to reassure me or herself, she added, “The surgery is scheduled for half a month from now. I’ll arrange everything to make it as comfortable as possible for you.”
I smiled and nodded, my heart filled with a sense of liberation. Good. In half a month, I could finally leave.
**Chapter 2**
After all the discussions, knowing Aurora didn’t want to see me anymore, I turned to leave. But after only a few steps, my vision suddenly went black, and my body uncontrollably fell backward. Aurora, quick as lightning, caught me. Only then did I notice that my clothes were soaked through with snow, my fingers were like ice, and I was wearing nothing but slippers. I must have been in such a hurry to leave that I didn’t even change my shoes.
The onlookers snickered at my attire.
“How pathetic. He must have been so desperate when he got the call, rushing out in slippers in this freezing weather. Doesn’t he care if his feet get frostbite?”
“That’s just how desperate admirers are, isn’t it? If he doesn’t put in extra effort, how will Aurora ever like him?”
“Anyway, he’s already agreed to donate his heart. Aurora, don’t bother with him. Just leave him to the staff to handle!”
Aurora looked at me, leaning against her, my small face pale from the cold. A heavy stone seemed to weigh down her chest, making it hard to breathe. Driven by some strange impulse, she found herself walking out the door with me, her arm linked in mine. She glanced at the astonished faces of the crowd, then said coldly, “For the sake of his heart, his body must remain in perfect condition for these last two weeks.”
With that, she quickly led me away.
I don’t know how long I slept, but I slowly regained some sensation. Drowsily, I felt someone holding me, gently feeding me water. Their touch was so tender, so warm, that it reminded me of Elara. Only she would treat me with such gentleness.
Five years. I missed her almost to the point of madness, dreaming every night that she had returned to my side. This time, I thought I was dreaming again, so I joyfully grasped the person’s hand, my voice trembling slightly. “Elara!”
The next second, a sharp pain in my wrist jolted me awake. Opening my eyes, I found Aurora sitting before me, her gaze dark and filled with a hint of anger. Her brows were tightly furrowed. “Who were you calling just now?”
I bit my lip, feeling awkward, and glanced around the room before hastily changing the subject. “How did I end up at your place?”
Her displeased expression remained. “We’re getting married after your heart donation surgery, so of course you’d be living at my place.”
“Who were you calling just now?”
She wasn’t usually one to pry or show much interest in my affairs, but for some reason, today she insisted on knowing. I felt guilty and avoided her gaze. “I love you so much, of course I was calling your name.”
Aurora didn’t press further, evidently believing my excuse. Of course. After all, everyone in the East Coast elite knew how much I supposedly loved her. Who else would I call but her?
She stood up, picked up a set of clothes from nearby, and tossed them carelessly in front of me. “Get dressed when you’re ready. We’re going to the hospital.”
It was only at the hospital that I realized Aurora had already arranged a series of medical tests for me. All to ensure that my heart could be safely and successfully transplanted into Julian Hayes. As the needle went into my arm, I remembered how much I used to fear injections. Whenever it happened, Elara would gently laugh and hold me, covering my eyes with her hand. “Don’t be scared, honey. I’m here.”
But now, she lay in that cold coffin, never again to softly call me ‘honey.’
The doctor beside me began explaining the post-operative precautions. “Mr. Reed, while an artificial heart can sustain your life, it can’t compare to a natural organ. So, from now on, you won’t be able to run, eat spicy food, stay up late, or experience strong emotions. Even speaking loudly will be restricted.”
“To put it simply, you’ll basically be like a living ghost, with very little difference.”
What did it matter if I was a living ghost? Without Elara by my side, what difference was there between living and dying? Besides, I didn’t belong here. Once this last task was complete, the system would declare my mission successful. My physical body would die, and my soul would return to my original world. So whether I got the artificial heart or not, I would still die here.
Noticing my absentmindedness, Aurora’s eyes instantly hardened. “Are you regretting it?”
I snapped back to reality, gently shook my head, and then replied solemnly. “No. I will keep every promise I make to you.”
Our gazes met. Aurora looked into my seemingly devoted eyes again, and for the first time, that loving gaze made her feel a strange flicker of panic. She quickly averted her eyes, making an excuse about needing to make a call, and left the room.
I sat there, still distracted, listening to all of the doctor’s instructions. Half an hour later, Aurora still hadn’t returned. I said goodbye to the doctor and left on my own. But as soon as I stepped out, I ran into Julian Hayes, who had just finished his examination, in the hallway.
It was our first encounter, and we both instinctively stopped. I had seen countless photos of Julian Hayes before. His pictures filled Aurora’s home – from childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. She hadn’t missed a single moment of his life, and I had witnessed his journey and growth through her obsession.
Just like in the photos, he was handsome, though his face was a bit pale, like a delicate porcelain doll in a display case. This was the devastating power of that unattainable ideal, the ‘white moonlight.’ Even someone as unapproachable as Aurora, an ice queen, couldn’t escape its grasp and remained hopelessly infatuated with him.
I didn’t intend to interact with him much, and as I was about to leave, Julian suddenly called out to me from behind. “Mr. Reed, I’m sorry. If it weren’t for me, Aurora wouldn’t be forcing you to donate your heart to me.”
“I know you’ll suffer greatly after this surgery.”
I turned back, my tone calm. “I volunteered.”
Everything was my choice. Only this way could I bring Elara back. Seeing my composure, Julian seemed somewhat taken aback. He smirked coldly, a hint of cruel triumph on his pale face. “I know. You only agreed because Aurora promised to marry you.”
“Too bad you’ve miscalculated. I won’t let you get what you want.”
**Chapter 3**
As I tried to figure out what he meant, Julian suddenly lunged at me. I had no time to react and watched helplessly as Julian grabbed my hand and slapped himself hard across the face several times.
“I’m so sorry, Mr. Reed. It’s all my fault. It’s because of my illness that you have to donate your heart. If hitting me makes you feel better, then go ahead and hit me.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than a gust of wind flashed past me. Before I could even clearly see who it was, a powerful force shoved me violently away. I stumbled, hitting my head hard against the wall, creating a gash. My vision was instantly blurred with red, but Aurora didn’t even spare me a glance. She just frantically shielded Julian.
“What’s wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Julian collapsed into her arms, tears streaming down his face like broken pearls. “Don’t blame Mr. Reed. He’s being forced to give me his heart, so it’s only right for him to take his anger out on me.”
Seeing his pitiful, vulnerable act, Aurora was both heartbroken and furious. And the one who bore the brunt of her anger, naturally, was me.
She glared at me, her eyes like sharp blades. “What do you think you’re doing?! You agreed to donate, and now you’re causing trouble? This was *my* decision. Why are you taking it out on Julian?!”
She didn’t even give me a chance to explain, turning directly to Julian instead. “How many times did he slap you?”
Julian meekly looked up, biting his lip cautiously. “Three…”
“Aurora, it’s fine.”
Aurora gently comforted him, then turned and ordered the bodyguards beside her, “Did you hear that? I want him to pay back ten times over.”
Suddenly, a dark shadow loomed over me. Through the gaps, I watched Aurora lead Julian away, treating him like a fragile porcelain doll. What awaited me was a series of heavy slaps. It hurt, it really hurt. I felt like I could barely keep my eyes open. If Elara were here, she would protect me, wouldn’t she? But she wasn’t. There was no one to protect me anymore…
Much later, the bodyguards dragged me back to the Vance family mansion. For the next few days, I was confined to my room, and Aurora didn’t return. The next time I heard about her was on the news. The prime-time broadcast spent a full ten minutes reporting on how the heiress of Fairview City’s most prominent family had been trying to win over her beloved.
For example, she lavished fortunes, buying an entire cruise ship just to make him smile. Or how he liked expensive watches, so she personally traveled abroad to a prestigious auction house, bidding on the world’s most exclusive timepiece to deliver it to him. And when he couldn’t eat, she hired countless Michelin chefs to cook gourmet meals, eventually even cooking herself, just to get him to take one more bite.
Such unparalleled devotion made the entire East Coast elite green with envy. Only I watched these news reports indifferently, as if they had nothing to do with me.
Three days later was Julian Hayes’s birthday. Aurora’s assistant came to pick me up with a tuxedo, instructing me to attend the birthday party and publicly apologize to Julian. I didn’t want to go, but the assistant made it clear. “Ms. Vance said, whether you like it or not, you have to be there.”
“Otherwise, I’ll have you tied up and brought to the party.”
For Julian, she naturally wouldn’t care about my feelings. Looking at my still-swollen, slightly reddened cheeks in the mirror, I teared up, taking out ointment and dabbing it on my face repeatedly, trying to conceal the obvious bruises.
Soon. I kept telling myself. Soon, the task would be over, and I could finally leave, having achieved my goal.
The party was held on the luxurious cruise ship Aurora had bought for Julian. I heard all the decorations were personally designed by Aurora. Overwhelming displays of red roses, custom-made chocolates engraved with Julian’s name, and fireworks bright enough to illuminate the entire city—everything showcased her meticulous effort.
Amidst the throng of admiring guests, Aurora, to cheers and applause, presented him with a treasured bracelet from the last century, worth hundreds of millions, named “Heart of True Love,” and personally fastened it onto his wrist. The entire crowd gasped in awe.
“Isn’t that the bracelet Princess Diana once wore? I heard Sotheby’s just auctioned it off recently, bought by some magnate who said they wanted to give it to their true love. I never thought that magnate would be Ms. Vance.”
“Ms. Vance’s love for Mr. Hayes has been truly evident all these years. She’s rich, powerful, beautiful, and she’s protected him silently for so long. She almost turned the whole city upside down to find him a heart donor. I bet if she were a match, she’d even give her own heart. Why does Mr. Hayes still not accept such a devoted woman?”
In a dimly lit corner, I quietly observed everything. Hearing all this, I felt no sadness or distress. Only one thought consumed my mind: I only had a few days left to complete the task and leave. I couldn’t afford any more complications. I needed to avoid Julian Hayes as much as possible.
Just as I thought the day would pass peacefully, Julian suddenly walked past the crowd and approached me. A wave of unease inexplicably washed over me, and I instinctively wanted to turn and leave. But Julian was faster; he grabbed my arm from behind. In the dim light, Julian turned his back to the others and said in a voice only we could hear, “Noah Reed, haven’t you learned your lesson yet? You still dare to come around? Today, I’ll make sure you understand what a huge mistake it is to keep bothering Aurora.”
With that, he directly pulled the bracelet off his wrist and casually tossed it into the sea. Then, feigning surprise, he pushed me away. “Mr. Reed! Are you crazy? Even if you’re jealous that Aurora is so good to me, you shouldn’t throw the bracelet into the sea!”
The crowd was quickly drawn to his voice, and Aurora, her face filled with worry, immediately shielded Julian. “What’s wrong? Did he bother you again?”
“Again.” That word struck me as comical, yet I knew that no matter how clumsy Julian’s lie, I was destined to take the blame. Sure enough, Julian had already put on a different face, grabbing Aurora’s arm and sobbing. “Aurora, Mr. Reed threw the bracelet you gave me into the sea!”
Aurora’s face turned frighteningly cold, her eyes like sharp daggers piercing me. “Are you taking everything I say as meaningless chatter?”
She then hugged Julian, comforting him incessantly. “It’s alright, it’s just a bracelet. If you like it, I’ll buy you another one.”
Julian continued to cry, then pushed her away and made to climb over the railing, intending to jump into the sea. “No, this bracelet means something special to me! I want *this one*!”
Aurora’s brows were tightly furrowed, but her grip on him tightened. She confirmed, “You absolutely have to find it today, don’t you?”
Julian nodded forcefully. “Yes!”
Upon receiving his affirmative answer, Aurora turned to me, her voice devoid of any emotion. “In that case, whoever lost it will go down and find it.”
The next second, she pushed me into the water without hesitation.
**Chapter 4**
“Help… help me!” The icy water instantly swallowed me whole, leaving only a sliver of light above. But gradually, even that last bit of light vanished. I closed my eyes, feeling my body grow heavier and heavier. I was so tired, so sleepy, I just wanted to drift into oblivion.
No, I couldn’t sleep yet. I had one last task to complete. If I failed, I would never see Elara again. The thought ignited a surge of strength within me, and I instantly opened my eyes. Then, I used all my might, desperately swimming towards the surface.
By the time I clawed my way to the shore, I was utterly exhausted. My chest burned from the water I’d inhaled, my lungs felt like they would explode, and I could only cough frantically to relieve the pain. I clung to the rocks, feeling like a pathetic, disgusting ghost.
Before I could recover, a dull ache shot through my shoulder. Then, I was brutally kicked back into the water.
On the shore, a line of bodyguards in suits watched me, their faces expressionless, their voices cold. “Ms. Vance said you’re not allowed to come ashore until you retrieve the bracelet.”
I choked on several more mouthfuls of water before I could stabilize myself slightly. It seemed that if I didn’t find the bracelet today, this ordeal wouldn’t end easily. Helpless, I could only dive to the bottom again and again.
After three agonizing hours, countless dives and resurfacings, I finally found the bracelet Julian Hayes had tossed away. When I finally made it back to shore, I was completely numb from the cold, and my fingers were ghost-white from being submerged. A bodyguard threw a set of clothes at me, telling me to change before coming out.
I shivered, clutching the clothes, and walked into the restroom alone. Just then, I heard someone else come in. The voices were familiar; listening closely, it was indeed Julian Hayes and his friends.
“Julian, Ms. Vance really loves you. Such an expensive bracelet, she just gave it away. When you cried, she was so heartbroken, she’d practically give her life for you.”
“Before, you said you only saw her as a sister and left the country with your ex-girlfriend. But that ex-girlfriend ran off as soon as she heard about your heart condition. Only Aurora stayed loyal to you. After all she’s done, even a stone heart would melt. You surely don’t still see her as a sister, do you?”
Julian chuckled, a hint of triumph in his voice. “How could you fall for it too? Calling her a sister was just an excuse.”
“People always want what they can’t have. If I didn’t act this way, how could I be her unattainable ‘white moonlight’?”
“As long as I keep her hanging, she’ll always love me. That’s much better than actually being with her.”
His friends were stunned. “No way? So you going abroad with your ex-girlfriend was all fake?”
“That’s a massive gamble you’re playing!”
Julian laughed. “Of course. Is there any woman in this world who can compare to Aurora?”
“That other woman was just a pawn I found to make Aurora jealous.”
“See? Aurora has been utterly lost in despair and obsessing over me all these years, hasn’t she?”
His friend clapped. “Brilliant! That’s a masterstroke!”
“But Julian, don’t overdo it. I heard Aurora is going to marry Noah Reed, that simp, for your heart. If they get married, all your plans will be for nothing!”
Julian spoke confidently. “I have it under control.”
“Besides, Aurora doesn’t care about that guy at all. A few days ago, I deliberately slapped myself three times, and she had him slapped thirty times in return. Today, I threw the bracelet into the sea, and she didn’t even think twice before kicking him in. He’s probably still down there.”
“I have plenty of ways to torment him. Don’t worry, I won’t let them get married.”
Their voices faded, and the restroom fell completely silent. I slowly emerged, my phone still recording in my hand. So, the so-called ‘white moonlight’ was nothing more than this. I pressed the stop button on the recording, looking at the complete audio that had captured everything, and let out a self-deprecating laugh.
This, I thought, would be my final gift to Aurora Vance before I left.
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