He Forced Me to Kneel, So I Left His World

Julian Vance forced me to get on my knees and apologize to Lily Brooks for the ninth time, slapping a check right onto my face. "One hundred thousand dollars for every time your knees hit the floor." I calculated my mother’s remaining medical bills.

With a blank face, I dropped to my knees and bowed my head to the floor, ten times. The moment the check was in my hand, a robotic voice echoed in my head. "Congratulations, Host.

You have saved up the required amount. Do you wish to detach from this world?" Feeling a sudden, overwhelming sense of relief, I slid onto the cold floor.

Seeing this, Julian sneered and tossed a black lace dress at me. "Not enough?" "Then do a striptease for us, wife.

Fifty thousand dollars a minute." The moment he said that, Lily, who was leaning against his shoulder, wiped her tears and smirked.

The trust fund babies around them started cheering and tossing cash at me. "New York’s ultimate gold digger, Hailey Miller, is selling her dignity again.

Since Julian gave the word, I’ll book her for ten minutes!" Looking at the fluttering bills around me, I let out a tragic laugh and took a step back.

Then, right before Julian's eyes—which suddenly filled with sheer panic—I took a leap and threw myself into the freezing East River.

This time, Julian, the gold digger Hailey doesn't want your money anymore. When I opened my eyes, Julian was right beside my hospital bed, checking on me anxiously. "You're awake?

Are you hurting anywhere?

Do you want me to call the doctor?" At the same time, the System’s complaining voice echoed in my mind. "Host, you were too reckless!" "I only asked if you wanted to leave.

I didn't say we could leave instantly. It takes seven days to detach your soul from this body." Fine. Seven days.

It was enough time to say goodbye to the people who actually mattered to me in this world. Julian reached out to hold my hand. The very next second, I pulled my hand away.

The air in the room instantly froze. "Jumping into the river? You're getting bold, Hailey," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "I won't hold it against you this time.

Take the card." "Lily was terrified by your stunt last night. She’s also in the hospital, and I need to go be with her." A sleek black card glistened on the white bedsheet.

I let out a weak, tired laugh. Even when I had almost died right in front of him, he still thought all I wanted was his money.

When I first came to this world on this mission, it was to earn three million dollars to pay for my mother's lifesaving surgery back home.

Actually, I had earned that money long before I married Julian.

I had the System send the money back to my world, and I chose to stay behind just to spend the rest of my life with him.

But on our wedding night, the System apologized and told me the exchange rate between the two worlds had suddenly shifted tentoone.

I needed to raise thirty million dollars, or my mother would die immediately. The next morning, Julian saw the paparazzi photos of me selling my wedding jewelry on the news.

His face was cold as ice. "Julian, I can explain..." "No need," he had interrupted coldly. "Since I married you, I'll accept whatever kind of trash you are." He said it so casually, as if he didn't care at all.

And I had let out a sigh of relief, thinking he was being understanding.

It wasn't until he started bringing other women to our home that I realized what his "acceptance" actually meant.

Through the thin walls of the guest room, the loud, passionate noises of another woman would echo all night. "Oh, Mr. Vance, you're so bad.

Aren't you afraid your wife will be mad?" Julian’s voice would sound completely indifferent. "Mad? She's no different from you.

What right does she have to be mad?" "Actually, she's much worse than you.

At least you don't pretend to be pure while scheming your way into the marriage." I had leaned against the wall of my bedroom, crying silently through the night.

From that day on, Hailey Miller, the wife of Julian Vance, became notorious in high society.

They said Julian would give his wife one million dollars every time he brought a woman home. I got fifty thousand dollars for setting out protection for them.

And thirty thousand dollars for personally holding an umbrella for his mistresses as they left our house. Every single time, I shamelessly accepted the money.

And every single time, Julian’s disgust for me grew deeper. But I still held onto a foolish hope. I thought if he knew the truth, maybe he would believe me.

Until Lily Brooks showed up.

She was an Ivy League graduate from Columbia University, a selfproclaimed "idealist." She hated Julian's habit of solving everything with money, and she openly mocked me for being a useless parasite.

Two days ago, on a yacht party, she accidentally stepped on and tore my dress. Then, she pulled a crumpled stack of tendollar bills from her cheap backpack and told me to count it.

I didn't want to. She immediately clenched her fists, tears streaming down her face in a display of stubborn pride. "Mrs. Vance, what is this?

Are you looking down on me?" "I might not have money like you, but at least I have dignity." Julian’s eyes had been filled with nothing but admiration for her.

To comfort her, he had forced me onto my knees on the yacht deck. "Hailey, don't you love money more than anything?" "Keep apologizing on your knees until Lily smiles.

As long as she’s happy, I don't care how much it costs." My gaze drifted back to the black card on the bed. With a blank expression, I tossed it back into his arms. "No, thank you."

Julian's face darkened instantly. "Only a wife who is loved by her husband has the right to throw tantrums." "Do you really think you have the right to show me attitude?" I gripped the blanket tightly, forcing a smile that looked more painful than crying.

This man always knew exactly where to stab me to make it hurt the most. He was right. I had no right. But why would a dying person need money anyway?

The hospital TV suddenly began broadcasting the morning news. “Billionaire's Wife Jumps into the River; Ivy League Mistress Successfully Forces Her Hand.” Julian frowned deeply and quickly pulled out his phone.

I, on the other hand, was amused by the dramatic headline. I stared at the photo of my halfdrowned self with a bitter smile.

Seeing my reaction, Julian raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with contempt. "So this was your plan all along." "You put on a big show of jumping into the river just so you could leak it to the press and drag Lily’s name through the mud, didn't you?" "Hailey, risking your life just for a little petty revenge... you really are disgusting to the core." He stormed out of the hospital room.

I realized my heart didn't even hurt anymore. With only seven days left, I didn't want to waste my energy on sadness.

I texted Chloe and asked her to meet me at the coffee shop where Julian and I had first met. I wanted everything to end right where it started.

Chloe took my hands in hers, her eyes turning red. "Hailey, how did you lose so much weight in just six months of marriage? Come back to California with me.

Let's get out of New York. Stop letting the Vance family abuse you." I shook my head and quietly explained everything to her—the System, my mother, and my impending departure.

She sat in shocked silence for several minutes, but in the end, she chose to believe me. Suddenly, Chloe’s eyes flared with pure rage. I followed her gaze.

Right next door, a trendy new coffee shop was celebrating its grand opening. The owner was Lily.

And Julian was standing right beside her, looking at her with a softness I hadn’t seen in years. I should have been used to this.

Last week it was a boutique, the week before that a pet shop. As long as Lily wanted it, Julian would fund it.

But... why did it have to be this specific spot? "That homewrecker is still going around calling you a gold digger! What about her?

I’m going to go give them a piece of my mind!" I ran after Chloe, trying to stop her. But it was too late.

Julian had already pushed Chloe back roughly. "Hailey, control your crazy dog of a friend!" Hearing him call my only friend a dog made something inside me snap.

Before I even realized what I was doing, my hand swung out and slapped Julian hard across the face. The entire street went dead silent.

Only the palm of my hand felt burning hot. "You're just a parasite living off Julian's money! How dare you hit him?" Lily shrieked, pointing a finger at my face.

Her loud voice quickly drew a crowd of onlookers. The anger radiating off Julian was suffocating.

Chloe immediately shielded me behind her. "Do you have any idea that your wife has severe anxiety and clinical depression? It’s all because of you and your little mistress!

You almost drowned her yesterday, and now you want to hit her too?" I grabbed Chloe’s arm, wanting to leave.

But as I turned, my wrist was grabbed in a crushing grip. "Hailey, is she telling the truth?" Julian’s voice sounded strange, his throat bobbing.

Suddenly, Lily let out a soft chuckle and walked up to me with an air of fake sweetness. "What a coincidence. I actually majored in psychology.

Why don't I give you a quick assessment, Hailey?" Chloe shoved her away. "Get lost.

No one cares about your fake diagnostics." Julian looked at Lily, his expression softening instantly. "Lily has a master's degree in psychology from Columbia.

She earned her way to where she is. You can trust her professional opinion." How pathetic. Why would I ever trust his mistress?

Lily tilted her head, putting on a worried expression. "But... the most defining symptom of severe depression is losing the will to live and a lack of desire." "Hailey has such a strong survival instinct.

And more than anything, she loves money. That completely contradicts the diagnosis..." Julian let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Hailey would rather lose her life than her money.

Depression? What a joke." "You're pretty clever, Hailey. Getting your friend to put on this little drama.

I almost fell for it." "Playing the proud, tragic victim in the hospital, and now this.

You sure work hard just to get my attention." My face remained completely blank, but Chloe looked like she was about to explode with rage.

Julian wrapped an arm around Lily's waist, looking down at us with pure disdain. "You and your friend should really learn from Lily. She has her own dreams and a real career.

Stop spending all your time scheming. A woman should have some selfrespect." He led Lily to his sports car, and they sped away, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust.

Chloe screamed curses at the retreating car. I sighed softly. "It's fine, Chloe. I'm leaving anyway.

There's no point in arguing with them." Chloe burst into tears and threw her arms around me. "I promise you, Hailey... once you're gone, that bastard is going to regret this for the rest of his miserable life."

I didn't know if Julian would regret it. But he didn't come home that night either. To drown out the scandal surrounding Lily from the day before, he hosted a charity racing event.

All the proceeds were donated to charity under Lily’s name.

But for some reason, while he was racing, my completely indifferent face suddenly flashed across his mind. Hailey has been acting so strange these past two days... In that split second of distraction, his car slammed into a concrete barrier.

He was fine, but a photo of him instinctively shielding Lily during the crash quickly went viral. The next morning, my phone buzzed.

Julian had transferred three million dollars to my account. Our unspoken agreement was always: three million dollars every time he made headlines with another woman.

I used to need that money desperately, and he seemed to enjoy this toxic transactional game. I closed the news app, my mind drifting to the past.

Today was only the second time Julian had ever raced. The first time had been for me. Years ago, I was kidnapped by his family's business enemies and taken into the mountains.

The Vance family had already arranged professional negotiators, but Julian couldn't wait. He insisted on coming himself.

The kidnappers blocked the mountain roads, intending to kill him. But he drove like a madman, smashing through their barricades.

By the time we got back to safety, his car was totaled and he was covered in blood, but I didn’t have a single scratch on me.

I stayed by his hospital bed for seven days and seven nights without sleeping.

The moment he woke up, he reached for me, pulling me into a tight, trembling embrace. "Thank God my Hailey is safe.

If anything had happened to you, I wouldn't have lived another day." My heart had melted completely back then.

That was the exact moment I decided I would spend the rest of my life loving him.

But now, looking at the notification for the three million dollars, I tapped "Refuse." My phone immediately started ringing. I turned it off and went to sleep. Five days left.

The second thing I needed to do was say goodbye to Maya. She was a girl I had started sponsoring during my first year in New York. She had just gotten into college last month.

But the moment I walked through the doors of the youth shelter, I ran straight into Julian. He was holding Lily’s hand, presenting the charity donation from the race to the shelter.

What a small world.

The gentle breeze blew through Lily’s hair as she stood there like an angel, encouraging the kids. "I am happy to help you all today, but I hope you will learn from my example.

Always rely on yourself to achieve your dreams." The children cheered and clapped for her, while Julian watched her with absolute adoration.

My gaze fell on the black card in her hand. It was the same card Julian had tried to give me two days ago.

Maya’s eyes welled with tears when she saw me. "Hailey, why are you suddenly leaving the city?" "Back when you weren't even married, you worked two jobs just to pay for my tuition.

I haven't even had the chance to repay you..." I gently ruffled Maya's hair, but before I could reply, a sharp voice interrupted us. "Julian, look! Isn't that your golddigger wife?

Ugh, she's stalking us again!" Julian’s face darkened as he marched over, grabbing my arm and pulling me into a quiet corner. "Go home, Hailey!

Are you seriously bringing your jealousy to a charity event?" "Today is incredibly important for Lily.

Don't ruin it!" Startled, Maya ran over and tried to pull his hand off me. "Hailey is my sponsor! Please show some respect, sir!" Julian froze. "Since when do you sponsor kids?

Why didn't I know about this?" I replied calmly, "I started before we got married.

I didn't see any reason to tell you." Julian's expression grew even colder. "You're surprisingly generous to strangers." He paused, a mocking smirk slowly spreading across his lips. "Actually, it makes sense.

You've always been greedy. You want the glamorous status of being Mrs.

Vance, but you also want the saintly image of a philanthropist." "Did you pay off my secretary to get my schedule today, or did you guess I'd be here from the news?

You really have an endless supply of tricks, Hailey." Lily chimed in, looking thoroughly annoyed. "She's right, Julian.

True charity is done in secret, without seeking fame." "You came all the way here just to show off in front of Julian, Hailey.

It only makes him despise you more." They went back and forth, but I had lost any desire to explain myself. "Sure. Whatever you say." I checked the time on my phone.

It was getting late.

Julian grabbed Lily’s hand and brushed past me roughly, slamming his shoulder into mine. "Let's see how long she can keep up this act." As they walked away, Maya looked at me with confusion. "Hailey, is that really your husband?

Why would he say those things to you? Doesn't he know you're leaving?" I smiled gently. "Maya, I hope you grow up to have eyes that see through the noise of this world.

Never let appearances blind you, and always protect your heart." Julian didn't come home for the next three days. The day of my departure was drawing closer and closer.

During those days, his only communication was sending more money transfers. And as usual, I didn't accept a single one.

At 2:00 AM on the secondtolast day, my bedroom door was violently kicked open.

Julian, smelling strongly of alcohol, pinned me onto the bed and tried to force a kiss on me. Slap! "Julian! Have you lost your mind?!"

He grabbed my jaw in a tight, painful grip, his eyes bloodshot. "You won't take my money, and now you won't even let me touch you?" "Hailey, you love money more than life itself.

What kind of game are you playing now?

Or did you find yourself a richer sugar daddy?" I pushed him away with all my strength, pulling a pillow tightly against my chest to shield myself. "Why do you care so much?" "You have a pure, highclass mistress waiting for you.

If you're feeling desperate, go find her. Don't come looking for trouble here." Those words seemed to snap him out of his drunken haze.

He stopped struggling and stared at my face intensely, trying to read my expression. But the absolute coldness and detachment in my eyes only made him more frustrated.

Something was different. I expected him to go to Lily, but the next morning, I found him sleeping quietly on the living room couch.

My phone rang, and I walked back into my room to answer it. "Chloe? What's wrong?" "Hailey... I'm moving back to California. That psycho Lily used Julian's name to threaten my boss.

I got fired this morning..." A heavy weight pressed down on my chest. No matter how hard I tried to endure, I was still dragging my friends down with me.

Chloe tried to keep her voice cheerful. "It's fine. I've been wanting to leave this place anyway.

Now that you're leaving too, there's no reason for me to stay in New York." After hanging up, I frantically opened my jewelry box and dumped everything out.

Fortunately, I still had some gold pieces I hadn't sold. With the current price of gold, this would be enough to support Chloe for a few years.

I chose a pawn shop far away from the city center. But the moment I walked through the door, I realized I had walked straight into a trap.

Lily’s voice sneered from behind me. "Julian, you're too naive. You actually thought this woman had changed." "See? A dog never changes its habits.

She's right back to selling the jewelry you bought her." Her eyes gleamed like a predator locking onto its prey. I clenched my fists, my entire body trembling.

This girl who claimed to be so pure and innocent had gotten Chloe fired, tracked my location, and baited me all the way here. "This jewelry wasn't bought by Julian," I said, my voice shaking with exhaustion. "I bought these with my own savings.

If you hadn't gotten my friend fired, I wouldn't be here selling them..." With a harsh flick of his wrist, a coldfaced Julian knocked the jewelry box out of my hands.

The gold pieces scattered across the dirty floor with a sharp clatter. Swallowing my pride, I dropped to my knees and desperately began picking them up.

I couldn't lose a single piece. This was Chloe’s living expense. I owed her too much. I couldn't let her suffer because of me.

Julian stepped on one of my gold rings, looking down at me like I was dirt. "You are truly disgusting, Hailey." "You stopped taking my money, and I actually thought you had changed.

You play hard to get in front of me, only to sneak out and sell jewelry behind my back. If Lily hadn't warned me, I might have actually felt sorry for you." I didn't even look up.

I handed the gathered gold to the shop owner. "They are all pure gold. Please weigh them.

I only want cash." Julian spoke cold and clear to the owner. "Anyone who buys gold from her will be an enemy of the Vance family." The shop owner's hand froze awkwardly in midair.

I looked up at Julian, disbelief washing over me. "Don't do this!

This is my own money!" Julian leaned down, pinching my chin tightly. "Hailey, does a person like you even have personal property?

Is there a single thing you own that I didn't pay for?" I let out a cold laugh, tears finally spilling over. "If you hate me this much, why do you keep dragging this out?

We can just get a divorce." Divorce meant nothing to me now since I was leaving this world anyway. But maybe, just maybe, I wanted to know how much he truly hated me.

Julian’s pupils contracted, and his grip on my jaw loosened slightly. Lily panicked. "Julian, are you really going to believe this liar?" "If you believe her, then I’ll leave.

I’ll just accept that I'm the bad guy today." Julian immediately grabbed Lily’s arm, pulling her close and kissing her forehead. "Don't talk nonsense.

You're too sweet to ever scheme against anyone." When he looked back at me, his eyes were devoid of any warmth. "Call every jewelry shop in the city.

None of them are allowed to do business with Hailey Miller." After they left, I walked for hours clutching my jewelry box.

I walked until my legs went numb, finally arriving at Chloe’s apartment. I handed her the gold and told her to sell them whenever she got back to California.

Chloe took them, her eyes filled with tears. The last weight on my chest was finally lifted. Once midnight passed tonight, I would finally be free.