Destroying the Holy Husband

My husband, Gideon Huber, is a self-righteous hypocrite. He used my money to fund an impoverished student's education fees, forced me to donate my kidney to a homeless man, and even gave my newborn to a human trafficker. Now that I'm reborn, I finally found out why Gideon had done all those things to me in my past life. Apparently, he was bound to the virtue system in my past life. This time, the system has chosen me as its host. Well then, Gideon, please enjoy the feats of "justice" I shall perform on you! Chapter 1 My husband, Gideon Huber, always thought of himself as a saint. He capitalized on my sacrifices to enhance his own reputation. In my previous life, I was beaten to death by a homeless man he had sponsored, and the baby I was carrying died as well. Gideon had rushed to the scene, wailing in grief, but his words were laced with bitter irony. "Why did you resist? If you had just complied, you wouldn't have died. Now that you're dead, what will people think of me?" After my death, Gideon never remarried. He came to my grave, mourning with a look of deep sorrow. "Everyone makes mistakes. You're gone, but the living must go on. I've forgiven them on your behalf." In truth, he was worried about the homeless man going to prison, so he fabricated a story, claiming I'd betrayed him and killed myself in shame. My past was a tangled web of resentment. Unfortunately for him, I had returned with my memories intact and a system. In my previous life, everything Gideon did was to earn rewards from the system. But this time, the system was mine, and he had no idea. This time, I would make him pay for all he'd done. When he saw the cold look in my eyes, a shiver ran down his spine. He pointed at me. "What's the big deal? It's just a kidney. Just give it up. Don't you have any compassion? He's so pitiful, and we have two healthy kidneys. Doesn't that seem a bit unfair?" Oh, I did have compassion. Of course I did. I held his hand, my expression full of unwavering support. "I didn't realize you were so kind. You're doing a good deed. Of course I won't stop you." Ignoring Gideon's confused look, I immediately dialed the phone. "Hello, is this the TV station? My husband wants to donate a kidney to a dialysis patient!" His eyes widened in shock. He tried to grab my hand and snatch my phone to stop me. "What are you talking about?" With a smile, I shook off his hand, completely ignoring his protest. A reply soon came through the phone, and I continued, "You'll want to do an in-person interview for this, right? Yes, that's right. It's my husband, Gideon Huber. My address is…" Gideon's face fell at once. When I hung up, he frantically asked, "What are you doing? Aren't you the one donating?" I blinked innocently. "Didn't you say I lacked compassion? Since you have so much of it, I thought I'd help you out." Gideon was seething with anger. It seemed like he wanted to say something, but I wasn't going to give him a chance to back out. "You're such a noble man. Why should I steal your spotlight? I'll let everyone know!" "Kenzie! Come back! Don't go!" Ignoring his shouts, I shook off his grip and bolted out the door. The moment I stepped outside, I couldn't hold back my grin. Gideon, this was just the beginning. Chapter 2 I beat the drum and turned the loudspeaker volume all the way up. "My husband is donating a kidney to save a stranger!" I shouted. "What a great guy!" Since Gideon wanted to play the saint, I figured I should help him out. The commotion drew a crowd instantly. Women from the neighborhood gathered around me. "Is your husband really going to donate a kidney to a stranger?" I smiled. "Of course! Gideon's just too kind!" They looked at me with pity. Losing a kidney for no reason was a permanent blow. Even a perfectly healthy person wouldn't be able to make a full recovery from that. One of the ladies, Mrs. Lawson, looked me over carefully and asked with concern, "Has your husband lost his mind? Why didn't you stop him? How do you expect to build a life together like this? You don't even have kids yet." Kids? Having a child for Gideon was the biggest mistake I made in my previous life. During my postpartum recovery, I noticed my baby was missing, and only then did I find out that he had given our baby away. I was so furious that I smashed the door. But Gideon scolded me for being petty. "It's just a baby. You can have another! That family really wanted a kid. Can't you be more understanding?" In the end, I learned that the family was involved in human trafficking, but Gideon didn't care. He even laughed. "They must have been desperate to resort to human trafficking. Who would have thought that the baby would end up making them money? Not bad at all. At least giving birth to him wasn't a total waste of your time." Was that how a normal person would think? I pushed those painful memories aside. My phone had been buzzing for a while. Gideon had sent countless messages, asking me to come home. "What are you telling people? That homeless guy is so pitiful. Just donate your kidney instead." Since I hadn't responded, he called me several times. I smiled and turned off my phone. "Mrs. Lawson, how could you say that? Gideon's just too kind! In fact, the TV station wants to interview him!" A group of people appeared in the distance, making their way toward us with camera equipment in hand. The buzz of conversation filled the air as they approached. I couldn't help but grin at the speed of their response. A reporter recognized me at once. "You must be Mrs. Huber, right? We're from the TV station. We're here to interview your husband." I welcomed them with a bright smile and invited them into my house. As soon as Gideon saw me return, he rushed over. "Just listen to me. Donate your kidney." What a joke. The reporters set up and aimed the camera at us. "Mr. Huber," one of them said, "we heard you're donating a kidney to a complete stranger suffering from kidney failure." Only then did Gideon realize the TV crew had arrived. Chapter 3 Gideon was at a loss, stammering and looking incredibly uncomfortable. He tried to avoid the camera, but I pulled him back into view. "Honey, why are you so shy?" I asked. Then, I turned to the reporters and said, "My husband says if he can help others, he'd be happy to do it." Forced to face the camera, Gideon put on a stiff smile. Once he had composed himself, as if suddenly remembering his script, he began to put on a show of righteous indignation. "I will donate my kidney to him if I'm a match. He's just too pitiful! I'll be getting tested with my wife. More options mean more hope!" I could see right through him. He didn't want to donate his kidney. He just wanted a good reputation. With a little manipulation, he could claim my kidney was a better match and get away with it, all while looking like a hero. This was exactly how it played out last time. I wouldn't let him win like that again. I didn't call him out. I simply allowed him to continue his performance. With the reporter showering him with praise, Gideon started to relax, becoming more comfortable in front of the camera. He went back to playing the role of a good guy. "People should be willing to help those in need. In the future, I plan to give this house to a homeless person who has nowhere to go." I couldn't help but scoff inside. This house was mine, yet he spoke as though it were his to give away. The reporter, thinking we were some wealthy family, teased him, "Mr. Huber, you must be rolling in money if you're casually giving away a house like this." But Gideon, eager to highlight his holiness and selflessness, shocked everyone again. "Not really. We only have this one house. But even if we end up on the streets, we must still help those in need!" The reporter looked at Gideon with a strange expression and glanced at me with sympathy. "Mr. Huber, you really are… quite the saint." I nodded along, supporting everything Gideon said. Gideon's story went viral. The fact that he selflessly donated a kidney to a stranger made people believe there were still good people in the world. In an instant, everyone praised his virtue. Gideon was on a roll, receiving praise from all sides. I couldn't help but laugh. This was perfect. The higher he climbed, the harder he'd fall. Gideon turned out to be a perfect donor match. On the way home, I couldn't stop smiling. "Looks like Heaven saw your sincerity and chose you. You're doing such a good deed!" Gideon didn't catch the sarcasm in my voice. His spirit had completely hit rock bottom. He wanted to do good, but not at the cost of losing anything of his own. Helping others with no pain or sacrifice was the kind of help he preferred. Regret was already creeping in. He never expected that my results would come back as a mismatch, while he'd end up having to sacrifice his own kidney. In my previous life, my kidney hadn't been a match either. Gideon had simply swapped our test results to save himself. In the end, the patient died from organ rejection. This time, under my watch, he wouldn't have the chance to play those games. Gideon's expression shifted into a fawning look as he said gently, "Kenzie, maybe your parents could get tested too. That way, we could help even more people." Chapter 4 It was clear that Gideon just wanted someone else to take his place in donating a kidney. With a smile, I told him my parents were out of the country and that he should just focus on donating his kidney. Patting his pale face, I grinned. "The surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Aren't you excited? You're about to save someone's life!" His expression immediately darkened. "Why is it so soon?" "Don't you want the patient to recover as quickly as possible?" I asked in confusion. "I… do. Of course I do." At a loss for words, Gideon forced a bitter smile. But this was nothing compared to what he had done. His selfishness had cost a life in the past. Now, it was just karma catching up with him. The surgery went smoothly. The patient's family brought over 20 thousand dollars, some supplements, and fruit to thank Gideon for his selfless donation. I accepted everything without hesitation. "Gideon's just too kind. If you ever need his help again, don't hesitate to ask. He'll donate blood, corneas, even a heart if needed! He can't go a day without helping someone." As I returned to Gideon's shared hospital room, I was about to open the door when I heard a mechanical sound. It was the sound I had been waiting for all this time. "Congratulations on successfully helping others complete a righteous task. You've earned a reward of one million dollars. You can withdraw the money once your total reaches five million dollars!" Meanwhile, Gideon, pale as a ghost, furrowed his brow. He was probably wondering why he hadn't received any notifications from the system. I bet he hadn't accumulated five million dollars yet, or he wouldn't be working so hard at "helping others". In my previous life, he earned one million dollars for each person he helped. Unfortunately for him, after I was reborn, the system was bound to me. I couldn't help but smile. After I entered the room, I took his bank card straight out of his wallet. "Come on. Helping just one person isn't enough. You should donate the money in your bank account too. That way, even more people can truly recover." I slipped the card into my pocket. "No, that money isn't…" Gideon was so weak that even speaking had become an agonizing chore. I set a bowl on the table. The broth inside was so thin it was basically just tinted water. "Honey, eat up," I said with a smile. "You'll need the energy to recover!" He sighed. "I want some barbecue ribs. I can't eat this." "Honey, did you forget? This money is no longer yours. I'm donating it, so there won't be any left to buy ribs." His eyes lingered on the fruit basket I had brought in, and he swallowed. "Then can you peel an apple for me?" "Of course!" I peeled six apples and shared them with the other patients in the room and next door. Gideon waited for what felt like an eternity for me to feed him. Losing his patience, he demanded to know why it was taking me so long to finish peeling a single apple. "I peeled everything. I already gave them to the other patients. You're so kind. I'm sure you won't mind sharing, right?" Chapter 5 Gideon's face turned an angry shade of red, but when he glanced at the smiling patient in the next bed, he bit back his frustration. Seeing me packing up, he gave me a confused look. "What are you doing?" "I've taken care of your discharge paperwork. We're giving up the bed for someone who needs it more. Besides, we can't afford to stay any longer." With that, I gently pulled him up. Gideon was weak and drained. A look of clear displeasure flickered across his face. "But I've only been here half a day." "Well, if we can leave earlier, then why not? You always say we should think of others, right?" I said, raising my voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. Needing to maintain his image of selflessness, Gideon stiffly nodded. "Of course, I'm always happy to help." I couldn't help but smile to myself. I was happy too. It seemed the system had tied Gideon and me together. Only when he agreed would the virtue system register the task as complete. There was no way I could earn one million dollars by helping people peel a few apples. Suddenly, Gideon surprised me once again with his words. "When you're done packing, you can go stay under the bridge. At least it'll shield you from the wind and rain." My hand froze as I was packing. Was he really offering to give away my house? He was still in denial, unable to accept that the system hadn't notified him of the task's completion. I remembered when I tried to reason with him in my previous life. "That's my house! Why would you give it away without telling me?" Gideon had lectured me, "I didn't know you were this heartless. Those homeless people are desperate to have a home. Don't you see that?" "But you—" "Enough! They're so pitiful, and you have a house. Why not give it to them?" Because I refused to give away the house, I was hated by the homeless, and that eventually led to my death at one of their hands. Now, Gideon was talking loudly in front of everyone, "I'm giving that house away. The homeless are so miserable. They deserve a home." Everyone in the room heard him. It seemed like he still hadn't given up. He was hoping the system would finally show its presence. What he didn't know was that the system had already notified me that I'd earned one million dollars. Gideon grabbed my hand. "I'll stay at my mom's, but you know she doesn't like living with you, so I guess you'll have to make do." Gideon's mother, Lily Duncan, was a real piece of work. She'd once demanded 30,000 dollars as compensation when Gideon joined our family as a live-in son-in-law and even tried to get him to send money to her every month. Now, Gideon wanted to give away my house and send me to live under a bridge while he went back to Lily's house. I smiled. "Okay, I guess I'll be living under the bridge then." Chapter 6 Gideon wanted me to live under a bridge? Not a chance. If anyone was staying there, it was him, not me! That night, while I was relaxing at home with a face mask on, my phone started blowing up with calls from Gideon. When I finally picked up, his frantic voice came through the phone. "Kenzie, what's going on? Why are all these homeless people at my mom's house? They're making so much noise we can't even sleep. Where are you? Which bridge are you under?" A wonderful opportunity like this should, of course, be reserved for Gideon. "Isn't your mom at home? She can cook and do laundry for them. Unlike me, I'm too busy to even be home. Honey, the bridge near Hollowgate Street is wide and spacious. You should pack up and move there." I couldn't hold back my laughter after hanging up. As soon as those homeless people showed up at my door, I generously gave each of them 100 bucks for a cab and sent them straight to Lily's place. Gideon finally realized how hard it was to undo a favor once it had been granted. Those homeless people loved men like him, who pretended to be morally superior, and they were squeezing him dry. For the next month, Gideon was almost driven crazy. He called me nonstop, but I'd already blocked him. So, he showed up at my door. I had changed the lock, but I still let him in. As soon as he stepped inside, he grabbed my arm, trying to drag me out. "Kenzie, come with me!" I yanked my arm free. "What the hell is wrong with you?" That was when I noticed how pale he looked. He was in bad shape. Gideon, gasping for breath, quickly explained. One night, Lily had gone to the bathroom and was cornered by a homeless man. After that, she found out that she was pregnant. He wanted to call the police, but these were the very people he'd invited into his house, so he was stuck. Lily was pregnant now, and once she started showing, people would definitely start whispering. A pregnancy out of wedlock was nothing short of a scandal. In the end, Gideon said, "My mom wants to get an abortion, but the baby's innocent." I thought he'd at least show some concern for Lily. But no, he was still playing the saint. I frowned. "So, you dragged me out here to stop your mom?" He shook his head. "The baby's so pitiful. You should raise it." Upon hearing that, I couldn't hold back anymore. I slapped him hard across the face. Was he seriously asking me to clean up Lily's mess? Gideon clutched his cheek, his eyes wide in shock. "Kenzie, how could you slap me?" I ignored him and wiped my hand in disgust. For a moment, he was speechless. But after three seconds of silence, he seemed to get an idea and flashed a fake smile. "Kenzie, we need money at home. My mom's been cooking and cleaning for these homeless people. Don't you think you should give her some money to help out? After all, no one wants to be homeless if they have a choice." Gideon was once again blowing my mind. Did he forget that he no longer had the system to back him up? Where was all this misplaced sympathy coming from? He wanted me to help the homeless and Lily? I wasn't a saint like he was! I let out a frustrated laugh and stepped back to put some distance between us. Not only was I not giving him a single penny, but I was also going to make sure he kept giving me money instead. But first, I needed to see what was going on at his place.