Husband's Obsession with Money

My husband Kyler Ross was a miser.

I bought an item of clothing worth 11.5 dollars including shipping, and he was so angry that he stamped his foot at home.

"You're a big spender. How can we support our life in the future?"

I bought some health products when I was sick, and he gave me the silent treatment for seven days.

"You are just being fooled by charlatans!"

Even when I transferred 8.5 dollars to my younger brother Liam Collins on his birthday, Kyler complained with tears and snot.

"You only think of your brother! Please, please spend less!"

For the sake of our relationship, I chose to compromise and tolerate.

I spent less and lived frugally as Kyler asked.

Unexpectedly, I lived a frugal life for a lifetime.

When I was old, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer because I often ate leftovers. But he ignored my desperate pleas and forced me to leave the hospital, watching me die in great agony.

I woke up again.

I got back control of my money.

The hell with being frugal. I wanted to live freely!

——

"Treating your illness will probably cost tens of thousands of dollars. I know it's a big burden for your family."

The doctor handed me the test report with a sympathetic expression on his face as if he had already pronounced my death sentence.

But I felt ecstatic.

Tens of thousands of dollars?

Only tens of thousands of dollars?

Over the years, Kyler and I had saved at least 500,000 dollars. It was enough to pay for my treatment!

I looked at Kyler with joy while he shot an angry look at me and jumped up, slamming the test report down on the desk.

"If I pay for this, can you guarantee a cure?"

The doctor naturally couldn't make such a guarantee. He could only remind Kyler tactfully that there was a high chance of survival if I underwent the treatment; otherwise, I would end up dead.

But Kyler said stubbornly to me, "This is the trick that doctors use to deceive their patients."

...

Soon, he ignored my desperate pleas and arranged for my discharge.

After I returned home, my illness quickly worsened.

When I was in excruciating pain, he didn't even buy me painkillers.

I suffered physical and mental torment and soon passed away.

...

After death, a wisp of my soul watched Kyler casually bury my ashes in the overgrown grass at the village entrance.

Then with our lifelong savings, he married a younger wife and lived a comfortable middleaged life.

I worked hard for years, but all in vain!

...

I woke up again!

I went back to the time when Kyler first asked me for my payroll card.

"Bella, I am a professional financial officer. I am definitely better at managing money than you!"

"Besides, there are so many household chores. I don't want you to worry about our finances!"

"Give me your payroll card. I promise I will double the money next year!"

Kyler held my hand, embraced me, and earnestly persuaded me to give him my payroll card.

Seeing the new decoration on the glass, I quickly realized something.

This was the first month of our marriage.

In my previous life, I listened to his nonsense and handed over my payroll card.

But I never got it back in my whole life.

Kyler said that if I needed anything, I should tell him and he would buy it.

But in reality, he was extremely stingy.

He even hesitated whether to buy me a dress worth 35 dollars from summer to autumn. Finally, he didn't buy it on the pretext of the weather.

Every time I made a fuss, he would cry and say, "I came from the countryside, and I have lived a hard life for too long. I'm sorry to make you suffer."

...

I could only let it go for the sake of our relationship.

But in the end, I lived a frugal life for a lifetime, and he spent all the money we saved on another woman!

Damn!

What a terrible man!

I sneered.

I calmly distanced myself from him.

Looking at his eager face, I slammed the table and decided to do something.

"Humph! Other men's wives manage the money, but you, on the contrary, ask me for my payroll card!"

"I work just for the joy of getting paid. If I give you my card, what motivation do I have to go to work?"

"Besides, when men have money, they do terrible things. What if you mess around out there?"

I stood with my hands on my hips, looking furious.

Kyler didn't expect that I, who had always been gentle, would react so strongly.

He got down on one knee in front of me and raised his hand to swear.

"I will never do that. You can rest assured! I only love you!"

I snorted.

And I threw my bank card on the table.

"Anyway, since I'll have to ask you for money in the future, I might as well just resign now!"

As soon as Kyler heard me mention resignation, his face changed.

After all, I was still paying a portion of the mortgage and car loan.

If I resigned, he would probably struggle to support himself.

After a moment's hesitation, he handed me the bank card and quickly changed his mind.

"Alright, alright, if you don't want to give it to me, forget it. We are a family. We shouldn't argue about this."

Although I managed to keep my payroll card, Kyler and I argued every other day.

Last week, Kyler complained that I used the washing machine to do laundry. He said that I was wasting water and electricity.

The day before yesterday, I bought a big durian, and he mocked that I was spoiled.

Today, I came home with a bucket of popcorn.

Kyler was so angry that he pointed at me with an indignant look and questioned me.

"A bucket of popcorn cost 1.6 dollars, right? You could have got much food with 1.6 dollars."

"Bella Collins, can't you stop being so extravagant?"

"We are an ordinary family, not nouveau riches. We'll run out of money one day!"

...

While watching TV, I snorted and retorted, "Would our family go bankrupt just because of a bucket of popcorn?"

"If people don't know, they would think that both of us are paralyzed and unable to move in bed!"

"Kyler, you are the head of the family. Don't you feel ashamed?"

Anger choked his words.

He changed his strategy and acted pitiful.

...

Kneeling at my feet, Kyler looked at me tearfully and said, "Bella, you don't understand."

"When I was little, I only ate leftovers in the cafeteria, not to mention popcorn."

"Every penny was earned by my dad carrying bricks."

"I'm not stopping you from buying food. I just don't want you to spend money on useless things."

I looked at his sincere face and almost burst out laughing.

This felt familiar.

I had heard this a thousand times in my previous life.

He always said his parents had a hard time and he had been frugal since childhood. In short, he was poor.

So he got an advantage over me.

I rolled my eyes and frowned.

"It's none of my business whether you are poor or not."

"I didn't spend your money."

Kyler was shocked to hear that and then became angry.

He went straight over and turned off the TV, pointing at me and cursing loudly.

"You don't listen to my advice. You're hopeless!"

"How did your parents raise such a selfish person like you?"

It was fine if he scolded me, but how dare he scold my parents?

I jumped up and smashed the popcorn on his head.

I said, counting with my fingers.

"Kyler, open your eyes wide and look carefully."

"This month, I paid the water and power bills, bought food and fruits, and even gave your cousin some money when he got married."

"You keep saying that I waste money. Then let me ask you, where did your money go?"

"You haven't even bought a roll of toilet paper. And you still have the nerve to say that I spend money recklessly?"

Kyler was a mess with popcorn on his head.

Yet he still put on an indignant look.

With his hands on his hips, he looked resentful.

"I save money for emergencies!"

"You throw money around recklessly every day. When there is an emergency and you can't come up with the money, what are you going to do?"

I remembered that in my previous life when I was about to die, he was unwilling to use his money to save me.

I flew into a rage instantly.

With a sneer, I mocked him.

"What kind of emergency?"

"Like getting you a coffin on the day you die?"

I predicted what would happen.

Not long after I quarreled with Kyler, something came up!

A few days ago, his mother Dora called me.

She said she felt tightness in her chest and wanted to come to the city for a checkup.

Kyler was famous for being filial in the village, so he would spare no effort to look out for his mother.

He went to the train station to pick her up and even hailed a taxi for his mother. He did a very good job.

Unfortunately, his filial piety didn't last for three seconds before it was shattered by the medical bill handed over by the nurse.

He only glanced at the amount on it and widened his eyes.

"What? 160 dollars? Seriously?"

"Can't it be cheaper?"

The nurse became a little impatient.

"Do you think this is a grocery market? Are you bargaining here?"

"All these examinations and instruments are not free of charge."

...

Kyler continued, "Is it reasonable to charge so much for that?"

"Who knows if you take kickbacks or not?"

The nurse was not someone to be trifled with.

She made a move to snatch the bill away.

If you don't want to get checked, no one is forcing you!

Kyler's face turned red from being mocked.

He sheepishly took back the bill.

He glanced at me, sitting on the stool playing with my phone, and shamelessly approached me.

He gave me an order. "Bella, go and pay Mom's bill."

I looked up innocently.

"I don't have any money.

He smiled apologetically.

"Oh, I was in such a hurry that I forgot to bring my card."

"I know you have money, so pay it and I'll pay you back later."

My mouth twitched.

He lied so blatantly, and I didn't believe it.

I sighed and looked sincerely at him.

"I really don't have any money. I've spent it all on our daily life."

"A few days ago, I just bought some clothes and I have no money left. I'm still waiting for my salary."

"Why don't you go home and get some? Dora's illness is a big deal and she needs immediate treatment."

Kyler stared at my face angrily, trying to see if I was lying.

...

But my face told him that I was really broke.

He hesitated for a while.

Then, he angrily took out his card from his bag.

Before leaving, he shot me a glare.

"Spendthrift!"

After paying the bill, Kyler took his mother for a checkup.

The doctor said there was no problem with the heart, but Dora had some polyps in the stomach, and it would be best to have them surgically removed.

Otherwise, there was a certain chance of developing cancer.

When Kyler and Dora heard that she needed to be hospitalized, they thrashed their heads from side to side.

...

Kyler threw the report over, just like he had done in the previous life.

"I've seen enough of doctors like you! You just want money from us!"

"If I give you the money, can you guarantee that you will cure my mother and she won't get cancer later?"

The doctor's face turned pale as Kyler yelled at him.

Dora chimed in.

"My son is right! You are all quack doctors!"

"I clearly have chest pain, but you insist that it's my stomach."

"The hospital is ripping us off!"

...

I turned to leave quietly, but I was pulled by Kyler.

"Bella, call the complaint hotline now! Sue him for ripping us off!"

"Anyway, I can't afford the hospital bills!"

Kyler's shouting attracted a lot of onlookers.

He was shouting while secretly observing my expression.

I knew this was his usual trick.

...

In my previous life, after I found out that I had stomach cancer, I wanted to continue treatment.

To fight against him, I even asked for a divorce and wanted to use my own money to treat my illness.

But Kyler was relentless.

He argued with me regardless of the occasion.

I stayed in the hospital for a few days during which he caused trouble.

I was embarrassed and afraid of being laughed at if this continued.

In the end, I had to go along with him and discharge myself from the hospital.

Now he was using the same trick again.

He caused trouble just to make me pay the bills!

He was sure that I would pay for his mother's bills to avoid arguments.

Unfortunately, he guessed wrong this time!

More and more people gathered to watch us.

They kept talking.

"What's wrong with this family? If they can't afford the hospital fees, then don't stay!"

"Who knows? They're just making a scene!"

"The doctor's unlucky to have such a patient!"

...

Kyler had a triumphant look on his face.

He shouted much louder.

I stood calmly in the crowd, without feeling embarrassed by the gossip.

I took out my phone and started recording a video.

At first, Kyler didn't understand why I was doing this.

When my camera was aimed at his face, he panicked.

He covered the lens and glared at me.

"What are you doing?"

I looked confused.

"Didn't you ask me to call a complaint hotline?"

He hesitated for a moment before reacting.

"Why do you film me then?"

...

I said matteroffactly, "I gotta get evidence for a complaint!"

"How can we prove that the hospital is ripping us off without a video?"

Kyler's face turned pale.

More and more people gathered around.

Kyler was really afraid that someone would take a video and post it online.

He had no choice but to give up.

Dora and Kyler came out while cursing.

...

Kyler shouted angrily, "Doctors are all humbugs!"

"Staying in the hospital for a few days will cost hundreds of dollars! They're just ripping us off."

I ignored him, but after we came home, he even wanted me to give him my dowry.

He said eloquently, "Bella! Our family is in trouble now!"

...

"Take out the dowry money to help Mom see a doctor!"

I was shocked by Kyler's shamelessness.

How dare he say such things?

He only gave my mother 5,000 dollars, but she didn't take a penny and even gave us 11,000 dollars. So, I got 16,000 dollars in total for my future emergencies.

We'd only been married for over a month, and he was asking me for my dowry.

I sat on the sofa with a poker face.

I threw my hands open.

"Some of the dowry money is a fixed deposit, and the rest was used to pay household expenses."

"You know, I've already overspent this month."

His face darkened.

"I've been telling you to spend less, but you just don't listen!"

With a long sigh, he reached out his hand.

"Then you take out the remaining money and give it to Mom for her medical treatment!"

"If things continue on this path, you'll run out of money sooner or later!"

After a while, I didn't move.

Kyler stared at me.

"Which is more important, Mom's illness or your money?"

I sneered.

"It's still more than ten days until payday. If I give it to you, I have no money left."

Kyler looked annoyed.

"You're not gonna spend much on your food, right?"

I laughed furiously.

I asked him back.

"What about your money? You don't pay household expenses, the mortgage, or the car loan. After these few months, you haven't saved a penny?"

Kyler raised the medical bill in his hand.

"Didn't I pay 160 dollars for Mom's checkup today?"

Look how shameless he was!

I decided to act pitiful.

"Then what should we do?"

"How about we go Dutch from now on?"

He was a little surprised.

"Go Dutch?"

I nodded.

"Yes, in this way, I can control my spending."

"In the future, we'll go Dutch on any expenses including Dora's medical bills."

Kyler glanced at the seven or eight items of clothing I just bought on the bed.

He was hesitating.

"What about your personal expenses?"

I quickly replied, "I will pay it on my own."

...

Kyler nodded without hesitation.

I found the triumphant look on his face ridiculous!

It seemed that he didn't know the trivial matters in marriage were the invisible huge expenses.

...

After discussing with Kyler, we agreed to split the bill equally.

At first, he was still complacent.

After all, I had to pay half of his mother's medical expenses in the future.

He regretted it after less than a week.

After work that day, Kyler sat on the sofa and watched TV with Dora.

I came home with a bag of apples.

Kyler naturally assumed that I would wash them and put them all on the table.

But to his surprise, I only washed one for myself.

Dora's face dropped.

Kyler also looked annoyed.

He glared at me and said, "Bella, why don't you wash one for Mom?"

I looked innocently at him.

"But I bought the apples myself. You didn't pay."

"How about this? You transfer me 3 dollars and I'll go wash one for you."

I made Kyler furious.

He couldn't say a word.

Finally, he angrily salvaged the situation.

"The apples are kept frozen. It's not good for health. You know nothing!"

A few more days passed.

Kyler told me that his mom was a bit cold at night and asked me to get her a new blanket.

I agreed and sent her the comforter I had used for several years.

Then I bought myself a brand new silk quilt.

It was light and comfortable.

Kyler still wanted to be a good son and ordered me to give the new quilt to his mother.

I opened the QR code. "This quilt cost me 200‬ dollars. You gotta transfer me 100 dollars since I've used it for some time."

Things like that happened again and again.

When I refused to buy something for Kyler's mother again, he became furious.

And he tried to take my things away.

"Why do you keep our boundaries so clear? We're husband and wife."

"I'm still your husband."

I threw the credit card bills at him.

"How about we split the bills?"

"I'm still your wife."