Chapter 15
941 Words
Wendy Lincoln hurried to the ATM, clutching her passbook and bank card tightly in her hands.
At first, she only wanted to take a quick look—to reassure herself that everything was fine. Just one glance, she thought, would calm her racing heart.
But what she did not expect…
Even though she was not very literate, she could recognize numbers perfectly well.
She checked the balance once.
Then again.
And again.
Because it was a fixed deposit, she remembered the exact amount with absolute clarity.
Her savings had decreased by thirty thousand dollars.
Thirty thousand dollars!!!
Her mind went blank.
Her entire body trembled.
Who dared touch her money?!
That was her life’s savings—the result of years of hardship, of waking before dawn to prepare breakfast, of enduring exhaustion day after day.
Her breathing became uneven.
She immediately tried calling the bank.
But it was already after working hours.
No one answered.
Left with no other choice, she called the police.
The police instructed her to remain at the ATM and wait for officers to arrive to verify the situation.
Afraid that the bank might deny responsibility later, Wendy refused to leave.
She stood stubbornly in front of the ATM, as if guarding her last line of defense.
She even requested that the surveillance cameras capture her clearly—she needed proof that she was not lying.
Her money had truly been stolen.
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By the time Mr. Nolan arrived on his motorcycle, both the police and a bank representative were already present, conducting a careful investigation.
“Wendy, have they figured it out? Can the money be recovered?” Mr. Nolan asked anxiously.
Wendy Lincoln was a widowed woman running a small breakfast stall with her son. Life had never been easy for her.
She had always been extremely frugal.
To wealthy families, thirty thousand dollars might not mean much.
But to people like them, it could represent years of savings.
Mr. Nolan knew about the account.
Wendy had used Jason Lincoln’s identification to open a fixed deposit account—it was everything she had.
If the money was really gone, it would be a disaster.
Wendy’s face was pale as paper.
Mr. Nolan stepped forward, trying to support her.
Following procedure, the police officer asked,
“What is your relationship with her?”
Mr. Nolan opened his mouth, wanting to say,
“I’m her partner!”
But Wendy reacted faster.
“He’s my older brother,” she said quickly.
“He’s been taking care of me and my son for years.”
“Officer, please investigate thoroughly. That’s thirty thousand dollars—I would have to wash countless dishes and sell endless breakfasts to earn that amount~~~”
Her voice broke into sobs.
Mr. Nolan’s heart, which had just begun to harden, immediately softened again at her tears.
“Officer, please help us,” he added.
“My sister has had a very difficult life. We are ordinary people, saving every bit from food and clothing just to support the child’s education. Officer…”
“We will handle this according to the law,” the bank representative said calmly.
“Please calm down first.”
“Officer, we’ve verified the transaction. The funds were indeed spent in a single transaction of thirty thousand dollars at the time Mrs. Wendy received the SMS.”
“This is the receiving party, and this is the payment device used.”
“Mrs. Wendy, is this your son Jason Lincoln’s phone number?”
“According to our records, during that time, your son made a purchase totaling thirty thousand dollars.”
“Based on the merchant’s information, the purchase was made at a luxury brand store located on a popular commercial street.”
The air fell silent.
“Perhaps you should call your son to confirm?” the bank representative suggested.
“There is no possibility of error on the bank’s side.”
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Thud.
Wendy Lincoln’s already pale face turned even whiter.
If Mr. Nolan had not been holding her, she might have collapsed to her knees.
“My son used the card? Luxury goods?” she muttered, her voice trembling.
“Officer, the bank says there’s no mistake?”
“They must be wrong!”
“My son—Jason Lincoln—the top student in all of Riverdale City—secretly buying luxury goods?!”
“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!!!”
She refused to believe it.
Mr. Nolan also could not believe it.
“Officer…”
“How about calling him directly?” the officer said.
“Mrs. Wendy, if this is not the case, there is also a possibility that your son is under coercion.”
“Recently, has there been anything unusual? Strange behavior? Sudden personality changes?”
Mr. Nolan froze.
There had been something different today.
Seeing his reaction, the officer continued,
“Then there may indeed be signs.”
“Mrs. Wendy, please call your son now. We need to confirm his condition and the validity of the transaction.”
“From what you’ve said, he is a student preparing for the college entrance exam.”
“During this period, many students experience psychological stress.”
“We’ve handled many similar cases.”
“Teenage issues should never be ignored by parents—especially before a major exam that determines their future.”
“The pressure on both parents and children is immense.”
“Sometimes, this leads to impulsive or extreme behavior.”
“This doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong—but timely intervention is crucial.”
“Please make the call now. My colleague and I will record it.”
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- Writer
