Frozen Funds, Dead Consequences

"My mother had a brain hemorrhage. She's in the hospital being resuscitated. We urgently need two hundred thousand.

"That intern teller, Carmen Sanders, froze my account.

"I need you to call her right now and tell her to unlock it."

There was a two-second silence on the other end.

However, what came back was not panic.

It was something colder. Deeper disgust.

"Jane, if you're going to make up excuses, could you at least make them believable?

"Mom was perfectly fine when she went out to buy groceries this morning.

"How did she suddenly end up with a brain hemorrhage?

"Are you trying to check up on me again?

"Or are you deliberately causing trouble because Carmen is here?"

I was trembling with rage, gripping my phone so tightly I could barely hold onto it.

"Karl! Do you seriously think I'm that kind of person?

"The critical condition notice from the hospital is right in front of me!

"If you don't believe me, call Mom yourself!

"Her phone is at the nurse's station right now!"

Karl let out a cold laugh, his voice dripping with contempt.

"That's enough. Stop acting. You just want to take money back to your family, don't you? Your brother needs money again? Buying a house this time? Or a car?

"Jane, I've tolerated you for a long time already. The little bit you secretly send them usually, fine. I let it slide. But today? You actually dare to pull this?

"Do you even know who I'm hosting today? City officials. My promotion depends on this meeting!"

I shouted into the phone, tears finally spilling down my face.

"Karl! That's your mother! Your own mother is lying on an operating table waiting to be saved!

"If you have even a shred of conscience left, come downstairs and see for yourself!

"Or at least call Carmen and tell her to release the funds!"

Maybe it was the desperation in my voice.

Karl paused, sounding briefly shaken.

However, at that moment, Carmen suddenly moved behind the glass counter.

She picked up the internal phone line and dialed a number.

The next second, Karl's voice turned icy cold.

"Carmen just reported the situation to me. She said you brought police officers here to cause trouble and verbally abused bank staff.

"The system flagged suspicious fund activity. Risk control intercepted the transaction. Carmen did the right thing. She's simply doing her job.

"As the wife of a bank manager, you should be setting an example. Not taking the lead in violating bank regulations."

I listened in disbelief.

It felt like I was hearing a stranger speak.

"Karl... you believe her over me?

"You're willing to let your own mother die because of some intern?"

His voice carried that familiar, superior coldness.

"Carmen followed procedure.

"If the system made a mistake, then file an appeal through the proper channels.

"Stop making a scene and embarrassing yourself.

"Take the police and leave immediately. Don't disrupt my meeting. Otherwise, don't blame me for forgetting we're husband and wife."

The call ended.

I stood there frozen, phone still in my hand.

Behind the bulletproof glass, Carmen looked at me and burst into smug laughter.

"See? I told you. Mr. Young is a man of principles.

"If he says no, then it's no.

"And stop trying to scare people with all this mother-in-law drama.

"Everyone knows you're just trying to cover your brother's debts again."

Officer Tanner stood nearby, shaking his head the whole time.

Even he probably had never seen a husband this heartless.

"Miss... maybe we should try another bank?

"Or borrow the money from relatives and friends first?"

I slowly shook my head, my gaze turning colder by the second.

Borrow money?

Two hundred thousand. Where was I supposed to get that on such short notice?

Besides, this was my money.

Why did I need permission from other people just to withdraw my own savings and save someone's life?

I wiped the tears from my face.

Then I looked through the bulletproof glass and locked eyes with Carmen.

"So you're really refusing to process it?"

Carmen raised an eyebrow, completely fearless.

"It's not that I refuse. The system refuses.

"I'd love to help you, but there's nothing I can do.

"Why don't you just wait here?

"Maybe after three to five days, risk control will automatically lift the restriction."

Three to five days?

My mother-in-law wouldn't survive another thirty to fifty minutes.

I slowly turned my head toward the fire extinguisher in the corner of the lobby.