My mother-in-law suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and was rushed into the ICU. The hospital demanded a $200,000 surgery deposit immediately, so I rushed to the bank to raise my transfer limit.

The trainee teller behind the counter took my ID card, swiped it through the reader, then stared at her screen for a long time.

"Hello, ma'am. Our system has flagged this transaction as suspicious and potentially linked to elder fraud. Your account has been frozen."

"That's impossible! That money is for emergency surgery! My mother is still waiting at the hospital!"

The trainee gave me a perfectly rehearsed customer-service smile.

"For the safety of your funds, we'll need the account holder to appear in person to unlock the account."

I slammed my ID against the bulletproof glass and pointed at the name on it.

"Open your eyes and read carefully! I am the account holder! Who else are you waiting for?"

The trainee shrank back slightly, looking utterly wronged, then spoke into the microphone in a meek voice.

"Ma'am, please control your behavior. The system's risk controls are determined by big data. There's nothing I can do.

"If you continue shouting and disrupting financial order, I will have to call the police."

Oh, I see.

She wanted to play power games using company policy as a weapon?

Fine.

I was more than willing to play along.

I stared at the innocent-looking face behind the glass partition, took a deep breath, and pushed my ID card back through the slot.

"Hello, I need this freeze lifted. That money is for Karl Young's mother's surgery.

"Ma'am, even if you know our branch manager, rules are still rules."

She sat upright behind the counter, maintaining that perfectly polite smile.

"Carmen Sanders, do you even know what this money is for?"

I swallowed the metallic taste rising in my throat. My hands were shaking.

"I don't care whether you're doing this out of personal spite or for some other reason.

"Unfreeze my account. Right now."

The intern let out a soft laugh and leaned toward the microphone.

"Oh, Ms. Nolan, listen to yourself.

"I'm just a junior teller. How would I dare abuse my authority?

"Besides, this is for your own good.

"You said your mother is sick, but what if it's a scam?

"There are so many fraud cases these days. As a bank employee, it's my responsibility to protect customers."

My phone started vibrating wildly in my pocket.

The hospital.

I answered immediately, and the nurse's anxious voice burst through the line.

"Ms. Nolan, the patient's blood pressure is unstable!

"Has the surgery payment gone through yet? The anesthesiology department is chasing us!

"If the payment doesn't arrive soon, we're going to miss the critical treatment window!"

My heart clenched so hard it hurt.

"I'm at the bank right now! I'll handle it immediately!"

The moment I hung up, I nearly threw myself against the bulletproof glass.

"Carmen, I'm begging you!

"Just let me transfer the money first! Investigate whatever you want afterward!

"This is someone's life!"

People around the lobby had already started whispering among themselves.

"She looks decent enough. Who would've thought she scams elderly people out of their savings?

"Seriously. Scammers these days are incredible actors.

"The teller is just doing her job. This woman is being ridiculous."

Listening to the murmurs around us, the smugness on Carmen's face only deepened.

She picked up the intercom beside her, her voice sickeningly sweet.

"Security, could you come to Window Three for a moment?

"There's someone causing a disturbance and affecting other customers."

Two security guards rushed over carrying rubber batons and grabbed me by the arms from both sides.

"Ma'am, you need to leave. Stop interfering with bank operations!"

I struggled desperately. "I'm not leaving! I need to withdraw my money! That money belongs to me!"

"I want to see your branch manager! Get Karl out here!"

Carmen covered her mouth as she laughed, her eyes full of contempt.

"Mr. Young is in an important meeting right now.

"You're shouting his name in public like this. How embarrassing for him.

"If he knew you behaved with such poor manners…

"He'd probably be fighting with you the moment he got home."

I stared at her carefully made-up face.

A wave of nausea twisted violently in my stomach.

So this was the 'sweet and sensible' intern Karl always talked about?

Over jealousy, she was actually playing games with someone's life.

I took a sharp breath and violently shook off the security guard's grip.

Then I pulled out my phone and dialed 911.

"Hello, police? I want to report a crime.

"The Aetherton branch is illegally withholding a client's funds.

"A critically ill patient is being denied surgery because of it. Someone could die!"

The police arrived quickly.

Leading the team was an older officer. The moment he saw the scene, his brows knotted tightly together.

"What's going on here? Who made the report?"

I raised my hand, my voice hoarse with anger.

"I did. My family member is in emergency treatment right now. We urgently need this money for brain surgery.

"The bank card is mine. I know the PIN, and I have my ID.

"But this teller maliciously froze the account and refuses to process the withdrawal."

Officer Tanner took my identification and the hospital's payment notice, checking them carefully one by one.

Then he glanced through the call records on my phone and the critical condition notice from the hospital. His expression immediately turned serious.

He walked to the counter and knocked on the glass.

"Miss, everything here looks legitimate.

"This is money for a life-saving operation. Hurry up and process it.

"Don't delay something this serious. If someone dies because of this, you won't be able to take responsibility."

To everyone's surprise, Carmen simply twirled the pen in her hand lazily.

"Officer, do you even understand banking procedures?

"Our system flagged this account as high risk, so it's high risk.

"If we release the funds and it turns out she's involved in fraud, who's responsible for the losses? You?"

Officer Tanner was momentarily speechless. When he spoke again, his tone had hardened.

"The facts are clear, and the evidence is right here. The hospital is waiting to save a life. Can't you make an exception for an emergency?

"What kind of system matters more than a human life?"

Carmen pouted, putting on an innocent, aggrieved expression.

"There's nothing I can do. These are regulations from head office. If I violate procedure, I could lose my job.

"I really do sympathize with Ms. Nolan, but rules are rules."

As she spoke, she even dabbed theatrically at the corner of her eye.

"Ms. Nolan, please don't blame me.

"I'm only trying to protect your family's assets.

"What if some pretty boy scammed you? Mr. Young works very hard to earn this money too."

The moment those words came out, the atmosphere around us shifted again.

"So she's the bank president's wife?"

"Then how does this teller dare talk to her like that?"

"Unless... someone powerful is backing her."

Officer Tanner had clearly caught the hidden barb in Carmen's words.

He glanced at her, then at me.

"Enough with the nonsense.

"If the system locked the account, then find someone with the authority to unlock it."

"Where's your supervisor? Call your manager out here."

Carmen shrugged helplessly.

"The manager's away at provincial training.

"The only person with authority to unlock it now is Mr. Young.

"But Mr. Young is currently meeting an important client. He specifically said no one is to disturb him."

She looked at me with naked provocation in her eyes.

I bit down so hard on my lip that I tasted blood.

Time ticked by second after second.

And every second could be the end of my mother-in-law's life.

I could not keep wasting time fighting with her.

Once again, I pulled out my phone and called Karl.

Normally, he really would be busy at this hour.

In the past, I never dared interrupt him at work.

He always said that when a man was focused on building his career, the thing he hated most was a nagging woman bothering him.

But today, even if the sky collapsed, he was going to answer this call.

The phone rang for a long time.

So long that I thought it would disconnect automatically.

Finally, he picked up.

Karl's voice came through, impatient and irritated, deliberately lowered as though trying not to be overheard.

"Jane Nolan, what the hell is wrong with you?

"Didn't I already tell you this morning that I'd be in meetings all day?

"What could possibly be so important that you had to call right now?

"Can't you be a little more considerate for once? Stop making trouble for me all the time!"

The moment I heard his voice, tears burst from my eyes.

This was the man who shared my bed.

While my mother-in-law was fighting for her life, all he cared about was me causing him inconvenience.

I took a deep breath and forced my voice to steady.

"Karl, I'm in the lobby of your bank."

"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.