Reboot Day: No More Free Ride

Synopsis

Thirty seconds before submitting her code, Violet Reed stared at the error on her screen, her heart froze in terror. The next moment, she found herself sitting in the review meeting room, and her team leader was saying, "Your sister just called..." Memories of her past life crashed over her like a tidal wave. Over two years, she had transferred 157,000 dollars, and when she dropped dead, her account held only 11 dollars. Two years. 157,000 dollars. 11 dollars. Those three numbers kept looping in her mind, like a bug stuck in endless recursion. Violet closed her notes and opened her banking app. [Balance: 29,000 dollars.] That was her just-received salary plus her quarterly bonus. She opened her transfer history and set the time range from March 2023 to March 2025. The screen started scrolling. Columns of numbers cascaded down like a waterfall. [April 5, 2023: 1,700 dollars sent. Emilia's rent.] [May 12, 2023: 3,000 dollars sent. Lincoln's living expenses.] [June 20, 2023: 4,000 dollars sent. Mom's medical checkup.] [July 2023... August... September...] Violet didn't scroll any further. She took a screenshot, opened her photo album, and created a new folder she called "Leech Ledger." Then she went back to the hallway, took a deep breath, and called Emilia. The call connected after just one ring.