Chapter 3
Not long after Ryan left, still looking frustrated, Linda's phone lit up with a message from Chole. It was a link with the headline: "New Development Nearly Sold Out Within Hours!"
Under the link, Chole added: [Mom, look how fast the good apartments are selling out. Ryan and I are under so much pressure. We can't even sleep at night.]
Linda read it, didn't reply, and just put her phone down.
She went to the window and watched her son's figure disappear at the gate of the complex. Then she turned, reached deep into the wardrobe, and took out her old passbook to confirm that the money she had moved the night before was still safe.
She knew Ryan's solo visit and Chole's Whatsapp message were just the start of a new round of pressure, and her "card problem" excuse wouldn't last much longer.
She needed a new, stronger reason.
Two hours after Ryan left, Linda changed into a neat dark coat, carefully tucked the old passbook and her ID into her handbag, and headed straight to the bank where she'd handled things the day before.
She didn't have an appointment, but after telling the lobby manager she needed advice on handling a large sum of money, she was introduced to Tony, the account manager.
Tony was in his early thirties, dressed in a crisp uniform, and carried himself with a professional calm.
In the private financial consulting room, Linda didn't mention any family issues. She simply said she was a retired woman wanting to manage her savings carefully, and asked how to best handle 700,000 dollars.
Tony pulled up some numbers on his computer, showing her the interest rates and lock-in periods for fixed deposits, low-risk investments, and large-denomination certificates of deposit. He also mentioned that if she was buying a house, the escrow process would keep the transaction safe.
Linda listened carefully, making sure to ask, "If I change my mind, can I get my money back into my account anytime?"
The consultation lasted about forty minutes.
When Linda left, she had a handwritten summary from Tony outlining the main options.
As soon as she stepped out of the bank, her phone buzzed—it was Ryan calling.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she walked over to a bench at the bus stop, sat down, and waited for the call to end before calling him back.
On the phone, Ryan sounded rushed, keyboard clacking in the background as he asked if she'd sorted out the card problem at the bank yet.
Linda glanced at the note in her hand—"3-year CD, 3.25% annual interest"—and answered in a steady voice, "I went to the bank and asked about it."
"Tony told me my card is pretty old. For a big transfer like this, I'd need to update my ID and go through some risk checks. The whole thing will take two or three days."
She paused for a moment, then added, "He also said with this much money, if I'm not using it right away, putting it in a short-term investment would earn more than just leaving it in checking. I'm considering it."
On the other end, Ryan's breathing hitched, and there was a hushed argument—Chole's voice coming through in the background. Then Ryan hurriedly said, "Mom, just don't do anything with the money yet. We'll talk when we get home tonight," before hanging up.
That evening, while Linda was in the kitchen getting dinner ready, she heard Ryan and Chole's footsteps in the hallway. They sounded heavier than usual.
She didn't go to open the door like she always did. Instead, she kept rinsing rice.
The door clicked open, and they walked in. Chole was smiling, holding a fruit basket, but her smile was strained, not quite reaching her eyes.
She set the fruit on the table, deliberately softening her voice. "Mom, I heard you went to the bank today? You must be exhausted. Ryan and I talked it over, and we really can't afford to miss out on this house."
"How about this? You finish the risk assessment as quickly as possible and transfer the money to us first. After the purchase is done, we'll make up the return you would've earned from financial planning. Would that work?"
Linda shut off the faucet, the sudden silence hanging in the air. She turned and caught Chole's fake sweet smile, then Ryan avoiding her gaze. Whatever hope she'd been holding onto disappeared for good.
She realized her "card problem" excuse no longer worked.
Two hours after Ryan and Chole left, Linda dug out a faded tin cookie box from deep in her closet. Inside, she found her old passbook, her ID, and a few yellowed bank receipts.
She slipped into a dark gray knit cardigan, put her documents in her handbag, and locked up before heading out.
She didn't go to the branch she'd visited yesterday. Instead, she hopped on a bus and rode three stops to the main branch downtown.
There were twelve people waiting in the lobby.
Linda didn't bother taking a number. She walked straight up to the lobby manager—a young woman with glasses.
She lowered her voice and said, "Excuse me, I have 700,000 dollars in savings and I'd like to talk to someone about how to manage it. Do you have a specialist for that?"
The manager glanced at Linda's simple outfit, paused for a couple of seconds, then stood up. "Please wait a moment. I'll get an account manager to help you."
Five minutes later, a man in his early thirties with a name tag that read "Daniel Hayes" came over and led Linda upstairs to a room marked "VIP Financial Consulting Room."
Daniel Hayes opened his laptop and pulled up an interest rate table.
Linda did not tell him about the trouble at home. She only emphasized three things: the money was for her retirement, it had to be absolutely safe, and she might need access to it at short notice.