Melody was weak, her breaths shallow.
"Joe has been waiting outside," Sophie said. "I'll let him in now."
Joe came in and stood by the bed. "Madam, what can I do for you?"
"I plan to use all my savings to buy back the 10% shares."
"Madam..."
Joe hesitated, knowing what they were facing. If Melody did that, she would have nothing left.
"I've made up my mind. Help me up first."
"Yes, Madam."
Joe assisted her to stand. Melody slowly walked to the safe and used her fingerprint to open it. Inside, there was only a set of keys and a card.
Melody took them. "Wait for me downstairs. We'll go to the vault in half an hour."
Joe was taken aback. The vault was a secure storage facility for the rich, housing anything from jewelry to property deeds. It was said to be as secure as a national treasury, impossible to breach.
"Madam, are you planning to give all your money to Debra?" he asked.
"What else can I do?" Melody replied bitterly. "I can't let the shares fall into outsiders' hands."
She felt a pang of regret. She had groomed Juan all his life, only to see him ruined by Debra.
"Yes, please."
A staff member led Melody to the back, taking an elevator down to the underground vault.
The staff remembered Melody's usual chattiness about her collections, but this time, she was silent.
"Madam, what are you withdrawing today?" the staff asked, striking up a conversation.
"Everything," Melody replied.
The staff fell silent, understanding the implications. Clients who withdrew everything usually faced financial ruin.
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