Kiana held it to her ear.
“Ms. Sterling. Hello.”
She choked mid‑sob.
“You… This is all your fault.”
“I’m at fault for protecting my own money?”
Kiana chuckled softly.
“Interesting logic.”
“You set us up on purpose.”
“You set yourselves up when you decided to steal my money. I simply took precautions.”
“I… I didn’t mean to steal. It was a misunderstanding.”
“Of course,” Kiana said calmly, almost mockingly. “You just accidentally drove to the ATM late at night with my card and my PIN. A pure coincidence.”
Ms. Sterling gasped with indignation.
“You… you’re heartless. My Social Security is small. I have nothing to live on, and you have over a hundred thousand just sitting there. You could have helped.”
“I could have,” Kiana agreed. “If you had asked me like a human being. Instead you tried to rob me in the middle of the night, conspiring with my husband.”
Silence.
Then her mother‑in‑law spoke softer, almost pleadingly.
