cried on her shoulder for several minutes while she stroked my hair and repeated over and over:
“Calm down, friend. We’re going to fix this. You are not going to be left with nothing. I promise you.”
When I finally calmed down enough to speak clearly, Rebecca took my face in her hands and looked me directly in the eyes.
“Now, listen to me very carefully. I know you are shattered. I know you feel like your world has ended, but we can’t let ourselves be ruled by emotions. We have to be smart, strategic. Robert and that viper Sarah think they have you in their hands, but we are going to show them they were completely wrong.”
She was right. Tears and pain weren’t going to give me back my money, nor were they going to make Robert face the consequences of his actions. I needed a plan. I
needed to act with a clear head and a guarded heart.
“The first thing you have to do,” Rebecca continued with that practical tone I admired so much in her, “is go to the bank first thing tomorrow morning. You need to talk to someone you trust, someone who can help you understand exactly what moves were made in your account, and if there’s any way to reverse them or block the money. Do you know anyone at the bank who can help you?”
I thought for a moment and remembered Sebastian, the manager of the branch where I had kept my accounts for more than twenty years. He had always been kind and professional with me, and most importantly, he knew my financial history perfectly.
“Sebastian,” I finally said. “The manager of the main branch. He’s known me for years. He knows I’ve always been careful with my money.
