He Stole My $50 Million Lottery Chapter 1

I won the $50 million lottery. But when I went to deposit the money at the bank where my fiancé, Wayne, was the manager, the teller suddenly screamed, “There’s a problem with the money! Security!”

Wayne rushed over and grabbed my hand in front of everyone. “Ava, the source of these funds is questionable. The bank has to freeze the account temporarily. Just cooperate and go home. I’ll call you.”

In my past life, I believed him. Not wanting to cause him trouble, I went home obediently and waited.

But the only thing that came for me was a police summons. Wayne and that teller had conspired to steal every last cent of my money, then framed me by claiming it was the proceeds of a scam. In the end, with my reputation destroyed, I lit a charcoal stove in my tiny apartment and let the despair swallow me whole.

My soul drifted aimlessly through the lavish villa they bought with my money. I heard Wayne say to the teller, “That idiot really thought I loved her? Trading her luck for our lifetime of luxury… I’d say she died a worthy death.”

I opened my eyes again, and I was back in that moment, with Wayne’s hand gripping mine.

This time, I smiled, nodded, and pushed the money back across the counter.

Let’s see who dies a worthy death.

* * *

The smile on my face made Wayne flinch.

His grip on my wrist tightened, as if trying to decipher something from my expression.

He would find nothing.

The me from my past life would have been a panicked, pale-faced wreck right now, looking at him helplessly, clinging to him as my only lifeline.

But now, I simply pulled my hand free. I took the bank card holding the fifty-million-dollar prize, along with my ID, and pushed them back across the counter.

Right in front of the teller, Mia.

“Deposit,” I said. My voice was quiet but clear, easily heard by the curious onlookers whose ears had perked up.

A flash of panic crossed Mia’s eyes. She glanced at Wayne, silently pleading for help.

Wayne recovered quickly, his voice softening. “Ava, please, don't make this difficult. I know you’re excited about the money, but we have to follow procedure. Go home first, and I promise I’ll call you the second this is sorted.”

He reached for my hand again, trying to pull me away from the unfolding scene.

I sidestepped his grasp.

“Mr. Thorne,” I used his formal title deliberately, creating a chasm between us. “If we’re talking about procedure, then let’s follow it. If the bank suspects an issue and needs to freeze my funds, fine. But I’ll need an official written notice. It should state the reason for the freeze, the duration, and it must be signed and stamped by an authorized bank official, correct?”

A deep line formed between Wayne’s brows. He never expected the woman who had always been so compliant to suddenly become this difficult.

The crowd in the lobby was growing, their whispers turning into a low murmur.

“She doesn’t look like a criminal…”

“Fifty million dollars! My God, no wonder the bank is on edge.”

“But they can’t just seize her money without a proper reason, can they? That’s not right.”

The rising tide of chatter made Wayne’s face darken. He knew a public scene would destroy his plan.

Mia, from behind the counter, grew agitated. Her voice turned shrill. “We suspect the funds are related to money laundering! This is for your own good. What if you’re being used by a criminal organization? Wayne is just trying to protect you!”

She called him “Wayne” with such practiced intimacy, her eyes, when they met mine, were filled with a smug, defiant glee.

I looked at her coldly. “Miss, I am discussing official bank protocol with the manager. May I ask your position? Are you authorized to declare a transaction as suspected money laundering on behalf of the bank? Or does your relationship with Mr. Thorne allow you to overstep your authority and make decisions for him?”

My words were a slap across her face.

Her cheeks flushed a blotchy red, and she stammered, unable to form a coherent reply.

And Wayne, hearing me call out their relationship, his gaze turned to ice.

He finally realized it. I wasn't the same woman he knew.