Mr. Villain's Lovely Wife

Chapter 23

“I know these people are greedy. These damn banks go around freezing your account, thinking they own your money!” Amalia cursed as Izzy pulled into the parking spot at Heritage Capital Trust, the bank that held most of Izzy’s money, “I told you, Izzy, you should talk to that lawyer of yours and suggest she move your bank somewhere else. This is getting ridiculous.”

Izzy didn’t say a word. For the past few years, Amalia and Monica had been trying to convince her to switch banks, but her late grandfather trusted Heritage Capital. Moreover, it was hard for Izzy to make the change because of Maria. If it were easy, she would have already listened to her aunt and cousin to void problems like this.

“I will talk to her about it,” Izzy said calmly.

“Right, earlier, I was walking around and I think I found a cake shop that does really huge, high–tier cakes. I’m thinking of a five–foot cake with-”

“I’m actually not a big fan, Aunt. It’s fine, a small one will do.”

“But Monica likes them! Surely, you wouldn’t take this away from your cousin, right?” Amalia turned her head toward Izzy, her eyes gleaming with excitement, then whipped out her phone and practically shoved it into Izzy’s face. “Look! This one is absolutely stunning. Elegant and towering! It’s perfect for you–just imagine the entrance it would make! You know it’s your birthday, right?”

“I’m driving,” Izzy frowned as she tried to move her aunt’s hand away.

However, her aunt simply ignored her as she continued. “We need something grand, something that screams fabulous. Fm sure you’ll love it once you see it. And their reviews–oh, their reviews!” Amalia scrolled furiously, her eyes widening. “Apparently, some A–list celebrity just ordered from them for her daughter’s debutante, no less! The cake was practically a piece of art! I could arrange a meeting for a taste test, Izzy. Just think about it—a cake that would make everyone at that party remember it for years. This-

“Shall we go to the bank before it closes?” Izzy interrupted Amalia. A part of her was already annoyed by this birthday talk. The other part really wanted to know what surprise Lawyer Maria had for her.

Izzy parked her car and glanced at the stone facade of Heritage Capital Trust, one of the oldest banks in the country. Heritage was known for its discretion, security, and meticulous adherence to policy–qualities her grandfather had deeply valued. The bank wasn’t flashy; it exuded a sense of quiet, dignified power. Generations of old families had trusted Heritage to hold their fortunes, and its reputation was impeccable.

As they walked through the grand double doors, Izzy noted the high ceilings and dark mahogany accents. It looked beautiful. A plaque near the entrance read: Heritage Capital Trust, Established 1873.

An employee greeted them the moment they entered, her smile polite and professional. “Welcome to Heritage Capital Trust. How may I assist you?”

“We’d like to see the bank manager. We’re VIP clients,” Amalia interjected before Izzy could respond. The employee’s brow lifted slightly, but she nodded and gestured toward a comfortable seating area near the bank’s atrium.

“Please, make yourselves comfortable. I’ll let him know you’re here.”

As soon as they were seated, Amalia started up again. “This bank is absurd. Why on earth would they freeze access to someone with your assets? You’ve got millions here, Izzy, yet they can’t stop themselves from making things difficult at every turn.”

Izzy crossed her legs, only half–listening. She’d heard this tirade before, and it wasn’t the first time Amalia had used card troubles as an excuse to push for more access to Izzy’s accounts.

rearranged the scarf around her neck. “You know, Izzy, this wouldn’t happen if we had an account set up

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Chapter 28

handle things without the bank acting like we’re

noting the forced smile and calculated look in her eyes. “Aunt Amalia, there’s really no

I had access to a small family account–nothing major–1 could handle the little things, you know? Groceries, occasional shopping for Monica, maybe

had floated the idea of a “family” account more than once, under the guise of convenience. She took a steadying breath and said, “I appreciate

to be practical, Izzy. You have to

approached them.

immediately got up, interrupting the manager. “I am Amalia Swan, and I would like to know why my credit cards

“Shall we talk in my office instead?” Lyle led them to an office and closed the

for them to sit as he moved behind his desk. He opened a

see your identification and account

moment, a small flash of annoyance crossing her face. “I don’t have an account in my name here. I am here on behalf of my niece, Isabella Rossi.”

slightly. “I see,” he said calmly, maintaining his professional smile. “In that case, may I see Ms. Rossi’s

for her to hand over her ID. Izzy obliged, reaching into

it, studied it briefly, and then began typing into his computer. After a few moments, he paused, his gaze lingering on the screen

this whole charade of freezing assets is absurd. Banks think they can control people’s money as if it’s theirs

up, his expression neutral. “At Heritage Capital, we take the utmost care in ensuring our clients‘ security and privacy. Our processes are designed to protect clients, not to

smirk faltered. She crossed her arms, scoffing. “Protect, you say? It sounds more like an excuse to cause trouble for your clients over nothing. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. If this keeps up, you’re going

to avoid risks, particularly for accounts as significant as Ms. Rossi’s. We do not enact freezes or account restrictions without

opened her mouth to interject, but he continued

clients, which is why we ensure no action

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Chapter 23

be hard–pressed to