I am 69 years old, and my son sends money every month—but I never receive a single cent. When I quietly checked, the footage at the bank left the whole family in shock…

I am 69 now, my hair almost entirely gray. After my husband passed away, I lived with my eldest son and his wife in their small countryside home. My youngest son, Hung, went abroad for work. Since moving there, he called home every month to check in and said:

“Don’t worry, Mom. Every month I’ll send money to the account in your name for your living expenses and retirement.”

Hearing him say that, I felt relieved. But strangely, for nearly a year, I hadn’t received a single cent. My life continued solely on my meager pension.

Whenever I asked, my eldest daughter-in-law would brush it off:

“You’re old, Mom. You don’t need to spend much. Leave the money to us; we’ll take care of you.”

Her words sounded dutiful, but deep inside, I felt something was wrong.

One day, I called Hung directly:

“Are you having trouble sending the money? I haven’t received anything.”

On the other end, Hung was surprised:

“How could that happen, Mom? I send it every month to your account, and the bank even calls to confirm a few days later. You should check again.”

Hearing that, my legs went weak. The money had been sent regularly, but I never received it. So where had it gone?

The next day, I quietly went to the bank to request a statement. The staff checked, then softly said:

“Your account is credited every month. But afterward, all the money is withdrawn from the ATM.”

I was stunned. I had never even used an ATM in my life. Who could have done this?

I requested the bank to extract the CCTV footage. When the screen appeared, I collapsed into the chair: the person withdrawing the money was my eldest daughter-in-law. She stood calmly in front of the ATM, taking out stacks of cash, her expression cold and emotionless.

I took all the documents and images home. That evening, I called my eldest son and his wife together. Placing the stack of papers on the table, I said:

“This is the money Hung has sent me over the past year—but I never received any of it. Look at this for yourselves.”

My eldest son opened the footage, his eyes wide as he saw his wife on the ATM camera. He turned to her, voice trembling:

“Y-you… you really did this?”

My daughter-in-law dropped to her knees, bursting into tears:

“I’m sorry, Mom… I’m sorry, Husband. I was greedy… I saw Hung sending so much money, and Mom lives frugally, spending almost nothing. I was afraid Mom would save it all for Hung when he returns, while we are still struggling. I… I took the money.”

Hearing her confession, my heart ached—not because of the money, but because of the betrayal of trust.

My eldest son shouted angrily:

“How could you not respect Mom at all!”

I stepped in, tears streaming down my face:

“Enough, children. Money can be earned again, but if the family falls apart, that pain lasts. I only hope you live honestly, and don’t let greed make you lose your sense of right and wrong.”

The atmosphere in the house was so heavy that everyone fell silent. My daughter-in-law kept her head bowed, sobbing uncontrollably. My eldest son buried his face in his hands, ashamed and heartbroken.

The next day, she returned all the money she had taken and promised never to do it again. I accepted it, but the unease in my heart remained. The footage from the bank that day would forever be a scar in my heart—a scar of betrayal, a lesson that money can change people’s hearts.

I do not blame her, but I will not forget. I understand now that the most valuable thing is not the money Hung sends, but sincerity and family love. Once greed clouds the heart, everything can collapse.