I believe my Apple App Store Gift Card was compromised. What are my odds of receiving even a partial fund back?

TL; DR at the end.

I understand that apple isn't responsible for lost or stolen gift cards. I'm just here to ask if I have a chance to receive even a portion of the funds back from the gift card.

I took used iPhones and iPads to a legit apple store in Indianapolis, IN. I traded them in and could only receive funds to 2 App Store gift cards. I did not buy these 2 cards from a third party such as Target, Walmart, etc.

A certified Apple associate from a certified Apple store funded the cards with $110.00 each and handed them to me. The only person other than myself who knew I had the gift cards was my wife and my brother. With that said my brother only knew about 1 card, because we didn't need $220.00 of app store credit, and so we just gifted him one of the cards for his birthday. The other card was never redeemed, only known to my wife and me. Neither of us redeemed the second card.

I understand there's the chance my wife could have redeemed the card without my knowledge, but I highly doubt it. we checked each other's balances to see if maybe one of us redeemed it and forgot. plus, it was for $110.00 USD, and I control all of the purchases of our store funds/credits so if she did, I would have been able to see what she bought with it and what-not.

I also don't believe the apple associate would have handed me an "already redeemed" gift card. I could get behind the idea that maybe the associate mistakenly handed me a card that was not activated, but I find that highly unlikely as well because we were standing right next to the associate when trading in the devices and watch him fund those specific cards. Also, when I did try to redeem the gift card it stated the card was already redeemed rather than "this card hasn't been activated" or whatever it would say if you tried to redeem a card that was taken from a store and not paid for. I've never tried to do that so I don't know what it would say in that scenario, I'm just guessing.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, it's probably unlikely that someone just guessed the code on my card after we had activated the cards at the Apple store, but not necessarily impossible. Or maybe there's some software that can hack redeemed cards? I doubt it but I'm really just trying to think of anything at this point. So, is there any way that Apple would give me even a partial credit to the card? If I'm SOL then so be it, but there's no way that this is the first time it has ever happened to somebody, and I just want to know If you think I'd be able to get something back.

There are endless possibilities as to why the card was already redeemed. Even the possibility that I'm lying and just trying to get "Free credit" from Apple. So, I don't blame you if nobody believes me.

Obviously, Apple has no obligation to give me anything back, and if it comes down to that then It's whatever. I guess next time I'll just immediately redeem the card in the store right then and there.

Do you think my chances are even slightly good? I still have the original Gift Card that had the $110.00 and the receipt from the Apple store showing it was given to my account. basically, any and all proof of purchase I still have in possession. I would also like to think Apple is able to see that neither my wife nor my account redeemed the card. I would assume they have software that can detect when and where the card was redeemed or at the very least, the iCloud account that redeemed it. At least I'm hoping so because that's the only thing I can think of that would prove we never redeemed the card. I'm only speculating that someone else had redeemed it because that seems the most likely.

I was planning on using the $110 to pay for Apple Music and Apple TV or something since I couldn't get physical cash or Apple Pay Cash for those devices.

Thanks in advance. If you want to know anything else that maybe I haven't already mention in this straight up novel of a question, I'll be more than happy to answer.

TL; DR - I have reason to believe my Apple App Store Gift Card was hacked/stolen. Do I have any chance at all to get the funds back? I have proof of purchase, and the original gift card still and already put a ticket in with Apple Support. Just waiting to hear back but it was escalated, and we may not hear back for up to 10 days.

[Edited by Moderator]