Chapter 147

Five million dollars.

The staggering amount made William Langley's vision darken. After thirty years of teaching, his bank account had never held more than five figures.

Evelyn twisted her fingers. "I've saved some money over the years."

Victoria looked up sharply. "How?"

Evelyn knew she couldn't hide it. The neighborhood gossip must have reached her mother's ears.

"Every penny was earned honestly."

It was the truth.

When Nathan Evans had chosen her over his family, his furious father Vincent Evans had frozen all his assets.

At their lowest point, they'd squeezed into a damp basement. When Nathan decided to start his own business, she began saving aggressively.

By chance, she landed a product testing job at a biotech firm. One day, inspiration struck—she wrote a data analysis program.

The company offered $500,000 to buy it. Nathan negotiated the deal up to $2 million.

That money became Nathan's seed funding. Two years later, his company went public.

On IPO day, he handed her a check. "Half of this is yours."

Five million in cash, plus a prime piece of real estate.

She'd laughed it off then. "What would I do with all that?"

"Be my little sugar mama." He'd stuffed the documents into a drawer. "I never take back what I give."

Later, when their fights became constant, she never touched that money. Not until she decided to leave.

Now it struck her—if Nathan had truly wanted to marry her, he would have given company shares, not easily severable cash.

She took the money with a clear conscience. She just preferred her parents not know this history.

Victoria sensed her daughter's evasion but accepted the assurance about the money's origins.

"So we're really moving into a villa?" Victoria's eyes sparkled.

Evelyn nodded. "Tonight. It's fully furnished—just pack clothes."

"Koi pond in front, flower garden in back."

William rubbed his hands excitedly. "How big?"

"As many flowers as you want. You can order seeds now."

"Placing the order!" William pulled out his phone. "Wisteria trellis first, then hydrangeas. When they bloom, that'll show old Sherman!"

Sherman was his colleague and fellow gardening enthusiast who'd been bragging about his balcony garden since moving to a condo.