Chapter 147: The Staggering Amount Made Daniel Whitmore's Vision Darken

Five million dollars.

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

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

Helen looked up sharply. "How?"

Clara 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 Grant Holloway had chosen her over his family, his furious father Theodore Holloway had frozen all his assets.

At their lowest point, they'd squeezed into a damp basement. When Grant 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. Grant negotiated the deal up to $2 million.

That money became Grant'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 Grant 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.

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

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

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

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

Daniel rubbed his hands excitedly. "How big?"

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

"Placing the order!" Daniel 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.