Chapter 1

I stared at the numbers on the Powerball ticket, then at the numbers on the TV screen. They matched. All of them.

$150 million.

My first thought wasn't about champagne or sports cars. It was a single, overwhelming feeling: I can finally quit.

For twenty years, I' d been Sarah, the Silicon Valley project manager. The 42-year-old unmarried, childless workhorse from rural Nebraska who made it big. The one who sent money home every month without fail. The one who paid for my parents' house in Omaha, my sister' s car, and my nephew' s entire existence.

I was their walking ATM. And I was burned out.

The demanding deadlines, the endless meetings, the pressure to perform-it had hollowed me out. The lottery win wasn't just money; it was an escape hatch.

I typed my resignation email on the spot, my hands shaking slightly. I didn't give two weeks' notice. I just hit send. A wave of relief washed over me, so powerful it almost brought me to my knees. I was done.

My plan was simple: go home to Omaha. Live a quiet life. Maybe buy a small house, plant a garden. I hadn't lived there since I was 18, but it was still "home" in my mind.

I called my mom, Mary.

"Mom, I have some news. I'm coming home."

"Oh? For how long? Did you get vacation time?" Her voice was flat, distracted.

"Permanently. I quit my job."

Silence. Then, "You what? Sarah, what about the money? Your father and I..."

"Don't worry about the money, Mom. I'll be there in time for Cody's graduation dinner. I have a big gift for him."

The mention of a gift seemed to placate her. "Oh. Well, that's nice. We'll see you then. Drive safe."

The call ended. No "Congratulations on retiring," no "Are you okay?" Just a flicker of panic about the money, then interest in a gift.

It was a familiar feeling. But this time, something was different. This time, I held all the cards. I just didn't know it yet.