It's Alison Braithwaite's 40th birthday and she receives a gift that will change her life forever: her youngest daughter, Charlotte, buys her a lottery ticket in which she wins the jackpot of £38 million. Overwhelmed at the prospect of being a multimillionaire, Alison decides to withhold the truth from her family for the time being and attempts to put the money to good use by setting up a charity.

Alison continues to keep silent about her lottery win and decides to set up the "Jane Crowther Trust". Virginia moves back home after being 'sent down' from university and admits her love for her next-door neighbour. David's affair with secretary Elaine begins to develop. Alison's aunt dies and when she is left some money, she hears how her family selfishly argues over it, and is prompted to keep

The Trust is making progress and Alison is closer than ever to telling her family the truth. David begins to worry that his infidelity could soon be exposed. Sarah is a success in her school play, but she finds herself in trouble for revealing her true feelings for her teacher in a poem. Virginia is attacked and mugged and later comes out to her mother that she is a lesbian, while Alison confides

Alison realizes that she made a mistake in telling Virginia about the money when she starts to spend it recklessly. Sarah goes off the rails and runs off with her neighbour. David's affair could soon come to light when more people become aware of his secret.

David decides to leave Elaine for good, but will she confess their secret affair to Alison? A journalist breaks into Alison's office and she attempts to bribe him off in order to keep her lottery win quiet. Megan returns to visit a depressed Mike.

Virginia is relieved when the journalist turns up alive. Tamsin reveals her true feelings for Virginia. Sarah decides to have an abortion, but has second thoughts at the last minute.