Chapter 17: The beginning

"I am rich," Ethan thought as the words echoed in his head. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling in disbelief. The first thing he'd done that morning was check his bank account. There it was—$2,574,000 staring back at him.

"It's real," he whispered, a grin spreading across his face. "I can't believe this."

Ethan headed downstairs, his steps light with excitement. The smell of breakfast filled the air as he saw his mom cooking in the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom. Good morning," he greeted her cheerfully.

"Morning, dear. Your dad wants to talk to you. He's in the room," she replied, giving him a knowing look.

Ethan raised an eyebrow but nodded and headed to his parents' bedroom. Opening the door, he stopped short. His dad was seated at a cluttered desk, papers scattered everywhere. His hair was a mess, his eyes darkened from what looked like hours of restless nights.

"Dad? What's going on?"

"$1,306,355," his father muttered, not looking up.

"What?" Ethan asked, stepping closer.

"$1,306,355," his dad repeated, his voice firm. "That's how much you owe in taxes, son."

Ethan froze, his excitement evaporating. "What? No way!" He grabbed at the papers on the desk, trying to make sense of the numbers scrawled across them.

"It's true," his father said grimly, leaning back in his chair.

"That's… that's insane!" Ethan stammered. "So all of that money just goes to the government?"

"Yeah," his dad sighed, his voice heavy. "It's all Uncle Sam's now."

Still in shock, Ethan pulled out his phone and dialed Ian Roberts, his financial advisor. When Ian confirmed his dad's calculations, the weight of the situation hit him fully.

"That's how it is, Ethan. You're in California, where taxes are higher than most places," Ian explained over the phone.

"Well, thanks for the confirmation," Ethan muttered before hanging up.

His sister, who had overheard the call, walked into the room. "So they just take half the money? Seriously?"

"Pretty much," Ethan replied with a heavy sigh.

"Why are you all so gloomy?" their dad interjected, his tone lighter now. "Look at the bright side—you still have $1,267,645 left."

"Exactly," their mom added, joining the conversation. She wiped her hands on her apron and leaned against the doorway. "Two days ago, you had what—thirty dollars in your account?"

His sister burst out laughing, but Ethan scowled. "Not funny, Mom."

"I'm serious," she said with a teasing smile. "Two days ago, you were still depending on Mom and Dad. Now you're a millionaire. I'm so proud of you."

She pulled him into a warm hug, and Ethan couldn't help but relax a little.

"Yeah, you're right," he admitted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I guess I can finally pay off my phone."

His mom laughed. "That's the spirit! This is just the beginning, Ethan. You've got so much ahead of you."

May 20, 2021

The streets of Hilversum, Netherlands, were quiet as a young man stood outside a sleek, modern building. The bold letters on the façade read: Universal Music Group.

Dressed in a tailored suit, he adjusted his tie and took a deep breath. He had come so far from that morning in his parents' home. His journey had been a whirlwind, from disbelief over his sudden wealth to navigating the challenges of his newfound success.

"Ethan, they're ready for you," called out a assistant coming from the building, a clipboard in hand as she approached.

"Coming," he replied, his voice steady. Yes the young man was Ethan Jones the music sensation who has taken the world by storm during the lockdown period

As he stepped through the towering glass doors, he couldn't help but think back to how this all happened what circumstances brought him to this, standing in front of the biggest label in the world.