SuperStar

I received…" began Ethan, but his voice trailed off as he stared at his phone.

"I'm tired of this," his sister said, rolling her eyes as she marched over to grab the phone from his hand. "Give me that." However, when she glanced at the screen, her face went pale. Even she was rendered speechless.

Ethan finally managed to whisper, "$2,574,000."

"What's that, son?" his dad asked, leaning forward, his tone cautious.

"I earned $2.5 million dollars, Dad," Ethan said, still in disbelief.

"What?" his mom screamed, rushing over. "That can't be real! Are you sure, Ethan?" She frantically waved her hands as if to snap everyone back to reality.

His dad sank into the nearest chair, staring into space as the reality of his son's earnings settled over him. The entire family sat in stunned silence, processing what they had just heard, until Ethan's phone buzzed again.

Grabbing it back from his sister, he answered the call with shaky hands. "Hello, Bill?" His voice cracked as he tried to sound composed.

"Hello, Ethan! How are you holding up?" Bill's voice came through, calm but with a hint of pride.

"Hey, Bill… I think there's been a mistake," Ethan said quickly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"A mistake? What kind of mistake?" Bill asked, his tone immediately alert.

"I think you sent me the wrong sum."

Bill laughed. "No, Ethan, that's the right amount. I double-checked everything."

"But Bill…" Ethan hesitated, glancing at his family, "you sent me 2.5 million dollars." He whispered the last part, as though saying it louder would make it disappear.

"Yes, Ethan. That's your money—all earned by you," Bill said reassuringly. "And there's more to come if you keep up this pace. Of course," he added with a chuckle, "you'll need to pay your taxes, but even after that, you should still be able to keep at least a mil."

Ethan blinked, the weight of the conversation pressing down on him. It felt surreal.

"Welcome to the millionaire's club," Bill said, his voice brimming with satisfaction. "You've earned it." And with that, he hung up, giving Ethan the space to process what had just happened.

Ethan stared at the phone, his heart pounding. "It's real," his mom muttered, tears welling up in her eyes. "My son—my baby boy—just earned over a million dollars."

His dad broke from his daze and walked over, pulling Ethan into a tight hug. "Son, this is unbelievable. Congratulations. You've done something incredible."

His mom and sister joined the hug, their emotions pouring out. They clung to Ethan, laughing and crying in a tangled mess of pride and disbelief.

After the group hug, they all sat back down in the living room, still stunned. Just a few days ago, Ethan had been a college dropout, doubting his choices and his future. Now, he was a millionaire. It felt like a dream—one he was terrified to wake up from.

"You'll need to pay your taxes, son," his dad said after a long moment of silence. The practical part of him was starting to kick in. "You don't want any trouble with the IRS."

"Wait," his sister interjected, tilting her head. "Do you even have to pay taxes on YouTube earnings?"

"I'm not sure," Ethan replied, speaking for the first time in minutes. His voice was still distant.

"Yes, you do," his dad confirmed, nodding gravely. "I've seen enough stories about people getting into trouble because they didn't pay taxes. Bill even mentioned it during the call, didn't he?"

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, he did."

After a bit of online research, the family confirmed that taxes were indeed required for YouTube earnings. "We need a professional to help," his dad said firmly.

Ethan nodded again and sent a quick message to Bill, asking for the contact information of the tax expert he had mentioned earlier. Within minutes, Bill responded with the number.

Ethan stared at the contact for a moment before dialing. The phone rang twice before a voice answered. "Hello, this is Ian Roberts. How can I help you?"

"Hi, this is Ethan Jones," Ethan began nervously. "Bill Miller gave me your number. I need help managing my funds and paying taxes on YouTube earnings."

Ian chuckled warmly. "Ah, yes. Bill told me to expect your call. Congratulations, Ethan. You've had an incredible start to your career. Let's make sure everything is in order so you can enjoy your success without any hiccups."

"Thank you," Ethan replied, feeling slightly more at ease. After a detailed conversation, they agreed on a plan for Ian to handle his taxes and financial matters.

When the call ended, Ethan leaned back with a deep sigh. "It's all sorted," he told his family.

"What did he say?" his mom asked, still hovering nervously.

"He said he'll handle all the money matters, including my taxes," Ethan replied, finally managing a small smile.

"Good," his dad said, nodding approvingly. "You've got to stay on top of this, son. Money is a blessing, but it can become a curse if you're not careful."

Ethan nodded. His dad's words carried weight, and he took them seriously.

The family spent the rest of the evening in a state of quiet celebration. They laughed, reminisced, and marveled at how quickly Ethan's life had changed. His sister joked about how she could finally brag about her "rich brother" to her friends, while his mom kept wiping tears from her eyes, unable to stop smiling.

As the night wore on, Ethan found himself sitting alone in the living room after everyone had gone to bed. The enormity of what had happened finally hit him. He was a millionaire. Not just in theory, but in reality. He pulled up his bank app again and stared at the number on the screen. It was still there—$2,574,000.

He thought back to all the struggles he had faced. The self-doubt, the fear of failure, the constant questions about whether he had made the right choices. And now, here he was, holding proof that his dreams were worth chasing.

Ethan leaned back, closed his eyes, and smiled. This was just the beginning.