Sugar sugar baby

[13] Breaking the news

I stood in the kitchen, trying to find the right words to break the news. My mom was at the sink, finishing up the dishes from dinner, and my dad sat at the table, flipping through the TV channels with his usual laid-back air. They had no idea what was coming, and honestly, I wasn't sure how to say it without them freaking out.

I cleared my throat, feeling my stomach twist with nerves. "Mom, Dad... I, uh... I need to tell you something."

My mom, a sharp-eyed Chinese woman who could sense any hesitation in my voice, turned around, holding a plate in her hand. "What is it, Tristan?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look nervous."

My dad looked up from the TV, his eyes flicking between me and my mom. "Yeah, kid, what's going on?"

I took a deep breath, deciding to just rip the band-aid off. "I'm... I'm dating someone."

My mom's eyes lit up instantly, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Oh! Really? That's wonderful, Tristan! Who is she? Where is she from?"

My dad raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but less reactive. "Finally, huh? Took you long enough."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to drop the bombshell. "It's... it's Vanessa."

There was a moment of silence as they both processed what I'd just said. My mom's smile froze on her face, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tried to figure out if she had heard me correctly. My dad, however, looked confused.

"Vanessa? Vanessa who?" my mom asked, still holding the plate in her hand.

"Vanessa Reed," I said quietly, my face heating up.

The plate slipped out of my mom's hands and crashed onto the kitchen floor, shattering into pieces. Her eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open in shock. My dad, on the other hand, just sat there with his jaw practically on the floor, his TV remote still in his hand but forgotten.

"Vanessa Reed?" my mom repeated, her voice high-pitched and disbelieving. "The billionaire Vanessa Reed? The CEO?"

I nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. "Yeah... that Vanessa."

My mom stared at me like I had just told her I was marrying the Queen of England. "How—how are you dating her?" she asked, her voice incredulous. "You're her assistant! How did this happen?"

"It just... happened," I said awkwardly, rubbing the back of my neck. "We've been spending a lot of time together for work, and things just kind of... developed."

My dad finally found his voice, shaking his head in disbelief. "Hold on a minute," he said, leaning forward in his chair. "Are you telling me you're dating the Vanessa Reed? The woman we see on TV? The woman who owns half the companies in the country?"

"Yes, Dad," I said, feeling more embarrassed by the second. "That Vanessa."

My mom's shock slowly gave way to something else—pure, unadulterated excitement. Her eyes lit up again, and she clasped her hands together, her smile returning full force. "Oh my god, Tristan!" she practically squealed. "This is amazing! Do you know what this means? Do you know what kind of life this could be for you? For us?"

My dad looked at her, his shock turning into a mix of disbelief and curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

My mom ignored him, too caught up in her own fantasy. "Think about it! Vanessa Reed is a billionaire! A billionaire! If you're dating her, Tristan, that means you could be living in mansions, flying in private jets, going on luxury vacations!" Her eyes were practically sparkling as she went on. "You could marry her! Oh my god, you could marry her!"