Chapter 34: 33
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After arriving home from California, Ben walked into the living room where his family was waiting. His mother was seated on the couch, his sister sprawled out on the floor with a book. Ben's father had just walked in from the kitchen.
"Well," Ben said, trying to sound nonchalant, "we did it. The deal's done. We're officially billionaires."
His mother's face lit up with joy, and she immediately rushed to hug him. "Oh, Ben! Congratulations! I'm so proud of you."
His sister looked up from her book, her eyebrows raised. "Wait, so... does that mean we're rich?"
Ben smirked. "Not just rich. We're super, super rich."
His sister grinned. "Finally! I can stop asking for allowance increases!"
Everyone laughed, and Ben's smile softened as he glanced at his parents. A thought crossed his mind: In my previous life, I had a decent life. My parents always worked hard to give me what I needed, but I saw them tirelessly sacrificing for my future. In this life, I won't let them do that.
Snapping back to the moment, Ben clapped his hands together. "Okay, here's the plan. To celebrate, we're going out for dinner tonight—no arguments!"
His mother hesitated. "Ben, are you sure? An expensive restaurant... that's—"
"Nope!" Ben interrupted. "Don't even think about it, Mom. Tonight's on me. I'm calling the shots!"
His father chuckled. "Well, if you insist, billionaire."
Ben turned to his mother again. "Oh, can I invite Peter and Aunt May? It wouldn't feel right without them."
His mother smiled warmly. "Of course, you should. Call them now."
At the Restaurant
The family arrived at one of the most upscale restaurants in the city, the kind of place where the chandeliers sparkled like diamonds and the menu didn't have prices. Peter and Aunt May joined them, Peter looking slightly out of place in the grand surroundings.
"Wow," Peter whispered to Ben as they walked inside. "This place probably costs more than my rent."
Ben laughed. "Relax, Peter. Tonight's about celebrating. Order whatever you want."
They were seated at a large table with plush chairs and a stunning view of the city skyline. The waiter handed them elegant menus, and Ben's sister whispered to their mother, "How come the menu doesn't have prices?"
Her mother whispered back, "Because when you eat here, you're supposed to know you can afford it."
Ben overheard and smirked. "Don't worry about the prices, just order what looks good. I've got this."
The family started enjoying themselves, chatting and joking while waiting for their food. Peter and Ben's sister teased each other about what to order, while Aunt May looked touched to be included in such a special occasion.
Recognized at the Restaurant
As the appetizers arrived, a waiter lingered nearby, looking nervous. Finally, he approached. "Excuse me," he said hesitantly. "Are you... Ben Tennyson?"
Ben set down his fork and smiled. "That's me."
The waiter's face lit up. "Wow, I'm a huge fan of your work—Twitter, Instagram... it's amazing what you've done. Would it be okay if we got a picture together?"
Ben glanced at his family, who smiled encouragingly, and Peter gave him a thumbs-up. "Sure, no problem," Ben said, standing up.
As he posed for the photo, a few other staff members gathered around. Even a couple of kids nearby whispered excitedly, pointing at Ben and Peter. They snapped a few photos, thanking Ben profusely.
When Ben sat back down, he grinned at Peter. "Just a perk of being famous for my work."
Suddenly, one of the kids nearby, a boy about ten years old, pointed at Ben and said loudly, "Mom! Isn't that the boy who's a shoe-thrower?"
The entire table froze for a moment, and then Ben almost slipped out of his chair in shock. "Oh, come on!" he muttered, his face red.
His sister smirked, leaning forward with a mischievous grin. "Yeah, I can definitely see the 'famous for your work' part."
The whole table erupted into laughter, even Aunt May chuckling at Ben's embarrassment.
Ben rubbed his temples, trying not to laugh himself. "I'm never living that down, am I?"
His father patted him on the back. "Not anytime soon, son. But hey, at least you're memorable!"
As the main courses arrived, the laughter continued, and the family savored the meal. They talked about his plans for the future.
As they piled into the car, his sister leaned over to whisper, "By the way, I think you should trademark 'shoe-thrower.' It's got a nice ring to it."
Ben groaned, but he couldn't stop smiling.
As the car hummed softly along the road, Ben leaned back in his seat, gazing out at the city lights flickering past. His family was still buzzing from the evening's events, chatting excitedly about the restaurant experience and their first taste of Ben's new life as a billionaire.
His mother turned to him, a warm smile on her face. "That was a wonderful dinner, Ben. Thank you. I never thought we'd ever get to experience something like this."
Ben smiled back, but there was a spark in his eyes—something he'd been holding back all night. "Well, Mom," he began, "there's actually... more."
His father glanced at him curiously from the front seat. "More? What are you talking about, son?"
Ben took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "So, you know how I've been... working a lot lately? Making deals, doing all this big business stuff?"
His sister piped up from the backseat, "Uh, yeah. You only talk about it all the time."
Ben smirked at her before turning his attention back to his parents. "Well, there's something I haven't told you guys yet. I've been planning a surprise for you."
His mother's eyebrows furrowed in curiosity. "A surprise? What kind of surprise?"
Ben grinned, unable to hold it in any longer. "We're moving. Tomorrow."
The car went silent for a moment, and then his father chuckled. "What do you mean, 'we're moving'? To where?"
"To a new house. A big mansion," Ben said, excitement creeping into his voice. "I've been working with a real estate agent for the past month. The house is huge—big enough for all of us to live comfortably. You'll finally have all the space you need, Mom. Dad, you'll have a home office. And... I'll have a lab. A proper lab where I can work on all my projects without having to squeeze into the garage."
His mother's jaw dropped slightly, her hand going to her chest. "Ben, are you serious? You've already bought a house?"
Ben nodded. "Yep. I've been keeping it a secret because I wanted it to be perfect before I told you guys. The agent's been handling everything—the furniture, the decorations, all the little details. Everything's ready now. We can move in tomorrow."
His sister leaned forward, wide-eyed. "Wait, wait, wait. A mansion? Like, a real mansion? Does it have a pool?"
Ben laughed. "It has two pools. One indoors, one outdoors."
She gasped. "Okay, I'm officially impressed."
His father turned around in his seat to look at Ben more closely. "Son, this is... incredible. But a mansion? Are you sure? I mean, this sounds like a huge step."
Ben nodded earnestly. "I know it's a lot, but I've thought it through. You guys have always worked so hard, always put me and my sister first. I always wished I could've done more for you. This is my chance to make sure you don't have to work tirelessly anymore. You deserve this. We all do."
His mother's eyes glistened, and she reached over to hold his hand. "Oh, Ben. You're the most thoughtful son anyone could ask for. But you didn't have to do all this for us."
"I wanted to," Ben said firmly. "This is for us. A new chapter, a fresh start."
His sister grinned. "So, when do we get to see it?"
"Tomorrow morning," Ben said. "We'll pack up the essentials tonight, and the movers will take care of the rest. By lunchtime, we'll be settling into our new home."
His father leaned back, shaking his head in disbelief. "A mansion... I never thought I'd live to see the day."
"You'll love it, Dad. It's got everything—a home theater, a massive kitchen, a library for Mom, a game room for my sister..." Ben smirked. "... and a state-of-the-art lab for me."
His sister gasped. "A game room? Okay, this just keeps getting better. I'm packing my stuff the second we get home!"
His mother shook her head in amazement. "Ben, I don't even know what to say. You've thought of everything."
Ben smiled softly. "I just wanted to give back to you guys for everything you've done for me. You've always put us first, Mom, Dad. Now it's my turn."
His father chuckled, though his voice was tinged with emotion. "Well, son, you've certainly outdone yourself. I don't know how we're going to top this."
"You don't have to top it," Ben said. "Just enjoy it. This is for all of us to live the kind of life we deserve."
As the car pulled into the driveway of their current home, his family climbed out, still buzzing with excitement about what the next day would bring. Ben stayed back for a moment, leaning against the car and looking at the house they'd called home for years.
It wasn't perfect, but it had been full of memories. Ben smiled to himself, knowing that this was the start of something even better—not just for him, but for his whole family.
"Come on, Ben!" his sister called from the door. "I need to know if I have my own bathroom! Does the mansion have that?"
Ben laughed, jogging to catch up. "Yes, it does. And trust me, you're going to love it."
His mother put an arm around him as they walked inside. "We already do, Ben. Thank you."