Nic Chien says he found out about his parents’ separation from an Instagram comment

Nic Chien said he found out that his parents had split in a "terrible" way.

In his interview on Fast Talk with Boy Abunda, Nic, Lea Salonga and businessman Robert Chien's only child, revealed he was 14 when he learned that his parents had separated through a comment from his follower on Instagram.

“I had my own Instagram where I posted my artwork," he began. "Some ‘lovely person’ went to the comments and in all caps [said], ‘Nicole, I’m so sorry that your parents are divorced. God bless your mom. I’m so sorry,'” he recalled. 

“What the hell? I had no idea that they had split, and I don't know where they heard this from. I was bawling my eyes out, and my boyfriend at that time, and one of my best friends were asking, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” he added,

Nic added that he asked his father about it the next day, which the latter confirmed.

“I texted him, ‘What’s going on?’ and he said, ‘I’m very sorry you had found out like that. But yes, me and I are separated. We want you to know that it’s very hard. The conversation was long and very difficult for the both us. And it’s not your fault,'” he recalled, adding it was a long time coming.

Recalling his childhood, Nic said he noticed his parents weren’t very affectionate, which he initially thought was normal.

“Even as a kid, I had a feeling that my parents were not as affectionate with each other. I noticed that and I thought it was normal. That's all I knew. But when I see your friends' parents kiss each other, hold each other in certain ways and you see your parents don't really do that, you know,” he said. 

When asked by the "King of Talk" whether he ever asked about Lea's love life, he said, "I did speak to my mom about her having a boyfriend, but I don’t think she wants one," Nic said.