CH: 4 Unexpected Meeting and Unexpected Changes

CH: 4 Unexpected Meeting and Unexpected Changes

Henry settled on a Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 in sleek black, a choice influenced by its appealing aesthetics and the advantage of blending in, given its commonality in the area, even shared with his father's car. Priced just below $30,000, Henry found it to be the right fit.

Having made the decision, Henry headed to the Chevrolet dealer, where after navigating through various documents for about two hours, he finally acquired the car. Eager to explore the streets in his first car to check his performance, he circled Palo Alto, reveling in the proximity to the renowned Silicon Valley, his new Chevrolet Chevelle SS 454 gracefully navigating the roads.

Henry considers himself fortunate with his home's proximity to Silicon Valley, just a 10-minute drive away. Recognizing the strategic advantage for future talent recruitment, he spends two hours circling Palo Alto and Silicon Valley to familiarize himself with the area, anticipating numerous future activities there.

As lunchtime arrives, Henry decides to stop and drives to the nearest restaurant.

Seated by his favorite window spot, Henry places an order for a steak and apple juice to satisfy his hunger. The bustling lunchtime crowd fills the restaurant, with seats quickly being occupied. Amidst the lively atmosphere, Henry's attention is drawn to someone familiar across the room, but uncertainty lingers as he tries to match the face from his memories.

"Hello sir, is your seat occupied, as you see now all the seats are full? If you don't mind?" The man with long hair and a somewhat messy beard inquired with a polite tone as he approached Henry's table, given the scarcity of available seats.

"Sure, it's free, get yourself occupied," Henry replied graciously, still trying to place the identity of the man with long hair and a messy beard who had taken the seat opposite him.

The man then sits down and begins to order.

"May I know your name? I seem to have seen you somewhere," Henry inquired, genuinely curious about the man whose face seemed familiar.

"My name is Steven Paul Jobs, but people usually call me Steve," the man introduced himself.

Henry quickly composed himself and extended a greeting, "Nice to meet you, Steve. My name is Henry William, but you can just call me Henry."

They engaged in a conversation, chatting until Jobs' food arrived. After enjoying their meals, the discussion shifted to their lifestyles and hobbies. Henry discovered that Jobs was currently attending Reed College and searching for a part-time job. The meeting evolved into a casual exchange, bridging the gap between their lives at that moment.

Henry didn't anticipate this encounter, considering it premature for their paths to cross. After 30 minutes of conversation, they parted ways, as Jobs had other commitments. As a gesture of friendship, Henry covered the cost of Jobs' meal. Reflecting on the meeting, Henry felt it was too early to involve Jobs in his business endeavors. He acknowledged the need for more preparation, including finding a suitable name for his conglomerate or holding corporation, let alone considering the creation of a subsidiary like Apple, Microsoft, Google or Meta.

Fully aware that bringing Jobs into his ventures too early would be counterproductive given Jobs' current stage of development, Henry opts to create a favorable impression. By doing so, he lays the groundwork for smoother collaborations in the future when both he and Jobs are more prepared for potential endeavors.

---

Henry arrives home and parks his car in the spacious garage, accommodating both his and his father's vehicles. Upon entering the house, he finds his mother, Margaret, in the living room engrossed in a newspaper. Jacob, his father and a Stanford professor, usually returns late.

Greeting his mom, Henry asks, "Hey mom, what are you reading?"

With a proud smile, Margaret replies, "Your book has now become a bestseller in the US; many media want to interview you."

Henry confidently responds, "Of course, that's because my work is good. Oh yeah, mom, I have two new books here; I completed them last night." Proud of his achievement, Henry contemplates leveraging the success of 'Devotion of Suspect X' to hype the release of his new book, the 'Da Vinci Code'.

Curious and shocked about the new books, Margaret asks, "What two books is it, honey?"

"Wait a minute, I'm going to change my clothes and bring one of the books," Henry says before heading upstairs.

After changing, he returns with the 'Da Vinci Code' from his drawer. Handing the book to Margaret, she flips through the pages, reading lines from here and there as about 15 minutes pass with Henry patiently waiting for her reaction.

As Margaret reads through the 'Da Vinci Code,' her expressions undergo a rapid and unfavorable transformation, becoming progressively uglier. The sudden change in her demeanor raises concerns for Henry, as it wasn't the positive reaction he had hoped for.

After Margaret read the book, her tone was somewhat weird, "Son I don't want to burst the bubble but are you sure you want to publish this book?"

"Of course."

"I don't know what to say but, are you aware of what you have written? This will definitely be considered as blasphemy by the church and the Vatican!!!" Margaret tones somewhat high as William's family is Christian, even though they just barely believe in it, but they still respect the religion.

"Of course I know what I'm writing. But listen to my explanation mom, all of this based on the historical research and various material that I researched. So the content is 99% according to historical material and about the content of the book itself, I don't know much as I just fictionalised the rest of it." Henry explained to Margaret as he knows the content of the 'Da Vinci Code' is controversial and has condemned many Christian in the future.

But he was determined to publish it as the 'Da Vinci Code' is the bestseller of 5 years and sold for a total copy of more than 80 million in 2009. This book determined the ffundshe needed for the company establishment.

Margaret didn't remain silent; she understood what her son was trying to convey. But this truly something that shouldn't be in the market at least not yet.

"Son, let me put this in simple words. What you have written is not just going to be controversial but will be declared offensive towards Christianity it's going to be highly frowned upon by Catholic leaders. Many other countries banned the book for a long time due to the blasphemous content. I mean the union of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene, and the bloodline that existed is enough for you to get hunted by truly religious people and that will be called religious violence. Do you understand what I am trying to convey? I mean are out of your mind son it's America, vast majority being religious while in the 2000s many were already moving away from christian religion and only the Christians were outcrying about the book."

Margaret's words carry a weighty admonition as she addresses the implications of the 'Da Vinci Code.' She unflinchingly points out the explosive controversy and potential offensiveness, particularly surrounding the sacred theme of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene's union. Her words paint a vivid picture of the risks involved – from facing the ire of religious zealots and threats of violence to the practical challenges of finding a publisher willing to navigate such treacherous waters.

"Yeah did I also mentioned that there won't be any publishing house that will be courageous enough to publish this book in these days Even by some chance you publish it you might get attacked there high chance their whole company could be burned down by religious freaks and I will argue they won't be even getting the insurance money just like we won't if they come after our house as the insurance will argue that we were one that created this hate crime and yes we counter lawsuit and possibly by the write of free speech but I am sure you are aware how long it takes for lawsuits to be resolved? 'people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones'

And I am sure you are aware that the target ordinance that likes to read your former book are young and old and are mostly Americans and now are European, South American, and North American countries and most people believe in Christianity here These days most people are heading to church weekly with many icons on the walls of their house.

And fans you have gotten are going to hate you and possibly label you as anti-Christian or something which will be enough for them to never touch any other book that you may release in the future causing you a huge loss?"

With a stern warning, Margaret underscores the deeply rooted religious beliefs in the targeted regions, emphasizing the potential damage to Henry's reputation and the financial repercussions. She stresses the real and immediate danger of being branded as anti-Christian, cautioning against alienating fans and jeopardizing future works.

"What the hell. You are writing based on the real world so at least know the time to realise it isn't right. Now tell me, son. Do I still need to list all possible reasons why this book shouldn't be in the market?" Margaret spoke while taking small breaks in between so son could understand that he is playing with fire and it's tendency to burn it

In a compelling conclusion, she presses Henry to reconsider, highlighting the real-world impact and the critical need for a nuanced understanding of the societal context and timing. "Do I still need to enumerate all the compelling reasons why this book shouldn't hit the market?" Margaret challenges, leaving no room for ambiguity about the gravity of the situation and the perilous consequences of playing with fire.

Lost in contemplation and nodding in response to his mother's profound warnings was not Margaret but Henry. The weight of her words sank in, prompting him to reflect on the potential consequences and reconsider the path he had envisioned for the 'Da Vinci Code.'

"In the midst of these thoughts, "Mom, I need some time to process everything," Henry expressed, his mind still absorbed in contemplation, grappling with the weight of his mother's cautionary words.

Hearing Margaret's understanding words, Henry nodded in acknowledgment. Margaret stood up, placing her hand on his face as she spoke reassuringly, "Honey, it's not like I am against publishing the book or something. We will always support you, even if you decide to publish it. Right now, it's 'Mom' wanting what is best for you. Take some time to think, okay? Do you understand where I am coming from?"

Henry, still lost in his thoughts, nodded once more. A gentle smile formed on Margaret's face as she kissed him on the cheek and handed him the script of the 'Da Vinci Code.'

Henry just grabbed the book and headed to his room going upstairs after arriving in his room. The first thing he did was throw the book on the bed and lock the door. Hearing Margaret's reassurance, Henry nodded and accepted the script of the 'Da Vinci Code' with a conflicted expression. He retreated to his room, tossing the book onto the bed, and locked the door. Frustration and self-criticism echoed in his thoughts.

"F***, God dammit, Henry! How could you forget something so crucial, so pea-brained to overlook the timeline?" He cursed himself, realizing the success of 'Devotion of Suspect X' was not just about the quality of the work but also about its timely release, coinciding with a period of shifting religious sentiments.Resisting the urge to punch something, Henry forced himself to calm down and think. The realization hit him that, contrary to the fantasy world he might have imagined, he wasn't the protagonist dictating the world around him. A single misstep could spell doom for him in this unforgiving reality.

First the realisation struck Henry that even someone with a brilliant mind like Steve was seeking a part-time job for quick earnings. It served as a stark reminder that, irrespective of one's intellect or achievements, real life could be more unforgiving than any story. And now he realised he wasn't living some fantasy world nighter he was some kind of protagonist of those stories not the world resolved around him a single misstep could spell doom for him. He wasn't living some fantasy.

People who have walked on the edge of a cliff will cherish the present even more. Diagnosed with a terminal illness in the past, he saw things very clearly, especially now.

Now, Henry thought, I just need to channel my energy into writing a new book. Similar to the 'Da Vinci Code,' I must exercise patience and wait for the right time before unveiling this creation to the world.

In the future, there are countless ways to make more money than writing a book so he thinks this may be the last book he released by someone else's publishing company, maybe he will release a book later if he has time.

Motivated by a new direction, Henry set his sights on crafting a work akin to Tolkien's masterpiece, "The Lord of the Rings." Feeling a sense of urgency, he aimed to complete the book within a tight timeframe, pushing himself to finish it in just five days.