Chapter 10: Ghostwriting

"Wait, why is there nothing after this? Tony, did you miss some pages?" Russell, who was engrossed in reading, quickly asked Monet.

"I haven't missed anything. I've only written this much so far," Monet responded straightforwardly.

"But, it's clearly not finished yet!" Russell questioned, puzzled.

Monet nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, it's not finished yet. I'm not sure if you'll accept this story, so I couldn't write everything at once. Otherwise, it might be a waste if you decide not to publish it."

"Well, I see your point. But don't worry, I'll definitely accept this story. And I'll pay you the same price as we did for 'Titanic,' $500. How does that sound?" Russell offered.

Unexpectedly, Monet shook his head with determination. "No, that won't do. This story is much longer than 'Titanic,' so I'm asking for at least $1,200!"

"But, it's not just about the word count for pricing!" Russell tried to negotiate.

"If the story's length isn't the basis for pricing, then what is?" Monet retorted.

They haggled back and forth for a while and eventually settled on $1,000. Actually, Monet was quite satisfied with this price since he had already factored in the bargaining aspect when he initially asked for $1,200.

After leaving the "New York Post" office, Monet picked up a copy and started reading it while walking. To his surprise, he stumbled upon a rather "interesting" news article titled "Lucky Japanese Boy."

The reason he found this news article interesting was that it referred to Masafumi Hosono, the only Japanese passenger on the Titanic, as the "Lucky Japanese Boy." Since he had survived the disaster, the media had dubbed him as such. Even after returning to Tokyo, he received numerous interviews from newspapers and magazines.

However, what no one had anticipated was that Hosono's "luck" wouldn't last long. Archibald Gracie IV, a surviving author from the Titanic, accused Hosono of being a "stowaway" on lifeboat 10. There were even claims that he had disguised himself as a woman and climbed aboard a lifeboat full of women and children. Another British passenger accused Hosono of pushing others aside and jumping onto a lifeboat himself, saving his own life. Many European and American media outlets strongly criticized Hosono, condemning him for not being a gentleman, and overnight, his reputation in Japan plummeted.

When these comments reached Japan, public opinion erupted in an uproar. Hosono immediately became a symbol of shame and disgrace in Japan. He received a barrage of scornful letters and was subsequently dismissed from his position at the railway institute where he worked. Japanese media used bold headlines to label him a "coward," claiming that his actions contradicted the spirit of self-sacrifice upheld by the samurai code. His escape was even included in textbooks as a negative example.

A Japanese journalist wrote, "The men who gave up their chances of survival on the Titanic for women and children will forever be remembered with honor. Meanwhile, Masafumi Hosono has long died in the hearts and minds of people. He lived in disgrace for a few more years, which is worse than bravely dying back then."

Until his passing in 1939, Masafumi Hosono never discussed the story of the "Titanic" with his descendants. Throughout his life, he endured moral condemnation. Yet, even after his death, shame continued to shadow his family, to the extent that even his son felt embarrassed by his father.

Although his innocence was proven in a 1941 investigation, he spent his entire life haunted by guilt and scorn for surviving. To be frank, even before his time travel, Monet couldn't understand why Masafumi Hosono hadn't defended himself. Clearly, he had done nothing wrong. Of course, in this lifetime, it was quite unlikely that he would get the chance, as he had no plans to visit Japan in the near future.

Just as Monet's mind wandered, lost in thought, the chauffeur reminded him, "Sir, we've arrived at 58th St. Saint-Toya."

"Oh, thank you!" Monet handed the fare to the chauffeur as he stepped out of the car. However, the moment he got out, he was surprised to see a Ford car parked in front of his house. While cars in 1912 had gained some popularity, they were still a luxury for the affluent. Among the wealthy people Monet knew, besides Russell, the editor-in-chief of the "New York Post," there was only one other person who could afford such a car – the steel magnate, Carl!

Sure enough, as Monet reached the doorstep, Carl stepped out of the car and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Monet!"

"What brings you to me, Mr. Carl?" Monet asked, his brow furrowed.

"Can't I visit you just for a cup of coffee?" Carl chuckled in response. Seeing Monet's lack of reply, he changed the topic, "Alright, I do have some good news for you. How about inviting me in?"

Although Monet didn't particularly like Carl, he didn't despise him either. So, he invited him in, and soon, Shen Shen brought two cups of coffee. Carl took a look at Shen Shen, then nodded in approval, "This Chinese girl is quite beautiful. It seems that Mr. Monet, you've moved on from Wendy's influence."

"Don't misunderstand, Shen Shen is just here to cook lunch and dinner for me."

Before he could finish his sentence, Carl interrupted, "You don't need to explain that to me. Actually, the reason I'm here today is to offer you a writing assignment!"

"Writing assignment? Have you started a newspaper, Mr. Carl?" Monet inquired curiously.

Carl responded dismissively, "Do I need a newspaper to offer you a writing assignment? I value your writing skills, Mr. Monet, and I'd like to invite you to write a story for me. And don't worry, I'll make sure you're satisfied with the payment. I heard that Russell, the editor-in-chief, paid you $500 for that 'Titanic' piece. Well, I'll offer you $1,000!"

As the saying goes, although Monet didn't like Carl very much, he wasn't averse to money. So, he asked, "What kind of story do you want me to write?"

Carl explained, "Consider it a sequel to your 'Titanic' story. However, there's a modification: Jack can't die. Imagine how the love story between Jack and Rose would develop next. I won't impose any restrictions on you, except that what you write must be plausible. Don't force unrealistic plot points just to bring the main characters together, like a wealthy man taking an interest in Jack's painting or them making a fortune in the stock market. Is this request too demanding?"