Harry Success

The day had finally arrived. "Echoes of Ethan" was about to be officially released, and Ryan's company had done a magnificent job building anticipation.

In the year 2000, with internet usage still limited, television advertisements were the primary mode of promotion. Smith Multimedia had ensured that their marketing campaign reached every household.

On the Streets

A group of people gathered outside a café, discussing the book after seeing the TV commercial.

"Have you heard of this book, Echoes of Ethan?" one man asked.

"Yeah, it's releasing soon," another replied.

"I heard it's published by Smith Multimedia."

"Smith Multimedia? Aren't they mainly known for music?"

"That's what I thought. They've released books before, but nothing on this scale."

"And the craziest part? The author is just 12 years old."

"What?! Really?"

Speculation was rampant. Some were intrigued by the young author, others were curious about Smith Multimedia's sudden push into publishing. However, despite the buzz, many weren't convinced to buy the book just yet.

At the Collin Household

Harry stood in front of a mirror, adjusting his outfit. Today was important.

"Hurry up, or you'll be late," his father, Anthony, called out.

"Yeah, Dad, I'm coming," Harry replied, grabbing his things and heading downstairs.

Together, they got into the car and drove to the book release event.

When they arrived, Ryan and Angelina were already waiting.

"Hurry up! We're running behind schedule!" Ryan said, dragging Harry toward the entrance.

Inside, the event had already started. The host introduced Harry on stage.

To Harry's surprise, the crowd was small—only 30 to 40 people, mostly media, family, and close friends. It was clear that not many people had shown up to buy the book.

Despite the low turnout, Harry remained composed. When the media got their turn, one reporter asked,

"Aren't you a bit too young to be publishing a novel?"

Harry smirked and replied, "Maybe, but don't judge my book by my age. Judge it by its value."

The response silenced the room for a moment before another question came.

Harry went on to explain his novel, sharing a short but impactful summary.

"This story follows Ethan, a boy who wakes up in a seemingly perfect town with no memories. Surrounded by a loving family and friends, everything feels idyllic—until he realizes it's all fake. Trapped in a fabricated reality designed to suppress a dangerous secret within his mind, Ethan must escape before those controlling the illusion erase him forever."

Then, Harry introduced a poem he had written, titled "Who Was I Before the Lie?"—a piece deeply connected to the book's themes.

" I wake in a world too bright, too still,

A painted sky, a town that chills.

Smiles that shine but never fade,

Voices soft, too well-engraved.

A mother's arms, a friend's warm gaze,

Yet every touch feels staged, a play.

I ask them who I used to be,

But silence hums—no truth, no key.

A flicker here, a glitch in time,

The perfect world begins to slide.

Their faces twist, their voices break,

The dream dissolves—I'm wide awake.

I step beyond their crafted lie,

Beneath the mask, a hollow sky.

They call my name, they beg me stay,

But who was I before they made me this way?

As Harry finished, the entire hall fell silent.

One reporter, still in shock, finally spoke. "Did you really write that yourself?"

Harry simply nodded. "Yeah."

After the brief Q&A session, the event moved to the book signing portion.

Not many people bought the book. Only a few copies were sold, mostly to family, friends, and close acquaintances.

It was a disheartening start.

Meanwhile, Elias Thornfield, a renowned author, was getting ready for bed.

A copy of Echoes of Ethan sat on his nightstand—recommended to him by his friend, Ryan Smith.

"Might as well take a look," Elias muttered, picking up the book.

He had planned to just skim through a few pages.

But an hour passed.

Then another.

Before he knew it, it was past 1 AM, and he had read far more than he intended.

Closing the book, he let out a deep breath. "Phew… what a book."

Then, he shut off the lights and went to sleep.

Elias Thornfield was scheduled for an interview that morning regarding the upcoming movie adaptation of his own novel, The Forgotten King.

During the interview, the host asked, "Aside from your own work, have you read anything interesting lately?"

Without hesitation, Elias replied, "Actually, yes. Last night, I read a book called Echoes of Ethan, and I was absolutely mind-blown by it."

The interviewer raised an eyebrow. "Echoes of Ethan? I've never heard of it."

Elias chuckled. "I'm not surprised. Not many people have. But I'm telling you, this book is something special. I highly recommend reading it."

His words spread like wildfire.

Before Elias's interview, the first-day sales of Echoes of Ethan were only 20 copies.

But after the interview aired?

The sales skyrocketed—from 20 copies to over 300 in just a few hours.

Meanwhile, at the Collin Household

While the world was buzzing about his book, Harry was fast asleep, completely unaware of the turning tide that would soon change his life.