Rise of the Zillionaire Star

Chapter 65: Judgment Day Trial

The headlines hit like a thunderclap across every platform,

“From Idol to Criminal? Jaylen Faces Industry Judgment.”

Roman Vale had done it. Overnight, he had used the full weight of the industry’s legal machine against Jaylen. The charges were everywhere, defamation, copyright infringement and public endangerment. Talk shows called it the trial of the decade.

Outside Jaylen’s apartment, paparazzi swarmed around him with questions in his mind. On the social feeds, chaos started. Haters screamed #LockUpJaylen, while his loyalists fought back with #StandWithJaylen and #TrialByFireJaylen.

The system chimed in, “Quest Activated: Judgment Day Trial

Objective: Survive the courtroom, win the people.

Failure: Career Termination.”

Jaylen’s heart pounded as he read the glowing text across his vision. This wasn’t just about lawsuits. This was a public execution staged as a trial.

Roman didn’t hold back. He framed himself as a guardian of culture, claiming Jaylen had destabilized the industry with reckless stunts. His elite lawyers were dressed in thousand-dollar suits rehearsing lines for the press, while PR teams termed Jaylen as “violent” and “ungrateful.”

Clips were broadcast on repeat as Jaylen’s anger retorts to Bishop Lynx cut and stitched into something even more monstrous. The headlines screamed, “Jaylen Threatens Industry Titans on Stage.” “Rogue Artist Endangers Fans for Fame.”

Roman was crafting not just a lawsuit, but he was also painting himself to be righteous.

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But Jaylen wasn’t alone. Within hours, fans launched an online fundraiser. The counter ticked into the millions. Workers donated shifts’ worth of pay. Students sent in pennies and dollars. Hashtags trended worldwide, “#TruthOverTyranny.” “#StandWithJaylen.”

Then came the twist. A mysterious massive, untraceable wire transfer hit his legal account.

Zee pinged in, “Origin: Legacy artist account. Source hidden but clean. Known alias: a retired superstar once blacklisted by Roman Vale.”

Jaylen froze. He knew the name. Everyone in music did. A reclusive legend who had disappeared decades ago after clashing with Roman himself. And now… they had silently chosen him.

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The first day of trial felt like stepping onto a stage designed for blood. Paparazzi flashes turned the courtroom steps into something else. Reporters screamed questions. Fans pressed against barricades, holding cardboard signs,

“Jaylen equals Voice of Us.”

“Truth is greater than Tyranny.”

“We Believe.”

Inside, the air was ice-cold. Roman sat at the prosecution table in a tailored suit, his smile smug and every move deliberate. He looked like a king already savoring victory.

Jaylen sat across. His shoulders were tense, but his eyes blazed with quiet fire.

Roman’s lead attorney rose first. His voice boomed, “Ladies and gentlemen, this case is about a dangerous young man destabilizing our industry. He is reckless and lawless. He exploits his fans for fame and he sully reputations. He stole artistic property. He endangered lives. Today, justice must correct the chaos he unleashed.”

The press wrote down every word.

Then Jaylen’s attorney, funded by the people, stepped forward. His face was calm and steady.

“This case isn’t about safety. It’s about silencing a new voice threatening old power. Roman Vale isn’t protecting culture—he’s protecting his monopoly. And he will do anything, including fabricating lies, to destroy competition.”

The room buzzed. Reporters whispered as cameras clicked, taking their pictures

The system pinged in, “Zee: Engagement metrics live. Your every word is streaming.”

Jaylen’s pulse jumped. This wasn’t just a trial, it was a livestream performance, feeding directly into the System’s algorithm. Every second could tilt the public opinion.

Witness after witness took the stand. Each of their words were more rehearsed than the last.

A security guard claimed Jaylen ordered fans to riot during Bishop’s meltdown.

A former stagehand swore Jaylen copied visuals from Roman’s shows.

Even supposed “victims” appeared, weeping as they testified that Jaylen’s concerts caused them “trauma.”

The media blasted headlines in real-time,

“Jaylen Exploited Fans.”

“Shock Testimonies Rock Trial.”

Roman leaned back, smirking like a predator with a full belly.

But Jaylen’s team had prepared. Instead of polished industry experts, they brought fans.

A high schooler trembling on the stand admitted she had been on the edge of ending her life until Jaylen’s music pulled her back.

“He didn’t endanger us,” she whispered into the microphone. “He saved us.”

A warehouse worker spoke of blasting Jaylen’s tracks through midnight shifts, keeping his morale alive. A single mother admitted her son found confidence only after attending a Jaylen show.

Each testimony cracked Roman’s image. Reporters’ tones shifted. The livestream chat tilted.

Roman rose with the smugness of a man about to deliver a killing blow.

“We present audio evidence,” his lawyer announced.

A recording played. Jaylen’s voice echoed in the courtroom, “Yeah, I stole those beats. Who cares? They can’t touch me.”

Gasps filled the air. Reporters exploded. Hashtags went nuclear, #JaylenStole.

Jaylen’s heart sank. For a moment, the world tilted. Had Roman won?

Then Zee whispered: “The splice. I see it. Break it.”

Jaylen demanded to analyze the audio live. With the judge’s reluctant approval, he connected to the courtroom screen. Code and waveforms of the audio filled the display.

Within minutes, he placed on the screen the original with the fake version. Everyone present could clearly see the edit and mismatched words.

The courtroom roared. The judge glared at Roman’s team. “This evidence is tainted.”

Roman’s smirk faltered. Then, his heart thuds.

Jaylen stood on his feet, “Your honor, I’d like to testify in my own way.”

The judge raised a brow but allowed it.

Jaylen took the mic not as a defendant, but as an artist. He performed. His words flowed as he weaved his pain, betrayal, and hope into a spoken-word testimony.

He spoke of nights sleeping hungry, of betrayal by mentors, of music becoming his only lifeline. Of fans who weren’t “mobs” but family.

His voice cracked, then steadied. Cameras caught jurors leaning forward and reporters wiping their eyes. Even the stern judge’s pen paused mid-note.

The system pinged with a notification

“Style Aura Engaged: Testimony Multiplied.

Public Sympathy Surge: +50%.

The livestream erupted. Hashtags flipped, #JusticeForJaylen, #RomanExposed.

The judge finally spoke after it all, “This court will not issue a verdict today. There is evidence of fraud, and both sides must be reviewed. We will reconvene after further examination.”

Jaylen exhaled slowly.

Outside, fans chanted louder than ever, their voices echoed like thunder shaking the courthouse walls, “Justice for Jaylen! Justice for Jaylen!”

Roman walked out angrily. His empire still loomed large, but cracks had begun to show.

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That night, Jaylen scrolled his feed. Suddenly, an anonymous documents flooded the net. Screenshots, bank records, offshore firms and shell companies.

It also showed Roman Vale accused of, Tax Evasion, Money Laundering, Corporate Fraud.

He's already bleeding.

Zee flashed in bold red, “New Sub-Quest: Crack the Vale Empire.”

Jaylen leaned back. His eyes burned with fire. The trial was just the beginning.