After glancing at the gallery for just a moment, the judge withdrew his gaze back to the center of the courtroom.
Adjusting the round glasses on his nose, a man about the age of 70 in a measured tone to YouTube's defense attorney: "Counsel, could you repeat what you just said?"
"Who did you say you wanted to call to the stand?"
"Ms. Isabella Haywood?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
The defense attorney nodded. "Because she is an investor in my client."
"We all know that when a company seeks outside investment, it explains its business philosophy and operational model to its investors. Only after investors acknowledge and verify that the company's words align with its actions will they decide to invest."
"Therefore, we believe that our investor, Ms. Isabella Haywood, can testify that YouTube is simply a normal social platform, and that it does not maliciously infringe on others' copyrights."
"Oh—" The elderly judge nodded slightly.
He seemed to find the argument reasonable.
But after a brief pause, he shook his head again. "Counsel, although the court has listed Ms. Isabella Haywood as a potential witness, whether she may take the stand now depends on whether the plaintiff objects."
Before finishing his sentence, he turned to the prosecution—the legal representatives of Hollywood's major studios. "Do you have any objections?"
The question prompted the four prosecuting attorneys to exchange glances.
After the three seated lawyers gave a slight nod to the one standing, the attorney on his feet spoke decisively: "Your Honor, we acknowledge that under normal logic, the defense's argument holds. However, exceptions do exist. Not every investor conducts due diligence before investing."
"Especially since we all know that Ms. Isabella Haywood is—extremely busy."
"Given that her personal schedule is publicly available, we know that during her investment in YouTube, she was in New York filming The Devil Wears Prada."
"So the question is—did she truly understand YouTube?"
"Did she even have the time to understand it?"
"That is the key to determining whether she is qualified to testify."
"If the defense can provide evidence proving that Ms. Isabella Haywood was fully aware of YouTube's actual situation, then we can accept their request. Otherwise, we strongly object to the defense's actions."
"Very reasonable." The judge turned his gaze back to the defense.
"Counsel, do you have such evidence?"
"Of course."
The defense attorney smiled and picked up a sealed document from the table.
"Your Honor, before Ms. Isabella Haywood invested in my client, YouTube had already received funding from a well-known firm—Sequoia Capital."
"However, Sequoia's stake lasted only a little over a month."
"Because Ms. Haywood greatly admired YouTube, she not only invested in it, but also negotiated with Sequoia Capital to purchase the shares they held."
"I believe this transaction proves her qualification to testify."
"There are two reasons."
"First, such a move defies conventional investment logic. Rarely does someone eliminate angel investors during a Series A round."
"Second, if Ms. Haywood neither understood nor agreed with our client's business philosophy, why would she purchase shares from Sequoia Capital?"
"Only because she personally appreciated YouTube would she engage in such negotiations."
"And after all—that was Sequoia Capital."
"Right?"
What sounded like a light remark landed with tremendous weight.
The moment the defense submitted the evidence to the judge through the clerk, countless exclamations erupted across North America.
"What? Isabella is YouTube's sole investor?"
"She even bought out the previous investors? She likes the platform that much?"
"No wonder she promoted YouTube! She's never endorsed anything before!"
"So—does this mean the balance is tipping toward YouTube? If she can prove there was no intent to spread piracy, then YouTube can fall under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?"
"Exactly! If they qualify under the DMCA, they win!!!"
The public was electrified.
Even those unfamiliar with the law could sense that things in the courtroom were beginning to turn. It almost felt like God was on YouTube's side.
—
Meanwhile, elsewhere—
Barry Meyer was practically jumping in place.
"Wait—"
"Did we ever agree to this???"
Seeing the defense attempt to call Isabella to the stand shocked him.
"Sure, she said she wanted to face us in court—but she's actually doing it???"
"Oh my God—"
"This wasn't part of the trial plan we reviewed with her!"
"We only agreed to litigate, not this!"
"Exactly! There was no mention of her testifying!"
His outburst made Robert Iger frown deeply.
Eyes fixed on the TV, he spoke rapidly: "According to our agreement, today was just about presenting evidence. The trial was supposed to end after that. As for Isabella appearing—"
"Why is she doing this?"
"Is she really planning to fight us to the end?"
His voice was full of confusion.
The situation had clearly gone beyond expectations.
To them, Isabella's actions were reckless.
The reason was simple:
Regardless of her wealth—
Regardless of her control over production—
Her public identity was still that of an actress, a singer, a celebrity.
And celebrities rely on public image.
Which means she cannot afford to be dragged into controversy.
She cannot afford to be tightly bound to a scandal-ridden platform like YouTube.
That was precisely why they believed the case needed to end quickly.
But now—
She was taking the stand?
Choosing to tie herself even closer to YouTube?
Throwing herself straight into the storm?
"Can we stop this? Call her? Tell her not to testify???"
Barry Meyer's breathing grew erratic.
"It's too late." Robert Iger shook his head. "As far as I know, neither her mother nor her sister is with her today."
"And this is being broadcast live nationwide."
"If a company she invested in asks her to testify and she refuses—that would damage her image even more."
"Everyone loves a savior story."
"And besides, Fox won't let this go."
"If I'm right, the happiest person right now is probably Rupert Murdoch."
"As long as she takes the stand, his lawyers will have countless ways to make her look bad…"
—
And he was absolutely right.
At this moment, the happiest person in all of North America was Rupert Murdoch.
The moment the defense requested Isabella's testimony, he shot upright from his sofa.
And when they produced the share purchase agreement as evidence—
A manic grin spread across his face.
"Let her testify!"
"Let her testify!!"
"LET HER TESTIFY!!!"
"As long as she takes the stand—I can destroy her!"
"Hahaha—this is divine intervention!"
"She actually wants to testify?"
"This saves me the trouble of forcing a confrontation!"
His goal had always been clear:
Ruin Isabella.
And the only way to do that—
Was a brutal courtroom cross-examination.
Because if YouTube fell outside the protection of the DMCA, then facilitating piracy would be undeniable.
And if YouTube was a pirate platform—
What did that make its investor?
The answer was obvious.
When Isabella's fame relied on copyright protection—
If piracy flooded the market—
Would she still be where she is today?
So investing in YouTube would make her a hypocrite.
And once the public saw that—
She'd be finished.
Completely finished.
"Kehehehe—"
Murdoch laughed wildly, years of frustration boiling over.
He had lost to her twice already.
If he didn't destroy her now—
He might never move forward again.
—
Perhaps driven by obsession—
Or sheer will—
Murdoch's desire seemed to leap across the continent, reaching the Los Angeles courtroom.
After reviewing the evidence, the judge raised his gavel.
Bang.
"The defense's request is lawful and valid. Ms. Isabella Haywood is permitted to take the stand."
The entire continent seemed to tremble.
Under countless gazes—
Amid allies' despair—
And Murdoch's triumph—
Isabella rose from the gallery,
Stepped past the barrier,
And entered the courtroom floor.
As she took her place, the judge smiled. "Ms. Haywood, it's a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you." She smiled politely.
"You must be new to this setting," the judge continued casually. "Any thoughts? Nervous?"
"I'm not nervous. I'm not the defendant—I haven't broken any laws. Though I do find this situation a bit strange."
"Because usually, I'd be wearing the robe and sitting where you are."
The judge burst out laughing.
"You're quite humorous."
—
After the oath was completed, the testimony began.
The defense asked, "Before investing in YouTube, did you understand its business model?"
"Yes."
"I knew it aimed to become a personalized broadcasting platform—a place where everyone could have their own channel and be their own content creator."
"So you knew it encouraged original content?"
"Yes. That's why I started making vlogs—"
"Objection!"
The prosecution interrupted immediately.
"The defense is leading the witness!"
"The witness is new. I'm clarifying her statements," the defense shot back.
Bang.
"Objection overruled."
"Continue."
"Thank you, Your Honor."
The defense pressed on: "What do you know about YouTube's efforts regarding piracy control?"
"Objection!"
"The question assumes facts not in evidence!"
Bang.
"Objection sustained."
"Watch your wording, counsel."
"Understood."
Just as the defense prepared to continue—
Isabella suddenly spoke:
"Your Honor, may I request to speak freely?"
"I'd like to explain my understanding of YouTube without interruption. Afterward, the prosecution may cross-examine."
The courtroom fell silent.
Because normally—
That wasn't allowed.
But sometimes—
If the judge agreed—
It could be.
As for that—
"Objection!"
The prosecutor shouted again.
But unfortunately for him, before he could even state his grounds, the judge had already brought down the gavel.
Tap.
"Objection overruled."
"Although Ms. Isabella Haywood is British, she is a key witness in this case. Therefore, I believe she should enjoy the same right as any American citizen to speak freely in a nationally broadcast trial."
"As long as she guarantees that her statements are truthful and is willing to bear the consequences of perjury."
"So—"
"Ms. Isabella Haywood, please begin."
The elderly judge set down his gavel and gestured for her to proceed.
This action earned praise from many viewers watching on television.
"This judge is great! As long as your testimony is truthful, you can speak!"
"Honestly, I hate one-on-one questioning. It's so boring."
"Exactly! Let people finish first and then challenge them! Interrupting constantly ruins everything!"
The public found the judge's behavior warm.
But others—
"So what exactly is Isabella trying to do?"
Barry Meyer was now hunched over, elbows on his knees, hands clutching his head, his face full of frustration.
"What is she even planning to say? Is she trying to take us down completely?"
"I don't think so."
Robert Iger shook his head. "Unless she pulls out a wand and casts the Imperius Curse on everyone."
His tone sounded relaxed, almost resigned.
But his face was anything but.
Because right now, he desperately wanted to know what Isabella was about to do.
After all, Disney had the deepest partnership with her.
The Voice, its spin-offs—those were just the surface.
There were also animations.
He really wanted that cartoon beaver.
And he had even offered a story himself—How to Train Your Dragon.
So—
Could she be about to lash out at Rupert Murdoch in court?
That was his guess.
Yes.
At this moment, he genuinely believed Isabella had snapped.
After Murdoch had provoked her again and again—
Honestly—
Put yourself in her shoes.
If he were her, he might flip the table too.
But—
"This is not the time to flip the table!"
Robert Iger's thoughts were in chaos.
And he wasn't the only one feeling this way.
Microsoft, Google, Amazon—
Even Bill Gates and others found Isabella's actions baffling.
Why take the stand?
Why request free speech?
Didn't she know that when you're at a disadvantage, the more you say, the more mistakes you make?
But—
Rupert Murdoch thought this was brilliant.
Because once Isabella chose to speak freely—
The prosecution could question freely too.
And by then—
He had already paid ten million to today's lead prosecutor.
Yes, the one who kept shouting "objection."
While Murdoch smirked at the television, Isabella thanked the judge:
"Alright, Your Honor. But I have quite a lot to say, so—"
"Can you guarantee that your statements are relevant to this case?"
"Most of them should be."
"Okay. I have time, and I believe the jury—and everyone watching—have the patience to listen."
"Thank you, Your Honor." Isabella nodded with a smile.
Then she fell silent.
As if recalling—
Or perhaps gathering herself—
After several seconds, she raised her hands slightly and began:
"Your Honor, members of the jury, everyone present, and everyone following this case—I believe you all know that my fame, my success today, is entirely tied to Harry Potter."
"In the summer of 2000, in London, I was chosen by J. K. Rowling to play Hermione Granger. I became famous overnight, and then—I became one of the luckiest girls of the past few years."
"When the starting point of my career lies in an industry built on copyright, then piracy—this issue—is like a sharp blade to me."
"Isn't it?"
"I believe any reasonable person wouldn't think I would willingly embrace that blade."
Her words drew laughter in the courtroom—
And across North America.
The prosecution wanted to object—
But after glancing at the judge—
They didn't.
Because the judge was leaning forward, hands clasped, watching her like she was giving a speech.
And honestly—
She was.
This had gone far beyond testimony.
But—
Privileged individuals are called privileged for a reason.
Still, the judge didn't forget courtroom discipline.
He lightly tapped the gavel.
"Order."
"Ms. Haywood, I understand your point, but please get to the key issue."
"Okay." Isabella nodded. "I believe many people know about The Voice—the film, the show—and that I released a mini album afterward."
"But what many don't know is that I own all the copyrights to those works."
"If necessary, I can submit proof to the court."
Her words stunned everyone watching.
"What?! She owns all the rights to The Voice?"
"This was never reported!"
"If that's true—then this lawsuit is a joke! Only an idiot would think someone who lives off copyright would invest in a piracy platform!"
"So Fox and the others are clowns?"
"Wait—how much money does that mean she has?!"
Before the public could even process it, Isabella continued:
"Your Honor, when my wealth is directly tied to strong copyright protections across the US, UK, and beyond, then logically, I would never invest in a piracy-driven platform."
"So is YouTube as malicious as the prosecution claims?"
"I don't believe so."
"YouTube has not condoned piracy."
"And therefore, it should still be protected under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act."
"Additionally, I'd like to point out that I have publicly stated before—even on the internet, we must respect intellectual property."
"That was at the 2004 premiere of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban."
"When asked about my cartoon beaver character spreading online, I said I was happy people liked it—as long as it wasn't for profit, I wouldn't pursue it."
"But I also said—we must not actively infringe on others' rights."
"I made a joke about a company at the time, so I won't repeat it here—but the footage exists. Anyone in North America can find it."
"Your Honor, when both my interests and my public stance oppose piracy, I believe I have every right to testify that YouTube is simply a platform aiming to become an online television network."
"It has no intent to infringe on copyrights."
"The presence of pirated content is simply a consequence of rapid technological progress."
"When the internet connects the world—"
"If we want convenience, we must accept some complications, right?"
"My statement is complete."
As she finished with a rhetorical question—
Silence fell.
Then—
It erupted.
"I remember that speech!"
"She even showed an Iron Man glove!"
"She clearly opposed piracy!"
"And YouTube didn't even exist back then!"
"If she's against piracy, why would she invest in one?!"
Even tech giants were shaken.
Bill Gates frowned deeply. "Did she really say that?"
"I don't know," Steve Ballmer replied. "I've never heard of it."
"Find out! If it's true, this changes everything!"
"If the judge believes she wouldn't invest in a piracy platform—then as long as she's tied to YouTube, every infringement claim collapses!"
"YouTube becomes untouchable!"
Meanwhile, media executives panicked.
At Sony, Howard Stringer looked horrified.
"Did she really say that?"
"…Yes."
"It's over. We've lost."
At Viacom, Sumner Redstone roared in fury.
"How did no one tell me this?!"
"Why is this trial being broadcast nationwide?!"
"Don't you understand? Once she says this in front of the entire country—everyone becomes her witness!"
"No judge will dare rule against her!"
"And the worst part—she said it live!"
"Are you all useless?!"
"If YouTube gains this kind of protection—we'll never be able to sue them again!"
Because public opinion would make it impossible.
Even Murdoch froze.
He never expected her to play such a card.
And just as he began to panic—
"Objection!"
The lead prosecutor raised his hand again.
"Even if Ms. Haywood's logic is sound, it does not prove that YouTube has not infringed on our clients' rights!"
"People change!"
"We cannot use her past to prove her present!"
"That is not scientific!"
Murdoch exhaled sharply, like a drowning man resurfacing.
Yes—
She could win.
But she could not win with legal invincibility.
Because if she did—
No one could ever stop her again.
But then—
Before the judge could rule—
Isabella smiled.
"I think the plaintiff is right."
"I cannot use my past to prove who I am today."
"So I will provide new evidence—this year's evidence."
"I have both witness testimony and physical evidence."
"I can prove that YouTube is a simple social platform."
"And that it promotes original content."
The entire courtroom—
And continent—
Froze.
Because—
How do you prove "original intention" with evidence?
Even Judas betrayed God.
And yet—
She claimed she could prove hers hadn't changed.
The judge removed his glasses, his expression serious.
"Ms. Haywood… are you certain?"
"If you fail, everything you said will be disregarded."
"You may still withdraw your statement."
"You are underage. This could be seen as impulsive."
"So—are you sure?"
"Yes, Your Honor."
"And I have already brought the evidence."
"It's footage for my second video on YouTube."
"Filmed at Holloman Air Force Base."
"It includes F-22s, F-117s, CV-22s, C-130s, and C-17s."
"The base commander knew I would upload it to YouTube and reported it to the Pentagon."
"When the Pentagon itself approved my filming for YouTube—"
"I believe that proves my original intention hasn't changed."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Then—
The court adjourned for verification.
An hour later—
With footage of F-22s taking off—
And the Transformers production crew appearing—
Everyone understood.
She was untouchable.
"My god—that's an F-22!"
"They actually filmed this?!"
"Wait—is she a producer on Transformers?!"
"Tom Cruise… Steven Spielberg… Margot Robbie???"
"What kind of lineup is this?!"
"And people thought she supports piracy?"
"If she did, would she go this far?"
"If YouTube were a piracy site, would the Pentagon allow this?"
"…She looks insanely cool today."