Chapter 19: Lawsuit

The next morning, someone rang the doorbell like crazy and it woke everyone up. Juliette went to answer the door and opened it up to a crying Valerie.

"Valerie! What's wrong?" Juliette asked, concerned.

"Everything," she said between tears, "It's all coming down on me."

She threw herself onto Juliette and sobbed into her chest. Juliette closed the door and invited her to have a seat on the couch. At this point, Valerie was so frustrated that she spoke in French because it was the only language properly processing in her brain during her distress. She was saying how her life was a mess, she ruined everything, should have never agreed to the contract, and regrets everything but never explained why she was feeling that way.

"Relax Val, take a few breaths," Juliette encouraged her, "And calmly tell me what's going on."

"Ok," Valerie replied between sniffles, "I told Sacha about what happened with the contract because he saw my video with Jimin. Instead of being supportive, he got mad at me."

"He got mad at you?"

"Yes! Very angry! He yelled at me and said I didn't appreciate the opportunity I had been given and was more concerned about protecting you than living out his dream. That him giving up singing for me to have it was so stressful on him because he couldn't sing to his heart's content anymore."

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him to take his stupid singing talent back then! Then he stormed off to a friend's house and said he was going back to France until I came to my senses."

"He abandoned you right when you're about to get sued?!"

Valerie bursted out crying again. Jimin peeked his head into the living room and Juliette noticed. As much as she wanted to keep comforting Valerie, she knew he had something to tell them.

"What is it Jimin?"

"I'm so sorry she's going through a rough time but would you please turn the TV on? It's important," he responded, kindly.

Valerie wiped her tears away as Juliette grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. Jimin sat next to them on the couch to watch. It was a press conference being held with HYBE's CEO Jiwon Park and Mr. Bang right next to him.

"We are suing Valerie Dupont, better known as Venus, for violating the terms of her contract and costing the company millions. She will pay for her damages to the company and our image," Jiwon announced.

"Cost them millions? Damages to THEIR IMAGE?!" Valerie began to yell, "They barely spent money on me and they lied! They ruined their own image! How is that my fault?"

"Valerie, relax, we knew this was coming," Juliette reassured her.

"They're making me look like a monster!"

"We will let the court handle it."

*Time skip ahead one month*

In court, Jimin, Valerie, Juliette, and Valerie's lawyer were having last minute conversations outside of the courtroom. Valerie exchanged some dirty looks with Jiwon Park and Mr. Bang before heading inside to their designated seats.

Author's Note: I do not know how the court system works in Korea (or anywhere for that matter) so the following scene is in no way accurate to how this would actually go down if it were real.

The judge called for order in the court and for everyone to settle down. She then asked the plaintiff to give their statement and HYBE's lawyer stood up to speak.

"My clients from HYBE, Jiwon Park and Bang Si-Hyuk, are suing Mrs. Valerie Dupont for irreparable damage to the company's image and causing a financial crisis due to a violation of her contract as the artist 'Venus.' We ask the defendant to pay 14 billion won in damages."

"14 billion won?! You guys didn't even spend half of that on me," Valerie blurted out in anger.

"Order in the court!" the judge said, "Any more outbursts like that Mrs. Dupont and I will have to rule in favor of the plaintiff."

"Although HYBE did not pay as much as we are asking for," the lawyer continued, "They lost about two billion won in debuting Venus by paying for her training, wardrobe, recording studio time, photographers, marketing, and much more. Given that her contract was for seven years, HYBE would have spent 14 billion won total to make her the idol she was meant to be. Seeing that now it will not be happening, Mrs. Dupont should pay for what she would have cost since the company will lose a lot more than 14 billion won by violating her contract after having been released to the public eye."

The lawyer sat down before the judge asked the defendant to speak their point of view of the case. Valerie's lawyer stood up and began to explain their side.

"My client Mrs. Dupont was tricked into signing her contract and forced to lie about a relationship with Park Jimin of BTS. This not only violates her privacy, but also makes her seem like a liar given that eventually the truth would have been told years down the line. My client asks HYBE to pay her 10 billion won since that is half of what she would have made in a year as an idol. HYBE needs to pay for abusing the soulmate claim for their own personal and greedy intentions."

Valerie's lawyer took a seat after explaining their side and the judge began to have people take the stand to explain what was going on from their personal points of view. Mr. Bang claimed that he and the company only wanted what was best for Venus as an artist and knew she required the boost of popularity by being associated with Jimin. Valerie said she felt violated and ashamed to have been a part of an unfaithful company when she wanted to be an honest artist and truthful with her audience. Jimin explained that he was very uncomfortable with what had been said and that it was stressful on him too given that so many fans were now making speculations about a relationship that never happened. Juliette was the last to go and she mentioned how she was afraid for her own safety given that since she was Jimin's soulmate, she might have to get exposed or will be discovered by a crazy sasaeng because they want to figure out if Venus exposing the truth is actually a reality. After hearing both sides, the jury had their own conversation among one another and then one spokesperson shared their collective decision.

"We the people of the jury find Venus guilty of violating her contract. However, HYBE is also at fault for messing with something as sacred as a soulmate. We believe that since Venus did violate the contract but suffered damages to her own image, she should only have to pay 10 billion won."

"I don't have 10 billion won," Valerie whispered to her lawyer.

"Didn't you say Jimin was paying?"

"How will you cover the costs at hand?" the judge asked.

"Park Jimin will be handling the financial pay off between HYBE and me."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Jimin," Jiwon Park said in a condescending tone.

"Why do you say that Mr. Park?" the judge asked him.

"Paying for the damages violates his contract as he agreed to not support in any way the opposing side against us as HYBE in a court trial or other similar event."

Everybody gasped and turned to look at Valerie's side of the court. All of them looked shocked and confused on what to do.

"If you can't pay the damages," the judge said, "You will have to go to jail for what would have been the duration of your contract and you can never work in the industry again under any name."

"Jimin, it's ok. I will go to jail. I put you into this trial without knowing it violates your contract, so I should pay the damages with my time."

"No! Valerie! You can't go to jail!" Juliette whisper screamed at her.

"I'll live Juliette. It'll be ok."

The judge looked at Valerie and asked her what she was deciding to do in regards to the situation.

"I have decided that..." Valerie began.

"I will pay for the damages," Juliette interrupted her as she stood up.

"And how do you plan to do that?" Mr. Bang asked her, tauntingly.

"I will sign over my house in France to HYBE."

"And how much is your house worth?" the judge asked.

"35 billion won."

"Juliette no! That's your family's legacy!"

"And it violates your contract too!" Mr. Bang added.

"Objection your honor! It does not!" Valerie's lawyer said.

The judge allowed him to speak.

"According to Juliette's contract, she is only a dance instructor for the artist Venus. Since Venus is no longer in your company because she violated the contract, Juliette's job and contract are automatically terminated. Therefore, it does not violate her contract since it no longer exists."

"That's all you have left of your parents. Don't do this," Valerie pleaded.

"You're my family too and I would rather die than see you in jail for something you never did wrong."

They hugged as Valerie had tears form in her eyes.

"Do you accept this form of payment?" the judge asked the others.

"We accept."

"Case closed," the judge said.

With that, she hit her mallet on the desk and all the parties involved signed the appropriate papers for Valerie to pay off her debt to HYBE.