Chapter Text
"The hearing is adjourned" said the judge in a room full of people and journalists waiting for the main protagonists to exit the place.
Those were the last words pronounced from the judge after three weeks of an already intense legal battle, involving so many attendees and witnesses.
The record label hired the best legal team to face all the accusations that kept coming week after week. They wanted to set the record straight. But with his legal action, Carlos opened the door for so many vulnerable and small artists working with the same label. This wasn't their first attempt. So many young artists have endured their illegal actions for so long via their structure.
The mismanagement of their actions blended well with Juanki's possible behavior for a year.
The latter didn’t speak once during the hearing, letting the lead to his attorney to expose all the facts. Mostly one peculiar fact.
"Your honor, my client here wants to transmit a message. A clear one. He's innocent and will prove it. It's so easy to judge a man who has always been faithful to his client Carlos Alcaraz right here" He explained first.
"Do you all have a pen in this courtroom ?" He looked at everybody, anticipating their eager to know the truth "Because you'd need one. Are you ready?... 3498654389."
"Your honor, I'll let you investigate with the justice department. This is the number of an account. "
"An account ?" The judge raised her eyebrow.
"What kind of account ? Would you mind being more specific ? Because this is a new element brought to the case".
"I shall not say more than this. That account number will prove the innocence of my client". Clarified the lawyer, returning to his seat. Smiling confidently.
They were both ready to go to war to save Juanki's image to the general public.
*
Relentlessly for weeks, Coco had been publishing and curating Carlos' image, trying her best to the maximum of her capabilities. But there was a creak on the surface... a big one.
One afternoon, she was working with Carlos on a new modeling campaign.
She paused and tried to rephrase "Carlos... I don't know how to say it but do you think Juanki is really guilty ?"
Stunned a bit. He wondered " Yes, I mean everything is leading to him"
"But don't you think it is a bit too easy to... maybe have accused him right away".
"Listen Coco. Alvaro saw a discrepancy in the contract, right ? " He confided.
"And...?" She asked, expecting a valid argument.
"And it clearly shows that instead of having 13% Juanki would get 20%. Which is a steal"
"Alright.. it's fair but why dilvudging the name of the account number ? What's the point ?"
" I don't know maybe... I'm not quite sure about his strategy" she eyed him for a while frowning at last, not knowing how the legal battle would end.
*
Jannik, still seated in his Madrid office, turning around his chair analyzed everything from the case. But there was something wrong... a loophole. That account number was linked to an offshore company in the Bahamas. He couldn’t understand why Juanki's lawyer would give this bit of information. It wasn't easy to get access to the Bahama's financial datas regarding their clients so he needed help.
The following day, he called one of his closest friends - Flavio Cobolli - a private investigator working in the Carribeans. He was generally employed by some rich families trying to track down their money all over the world. In fact, they wanted to know if one of their own spent unecessary money abroad or some jealous people having an affair with an heiress or a billionnaire. The reach of his work always amazed him.
"Hi Flavio" Jannik greeted him.
"Hi Jannik ! So what brings you here, in the Bahamas? Tired of Spain already ?"
"No my friend, I'm in the middle of a mess. A real one and I don't know how to find my way out." He said untying his tie after such a long day.
"What kind of mess ? " he wondered, sipping his margarita.
" Carlos Alcaraz "
"Ah the Spanish hearthrob. So what's going on here ? "
" There are too many inconsistencies in this case"
" Which ones ?" Flavio asked.
" The money. The one Carlos should have normally received but there was nothing"
"So we're talking about royalties here"
"Yes, exactly"
"How much are we talking about?" Flavio wanted the specifics because the Bahamas wasn't an easy place to explore financially-wise.
"6 Million..."
" Well. This Carlos guy is a pretty rich guy. What's your theory?"
" Yeah, he is but clearly underpaid. Carlos is a successful singer who earns a lot of money but you know some singers can be oblivious sometimes. I bet he never really checks his own earnings so someone else is supervising his on his behalf "
" Yeah I got you but isn't it too easy to steal money like this ? " His most serious question from the beginning so far.
" That's why you're hiring me then." Flavio didn’t even wait for his answer. He was already in.
" Dig what you want about this account. I need to know who's the real owner" Jannik concluded and hung up the phone.
*
With all the media coverage, Carlos needed a break from Spain. His fans were defending him every single day with strength, dignity and patience. Besides, Juanki's name was all over the public place. People were shocked about Carlos' royalties earnings. Only €2 million in 2025. It couldn't be possible. He was a superstar so something was clearly wrong.
To escape from this anxious climate, he decided to leave for the Dominican Republic with his crew, wanting to be under the radar for a while. His case was more and more unbearable every week with a new breaking news at any given day.
Jannik confirmed he should have at least earned €6 million more just in royalties last year but he needed to track the money to back up his suspicions.
Furthermore, Juanki's official financial records were stating €200,000 in earnings, which respected the amount of their contracts. 10% of his earnings. Yet there was a gap. A glitch in the system waiting to be solved.
If Juanki was, indeed, the thief he should have earned more. This conclusion arrived at a moment where Jannik started to believe that that account number was Juanki's. But it was just a cover up for something bigger. The real money was elsewhere else.
One late afternoon, Flavio texted Jannik urgently.
"Jannik. We got a problem"
" What kind of problem ? "
" The account number you gave me isn't for Juanki but for someone else... There are at least €3 million there..."