A Wall Street Genius's Final Investment Playbook-Chapter 136

The trial was held at the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

This was a strategic choice by Theranos.

They predicted that Ha Si-heon’s side would attack Holmes’ ‘autocratic leadership,’ and they believed that jurors from the East Coast, hardened by the intense city life, would relate to this issue better than the more laid-back West Coast people.

Of course, New York offered other advantages as well.

It was easier to summon witnesses, and trials proceeded quickly.

Most importantly, Blackwell’s law firm was headquartered in New York and had extensive knowledge of the local court system, which greatly influenced their decision.

Thus, at 9 a.m., Blackwell went over the situation in his mind while waiting for Holmes.

All lawsuits begin with a battle for public opinion.

Knowing this truth well, Blackwell strongly advised Holmes to appear on a TV talk show before the trial.

His plan was to imprint Holmes as an ‘icon of innovation’ and win over the jurors’ sympathies.

However, his strategy collapsed before it even began.

An issue suddenly erupted on social media, portraying Ha Si-heon as a ‘warrior of justice,’ while conspiracy theories surrounding Theranos were running rampant.

For a moment, Blackwell wondered if even this had been part of Ha Si-heon’s plan.

‘That’s ridiculous.’

Blackwell shook his head.

It was merely a coincidence.

The heated atmosphere of the BLM movement had just happened to work in Ha Si-heon’s favor.

Yet, a small doubt lingered in the corner of his mind.

– Let’s say Kissinger voluntarily breaks the NDA and speaks out. Would you really sue him?

He recalled the expression Ha Si-heon had made in their last meeting.

The confident ease of someone who was certain of victory.

The way he pinpointed his opponent’s weaknesses and savored their reactions.

That was not the demeanor of an ordinary newcomer.

A sense of foreboding crawled up Blackwell’s spine, but he forcibly pushed the thought away.

Just then, Holmes entered the office.

Blackwell immediately got to the point.

“Kissinger’s refusal to testify—is it confirmed?”

“I already told you.”

“I want to confirm it again.”

A flicker of irritation crossed Holmes’ face, but for Blackwell, this was a decisive issue.

Holmes frowned and replied.

“Kissinger has no reason to testify. If he speaks now, he’d essentially be admitting that he personally trained a dictator. Besides, he has already shut down Newton’s operations in exchange for refusing to testify, so he will keep his promise.”

The moment Newton was mentioned, Holmes’ expression sharpened.

She was reminded once again that, in order to persuade him, they had halted Newton’s operations until the lawsuit was concluded.

This meant a complete halt in revenue, and the longer the trial dragged on, the greater the financial losses would be.

To resolve this, they needed an expedited trial to wrap things up as quickly as possible.

Blackwell gave one last piece of advice.

“A courtroom is, in the end, a drama. And like all dramas, the key lies in the story and the characters.”

His voice carried the weight of years of courtroom experience.

He locked eyes with Holmes, ensuring that his message sank in.

“The jurors will decide based on which story they relate to more and which character they find more likable. That is the key to victory.”

After repeating this message several times, he stood up.

“Now, let’s go.”

***

As Holmes and Blackwell’s car stopped in front of the courthouse, a wave of reporters surged toward them.

It was a clear indication of the intense public interest in this trial.

“Ms. Holmes, how are you feeling today?”

A reporter breathlessly thrust a microphone toward her.

Blackwell extended his arm to block the reporters.

But at that moment—

Holmes stopped walking with composure.

A confident smile spread across her lips.

“Innovation always comes with resistance.”

Her voice rang out, momentarily silencing the noisy crowd.

For those who had only known her through print media, her uniquely deep and steady voice was striking.

“Radical change even more so. Historically, those who pursued radical transformation have often been labeled as perfectionists or dictators.”

At her words, the reporters immediately thought of one particular figure.

Another innovator who was accused of being a ‘dictator’ for his radical changes.

Steve Jobs.

That was the image Holmes had chosen for this trial.

“But as time passes, people come to understand the true value of those changes. And only then do they realize why we acted with such conviction. The time spent enduring misunderstandings and criticism will be long, but in the end, the truth will prevail. And I, once again, believe in the power of that truth.”

By subtly aligning herself with past great innovators, Holmes was turning her present struggles into a future triumph.

Her words carried weight, momentarily quieting the reporters.

Seizing the moment, Holmes strode forward with unwavering confidence.

‘Impressive.’

Blackwell admired her internally as he observed her.

Holmes undeniably had a commanding presence.

And her performance was exceptional.

No one watching her now would associate her with the usual overbearing and irritable demeanor she exhibited behind the scenes.

This charisma and theatrical ability would be powerful weapons in court.

However, her performance had one flaw.

‘She’s overly conscious of the cameras.’

Blackwell made a mental note to address this issue later.

By the time he finished his thoughts, they had arrived at the courtroom.

A space usually filled with silence was now bustling with people.

The gallery was packed with no empty seats, and cameras had even been set up in one corner.

It was a scene that reflected the media’s overwhelming interest in the case.

Blackwell leaned close to Holmes’ ear and whispered.

“From this moment on, assume that every single action you take is being watched.”

Holmes gave a slight nod and slowly walked to her seat.

At that moment, her gaze met Ha Si-heon’s across the courtroom.

With a relaxed smile, Ha Si-heon spoke.

“Good luck.”

The ease in his expression was as if he was already certain of today’s victory.

Seeing this, the unease that Blackwell had forcibly suppressed once again crept to the surface.

Public opinion might be in Ha Si-heon’s favor, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to turn the tide of the lawsuit.

He lacked decisive evidence.

For Ha Si-heon’s side to have a real shot at winning, they needed Kissinger’s testimony.

His brazen demeanor almost felt like a declaration that Kissinger had already been persuaded.

But that was impossible.

This was something Holmes and Blackwell had triple-checked before the trial began.

“All rise. The Honorable Judge James Robert presiding.”

The courtroom clerk’s powerful voice echoed.

As the judge entered, the trial officially began.

The first order of business was jury selection.

For this trial, they would choose eight main jurors and two alternates.

Before proceedings began, Blackwell requested to ask a question.

“Please raise your hand if you have read recent media reports about Ha Si-heon, investigative articles on Theranos, or seen the interview with White Shark on TV.”

As the jurors raised their hands, Blackwell’s face hardened.

Just as he feared, the overwhelming majority had already been exposed to information about the case.

Blackwell continued.

“For the sake of a fair trial, please prioritize those who have not been exposed to media coverage.”

So far, public opinion had overwhelmingly favored Ha Si-heon and had been fatal to Theranos.

Securing jurors without preconceived notions was crucial.

However, the judge’s ruling on this matter was firm.

“Denied. Given how widely known this case is, it is practically impossible to find someone who has not encountered any related information. Furthermore, given the nature of an expedited trial, time is a critical factor.”

The judge then turned to the jurors and solemnly advised them.

“Jurors, I must emphasize this: The information you have encountered so far has not been verified in court. Please set aside all biases and make your judgments based solely on the evidence presented in this courtroom.”

Blackwell swallowed a deep sigh.

But this was within his expectations.

He steadied himself and focused on the jury selection process.

“You mentioned that you have read reports about Theranos. I’d like to hear your thoughts on them.”

This question made Theranos’ disadvantage painfully clear.

“Theranos’ actions seem highly suspicious. If they were innocent, why did the entire board resign?”

“Banning USB usage within the company seems excessive. Rules are important, but that’s borderline invasion of privacy.”

“Ha Si-heon is a pioneer of our time. Not just anyone can advocate for equality—especially against a powerful and well-known figure.”

As expected, most jury candidates already held a biased view.

Each time, Blackwell turned to the judge and requested,

“Your Honor, I would like to exercise a peremptory challenge for this juror.”

A peremptory challenge.

It was a powerful right that allowed them to exclude a juror without stating a specific reason.

Each side was given six such challenges for this trial.

However, as the questioning continued, Blackwell’s concerns deepened.

Would six challenges be enough?

Too many jurors were clearly inclined toward Ha Si-heon.

But not all jurors saw Ha Si-heon in a positive light.

“To be honest, the public reaction to the White Shark case seems excessive. Society today is too obsessed with ‘political correctness.’ There are too many people who mistake consideration for entitlement, acting as if the weak are actually the strong.”

A middle-aged white man who viewed Ha Si-heon’s statements critically.

Blackwell’s face brightened.

He needed as many jurors like this as possible.

“When an employee’s freedom and a company’s interests conflict, which do you think should take priority?”

“The company’s interests. Employees are hired to serve that purpose, aren’t they?”

“Then how do you feel about strict security policies to maintain confidentiality?”

“They’re absolutely necessary. In today’s world, corporate secrets being leaked could mean the downfall of a company.”

The more he questioned, the more certain he became.

This man was the perfect juror.

“The plaintiff accepts Juror #28.”

But then—

Something felt off.

“No objections.”

Ha Si-heon’s side did not reject this juror.

They also had six peremptory challenges, yet they did not use one.

And this wasn’t the only time.

No matter how many jurors Blackwell selected who were clearly favorable to Theranos, Ha Si-heon’s side simply accepted them.

Without using a single challenge.

Once again, unease crept into Blackwell’s mind.

‘No way…’

If Ha Si-heon was accepting these jurors without objection yet remained confident of victory—

There could only be one reason.

‘He’s certain about Kissinger’s testimony?’

But Blackwell quickly shook off the thought.

Holmes had given him a definite answer on that matter.

‘This could just be a psychological tactic.’

Perhaps they were intentionally planting doubt to distract them.

Now was not the time to lose focus.

The most critical moment was approaching.

Both sides were about to deliver their opening statements.

A trial was ultimately a battle of narratives.

Two opposing stories were about to unfold.

And the jurors would decide which one they believed.

Blackwell calmly rose from his seat.

He slowly swept his gaze across the jurors before speaking.

“Honorable jurors.”

His voice was low and deep, yet it resonated clearly across the courtroom.

“Ha Si-heon is undoubtedly a man of extraordinary talent. He has achieved remarkable accomplishments and has even been hailed as a genius. But… genius comes with a heavy price. He disregards rules. If the outcome is good, the process doesn’t matter to him. That is why those closest to him call him a ‘runaway train’ and remain wary of him.”

Blackwell carefully crafted Ha Si-heon’s image.

The public naturally admired geniuses.

But his task was to turn this fascinating figure into an unlikable one.

“His past projects have been groundbreaking, earning him immense fame. But fame is a double-edged sword. With each success, a new desire was born within him—the longing to taste that glory again. And in pursuit of that goal, he once again cast everything aside and charged forward.”

Thus, Blackwell painted Ha Si-heon as a dangerous genius.

“But this time, there was a victim—Holmes. Let me be clear: Holmes is not a perfect person. She is a young female CEO whose strong ambition has, at times, been misunderstood. She has even been criticized as being too assertive. But she is by no means the dictator that Ha Si-heon has painted her as. Yet Ha Si-heon, solely for his own honor, has made her his scapegoat, thrusting a promising startup into the center of controversy.”

He briefly turned to Holmes.

She responded with a perfectly timed wry smile.

“All we ask is one thing. Stop this dangerous man. And declare that rules apply equally to everyone.”

As Blackwell sat down, Ha Si-heon’s attorney rose.

His argument was familiar, yet striking.

“Sometimes, the most obvious truth is the one people overlook. Like the mass hysteria of the stock market. Ha Si-heon recognized that hidden truth. There was something off about Theranos. He probed deeper during the due diligence process, asked questions, and encouraged others to do the same.”

They focused on exposing suspicions about Theranos.

“You say Ha Si-heon is reckless? Perhaps. But breaking the rules? That’s false. At every stage, he was fully aware of his limits and acted within them.”

After a concise rebuttal to Blackwell’s claim, the attorney met the gaze of each juror.

“Theranos is hiding something. They have weaponized NDAs to silence people, and now, they are trying to silence even Ha Si-heon—the first person with the courage to ask questions. Our request is simple. Will you allow this silence to continue?”

Ha Si-heon’s team was focusing on their story.

Strategically, it wasn’t a bad approach.

Their narrative was filled with intrigue, secrecy, and powerful figures—a gripping tale.

But it lacked one crucial element.

Evidence.

No matter how compelling the story, without proof, it was nothing more than speculation and conspiracy.

As Blackwell reaffirmed this, it was time for the plaintiff to proceed.

He stood and called the first witness. freewēbnoveℓ.com

“The plaintiff calls Dave Pierce of Goldman.”