NOVEL NEXT Chapter 127: After the Hype
The week that followed felt strange.
Everything had gone quiet.
Not completely — JD's name was still out there, but something about the noise had changed.
The numbers of streams and sales were still high, but the energy, the buzz, the spark — it was fading faster than expected.
And of course, Dayo noticed it before anyone said a word.
He could feel it in the way the charts updated more slowly, the way media mentions dropped almost instantly after the spotlight timeline ended, the way other stories started to take over.
Scandals. Random celebrity fights. Fake leaks. Viral distractions that had no business trending — yet somehow, they were everywhere.
He knew this wasn't normal.
After an album sold eleven million in its first week, the second week was supposed to be massive too — maybe five, six million more at least.
But this? The decline was sharp. Too sharp to be normal.
The projections showed a drop of over fifty percent in just three days after the first week.
And while part of it could be because the Spotlight Card had expired, Dayo knew deep down that wasn't all.
It felt tampered with.
Like someone had reached into the system and twisted things on purpose to disfavor him.
He sat in the studio late that night, the dim blue of the monitors washing over his face.
Valery and Wayne were still in the control room talking about new promotions, but Dayo wasn't listening anymore.
His phone buzzed — another headline about a random pop scandal.
Something that somehow buried his own success on the trending list.
"Yeah," he muttered, leaning back in his chair. "They're coming for it."
He didn't say it in fear.
He said it like someone who had already expected this.
---
The next morning, he met with Alice at the label office.
She was already waiting, laptop open, eyes sharp.
"I told you they wouldn't stay quiet," she said. "You touched the biggest cake in the industry, Dayo. Everyone wants a piece — or they'll try to burn it."
She was referring to Michael.
Alice understood just how powerful he was, probably because she had once worked under him.
Dayo rubbed his chin. "So what's the move?"
Alice leaned forward. "We create a storm bigger than theirs."
"How?"
"Controversy."
She spun the laptop around and showed him a draft plan. "The episode of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire airs again this weekend. People already think your win was unreal. So we feed it."
Dayo raised a brow. "Feed it?"
"Yeah," she said. "I'll get our PR guys and fan pages to post doubts. Start a wave online — say the show's a scam, that no one's ever won like that since '99, that they rigged it for fame. People love drama. They'll dig, argue, and repost. Boom — attention's back on you."
Dayo looked at her for a long moment, then smiled slightly. "You're dangerous."
Alice grinned. "That's why you hired me."
Dayo chuckled. "Haha, yeah — and I'm happy with that."
---
By Friday, the internet was chaos again.
> "How can a musician win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? This has to be scripted."
"The show's been running since 1999 — no one's ever cleared all the questions. Suddenly, JD does? Be for real."
"Scam of the century."
"To think I bought his album last week."
"I could smell it from far away."
"Yeah, I mean, look at how he answered those questions without stress."
"No disrespect to JD, but if you're that smart, you shouldn't even be doing music."
And as expected, the comments flooded social media.
The show's official page was filled with insults, theories, and arguments.
People were digging up old clips, comparing contestants, and accusing producers of favoritism.
And in between all that noise — JD's name kept appearing.
The controversy worked even better than expected.
Clips from the episode began trending again, getting millions of replays.
Memes, debates, talk shows — everyone had an opinion.
But Dayo stayed silent for two days.
Then, when the noise reached its peak, he posted.
---
> @JD_Official:
"I've seen the comments, accusations, and theories — and I can't help but be speechless. But to clear the air, I'll be taking a WAIS test tomorrow. Be online, and let's end this."
That single tweet broke the internet.
When he went live the next day, millions joined the stream.
He sat calmly at a plain white desk, taking an official IQ test on camera — no flash, no edit, no trick.
Every click, every question, every answer was visible.
By the end, the score popped up.
> IQ: 217
Chat exploded.
> "Bro's literally Einstein with vocals."
"So he really is that smart."
"Y'all owe him an apology."
"Genius and talent in one body. Unreal."
"You're wasting your brain singing, bro."
"Hey, don't mind them — keep creating, Dayo!"
"When I saw 217, I froze. Burned myself. I'm suing for damages, haha."
"I'm a lawyer and I wouldn't even stand for that!"
Dayo leaned back, smiled faintly at the camera, then spoke.
"I guess that settles it. But… I'll say this. That $1 million I won from the show — I'm donating it. All of it."
The livestream froze in silence.
He continued, calmly.
"I'm setting up an NGO. For the homeless. For kids who don't have a shot. For people who need a start. If this journey gave me anything, it's a voice — and I'll use it to stand for all."
He raised his hand, forming the freedom sign.
The stream ended there.
Within an hour, the entire internet exploded again.
---
Headlines flooded every timeline:
> "JD Donates $1 Million to Start NGO for the Homeless."
"From Music to Humanity: The Star Who Gave It All Back."
"Genius. Philanthropist. Artist. JD Redefines Fame."
"JD's IQ Revealed: 217 — A Genius in the Industry."
"Public Test Ends All Doubt — JD Is the Real Deal."
"JD: The Newbie Superstar the World Can't Stop Loving."
And the fans?
They went wild.
The clip of him holding his freedom sign went viral.
> "He didn't just win the game, he won the world."
"I was skeptical, but now I'm inspired."
"This guy's built different."
"Nah, this has to be PR."
"PR or not, who cares? He donated a million dollars."
"A 217 IQ and y'all doubted he could win? Come on."
"Haters can choke — JD all the way!"
"JD, when's the tour? I need to scream your song live!"
The arguments spread fast, clashing across every platform.
#JDCharityMove, #DayoEffectReturns, and #TheOtherSideStillOnTop dominated trending lists in over twenty countries.
Just like that — JD was back in full control of the narrative.
---
But not everyone was celebrating.
Far away, in a quiet penthouse overlooking the city, Michael sat with a glass of wine, watching the entire story unfold on a massive screen.
The replay of Dayo's charity announcement played again, his calm voice echoing through the room.
Michael smirked faintly. "Smart kid."
He took another sip, eyes never leaving the screen.
He admired the move — clever, unpredictable, perfectly timed.
But he knew how this industry worked. This kind of rise never lasted long.
"This fun," he muttered, "won't last."
He picked up his phone and dialed. "Clara."
The voice on the other end answered instantly. "Yes, sir."
"I saw your work," Michael said. "Good job on the interference. You managed to cut the traction faster than I expected."
"Thank you," she replied. "But there's something that needs your attention. The Global Competition Finals are in two days — Washington D.C. They've sent you an invitation."
He paused, looking out the window at the glowing skyline.
"Washington, huh?"
"Yes, sir. Would you like me to arrange your schedule?"
"Yeah," he said finally, setting the glass down. "Do it. I'll be there."
The call ended. The screen flickered again — JD's smile frozen on the display.
Michael leaned back, a thin smirk crossing his lips.
"Enjoy the spotlight while it lasts, kid," he said quietly. "Because soon… the lights go out."