Chapter 114
She didn’t like it, but she remained quiet.
Roman returned to his seat, but not before smirking at me. I didn’t
react.
“Ms. Thorne, your opening statement.”
Hailey nodded at me before rising to her feet. She moved to the front of the courtroom and didn’t bother to glance at the defense table before speaking.
“Your Honor, what my colleague has just presented is a fictional masterpiece. Today, the facts will speak for itself.” She moved to stand directly in front of the judge’s bench. “The evidence will show that Ms. Ashford was not the abuser in this marriage, but the victim. While she worked to build a life with the defendant, he consistently betrayed their mate bond. We will present video evidence. Clear, undeniable footage of Mr. Blackwood’s infidelity.”
A collective gasp spread through the courtroom. That was our smoking
gun.
“By the end of these proceedings, Your Honor, it will be crystal clear who the real victim is in this courtroom.” Her gaze moved to Xander. “And it is not the man sitting at the defendant’s table.”
Judge Daniel nodded. “You may proceed.”
“Thank you, Your Honor. The petitioner calls Jane Ashford to the stand.”
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A few heads turned as I approached, particularly Xander’s. Even as I settled into the chair, his gaze didn’t waver. The bailiff moved to me, and I promised to tell the truth. After taking the oath, the bailiff returned to his position and Hailey began.
“Ms. Ashford, please tell the court about the day you discovered your husband’s infidelity.”
I took a deep breath. “There was no singular defining moment, just a collection of inappropriate events. He’d been suspiciously close with his Beta, Mia, even dancing provocatively with her at my 30th birthday party.”
“I understand he organized this party for you, right?”
“Yes.”
“How did it feel to see him like that at the party?” Hazel asked.
“It was humiliating…devastating even. A few days after that, he moved Mia into our home, effectively driving a wedge between us. Things changed after that, and on more than one occasion, I was forced to witness the depth of their affair.” I took another deep breath.
“Fortunately, I was able to get my hands on video footage that perfectly depicts this relationship.”
”
Hailey moved to the evidence table. “Your Honor, I’d like to present Exhibit A.”
The screen flickered to life as the video began to play. Nobody moved or said anything. We watched as Xander and Mia kissed passionately against the walls of an unfamiliar bathroom. They went at it like animals; one wouldn’t think this was a married man.
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When I looked up, Xander was staring at the screen, face pale, jaw clenched tightly. His eyes remained fixed on the video until it ended, leaving only silence.
“Objection, Your Honor.” Roman jumped to his feet. “The source of the footage is highly questionable. These videos could have been obtained illegally, or could even be fabricated using modern technology.”
Judge Daniel’s gray eyes shifted to Hailey. “Counselor?”
“Your Honor, we assure you, the footage is real. We followed due protocol in obtaining it.”
”
But Roman wasn’t dropping it. “I have to question that. We have no way of verifying if this is genuine. This evidence reeks of manipulation. For all we know, Ms. Ashford orchestrated this recording herself to compromise my client.”
He’s trying to make us look like the villain, Lucky snarled.
H
#E
I folded my hands in my lap as Roman and Hailey went back and forth. Hailey tried her best, but Roman was ruthless. I could already see the doubt in the eyes of some of the people seated in the gallery.
Judge Daniel held up a hand to end the argument. “Mr. Rusk, I’ll allow the questioning to proceed.”
Roman turned to face me fully, smiling widely.
“Thank you, Your Honor.” He eyed me for a beat, pacing the courtroom with his hands behind his back. “Ms. Ashford, who gave you this I video?”
“I can’t reveal my sources. I gave my word to protect their identities.”
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“Hmmm…” he murmured, then faced the gallery. “How…convenient.” He didn’t miss a beat. “Ms. Ashford, how can this court verify the authenticity of this video when you won’t reveal their source?”
“Because I know my husband. It was as clear as day. That was his voice and his face.”
“Ah, yes. We all saw the video. Speaking of your husband…” Roman smiled again. “Ms. Ashford, did you ever agree to an open marriage?”
*Jane*
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