CH.31

Serena's perfectly manicured nails dug crescents into her palms as Alex rose from his seat with that casual, effortless elegance that used to make her knees go weak. Now it just seemed to mock the inner turmoil raging inside her like a hurricane.

His chiseled features remained an impassive mask, but those wicked eyes glinted with an undercurrent of malice when they met her gaze.

Serena sucked in a strained breath, directing her hollow stare at the man she had once loved more than life itself. The man who had promised to cherish her, only to shatter that vow into a million jagged pieces.

Alex strode forward with the same confident swagger that had drawn her to him all those years ago, his powerful presence and magnetism damn near palpable. But that alluring charm was forever tainted now by the bitter, acrid taste of his betrayal.

With a casual arrogance that made Serena's blood boil, he placed one hand on the Bible and held her gaze with chilling indifference. "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God."

The judge gave a curt nod. "Please state your name and relationship to the defendant for the court record."

"Alexander James Montgomery. I am Miss Bolting's husband."

The word landed like a physical blow against Serena's battered senses. Husband...a title that once filled her with warmth and security, but now felt more like a curse weighing her down. She fought the urge to be sick right there.

The malicious prosecutor in his expensive suit approached the stand with a sly smile plastered on his face. "Mr. Montgomery, we've all seen the press conference you held earlier. I'll skip over those details and get straight to the point. How would you characterize the defendant's temperament and behavior leading up to the night in question?"

Serena's head whipped towards Jenkins with panic and confusion. What press conference was he talking about?

Her lawyer remained stoically composed, offering no answers. She darted her eyes toward Kate who avoided her desperate gaze entirely.

A sickening sense of dread settled in the pit of Serena's stomach like a lead weight. This couldn't be good.

Alex's jaw ticked almost imperceptibly before he answered. "Increasingly volatile. Serena has battled severe depression and violent mood swings for years now. She's been on a cocktail of anti-psychotic medications that never seemed to fully stabilize her."

A collective murmur rippled through the spectators like a cold wind, and Serena felt their judgmental stares boring into her like white-hot needles.

She fought the urge to shrink under their harsh scrutiny, drawing what little strength remained from the principles and poise that had guided her perfect career.

"Serena has struggled with severe depression and psychiatric issues for years," Alex continued, his words like precisely aimed daggers. "Despite my efforts to support her, her condition deteriorated to alarming levels of instability and aggression."

A searing rage shot through her at his heartless use of her own struggles. How dare he spin her challenges into some sensationalized horror story for public consumption?

Serena bit her lips hard enough to draw blood, watching in disbelief as the man who had once pledged his eternal devotion now capitalized on her darkest moments for his own gain.

"You lying snake—" she hissed through gritted teeth, the venom in her voice startling even herself.

"Ms. Bolting, control yourself!" The judge's gavel cracked down sharply, the rebuke slicing through the tension. "Another outburst like that and I'll have you removed from this court."

Serena's knuckles turned white beneath the table as she willed her body to remain still. She was acutely aware of the hateful glances devouring her every move, waiting for her to snap. But she would not give Alex the satisfaction of witnessing her break, not here.

The prosecutor continued with an affected air of grave concern. "And did you personally witness any of these...episodes, Mr. Montgomery?"

The barest hint of a smirk played across Alex's lips, so fleeting Serena wasn't sure she hadn't imagined it.

"More times than I can count, I'm afraid." He answered.

Serena swallowed hard, her throat feeling as dry and constricted as a desert wasteland. She could taste the sour sting of bile in the back of her mouth as Alex continued his calculated character assassination.

"I have numerous witnesses prepared to corroborate the disturbing patterns of my wife's behavior, Your Honor." His expression was one of feigned regret, but his eyes glittered with a cruel triumph that made Serena's stomach churn.

Her treatment for depression was a private matter and a battle she had fought hard to overcome. But now, Alex was deliberately twisting those facts, painting her as some unhinged psychopath unfit to be part of civilized society. The injustice of it all burned like acid in her veins.

"I see," the prosecutor said with a somber shake of his head. "Well, in that case, I believe it's time we allowed the jury to view the evidence my client has prepared. The press conference my client had earlier in order to cleanse his name of any future charges after someone deliberately uploaded images depicting his home as a murder scene. as well as the...disturbing surveillance footage from the night of the murder."

“Granted!” The judge stated solemnly.

A heavy silence hung in the courtroom as the prosecutor's request was granted.

Serena felt like the world was tilting violently on its axis, throwing her reality into a sickening spiral. She reached blindly for Jenkins' hand under the table, gripping it like a lifeline as the large screen flickered to life behind the prosecutor.

The face that appeared was achingly familiar - it was Alex, looking as polished and put-together as always in an expensive suit. He was standing before a huge crowed, portraying the perfect picture of a wronged husband demanding justice.