Gasps rippled through the courtroom. Jossy gripped the stand with both hands, needing the support.
"I wanted to leave. I told him I would. But he said no one would believe me. He told me if I ever walked out, he would ruin me. And, I believed him. He isolated me from my friends, from my family. I felt trapped."
Grant let the silence linger, giving the jury time to absorb the weight of her words.
"Ms. Harrison, can you tell the court about the night in question?"
Jossy inhaled sharply, her gaze flicking briefly to Noah in the gallery before fixing it forward again.
"That night, I told him that Lennox had offered me a job. He lashed out, said that his wife should not work. He struck me several times. I tried to block the blows, but I was too weak. I remember falling, hitting my head on the floor. Everything after that is blurry. I managed to grab my phone and text..I didn't know who else to call. Noah came and took me to the hospital."
Her voice wavered. "That's the night the police were called."
Grant nodded slowly. "No further questions, Your Honor."
Mr. Peters, the defense attorney, rose and approached, his tone sharp.
"Ms. Harrison, you claim my client was controlling. But isn't it true you secretly applied for a job with Lennox HR?"
"Yes," Jossy admitted, chin lifted. "I did it because I wanted independence. Because I wasn't allowed to work otherwise."
"And isn't it also true that you were in frequent contact with Mr. Noah Lennox,
?"
"I called him once, the night I was hurt," Jossy said firmly.
He smirked. "We have evidence you met him at a gala and at his office. Did you tell your husband about those meetings?"
"The gala meeting was a coincidence, Damien was also there." she explained. "As for the office meet up, it was work related. I didn't even know that Noah would be there."
"So, you expect this jury to believe that you, estranged wife, secret employee, and friend of another man,are telling the full truth?"
Hazel's fists clenched. Noah leaned forward, jaw tight, his eyes locked on Jossy as if giving her strength.