“Did you, on any occasion, force her into the granite kitchen counter?”

“Absolutely not. The very idea is abhorrent to me.”

Julian looked down at his notes, pausing. “Did you ever use a leather belt, a wooden walking cane, or any heavy metal object as a weapon against Clara?”

Evan’s jaw clenched, a flash of real anger breaking through the sorrowful mask. “That is a disgusting, baseless accusation.”

From the gallery, Vivian leaned toward Marissa, her stage whisper intentionally loud enough to carry. “She always had a flair for the dramatic. Pure hysteria.”

I remained motionless, my hands folded neatly in my lap.