“Yes,” she replies.
“How would you explain your relationship with her?” Vincenzo asks.
“We are…” Her eyes drop to the ground. “We were best friends,” she replies softly.
My heart sinks. Were. Natasha and I were in love. We were planning a future. Were will never be are. It’s all gone. Natasha is dead and she is never coming back and neither is my happiness. I feel emotion start to take over me and my eyes frost over. I drop my head to shield my face from the photographers.
“When did you find out about Natasha’s and Joshua’s relationship?” he asks.
“The morning after they first kissed eight years ago,” she says confidently as her eyes flick to me.
I lift my head and frown—that’s a lie. What are you doing, Bridget?
“How did you find out?” he asks.
“Natasha rang me exited to share the news,” she replies with a determination in her voice.
“Did you tell anyone else?”
“No.”
“Why not?” he asks.
“Sisters keep each other’s secrets, Vincenzo,” Bridget replies coldly. God, this is rehearsed.
“Do you spend a lot of time with them together?” he asks.
“I live with them,” she replies.
“How would you describe their relationship?” he asks.
Bridget smiles warmly at me and I feel my tears rise again. “They are madly in love. I don’t know a couple who are so in love.”
The lump in my throat breaks and I drop my head, unable to hide the tears again. I hear the clicks of the cameras as they capture my tears. Fucking get me out of here.
“Have you ever seen Mr Stanton be abusive to Natasha?”
“Never once. He adores her and worships the ground she walks on. There is no way he would ever raise a hand to her,” Bridget replies, annoyed at the question.
“Would Natasha have told you if there had been abuse?” he asks.
“Definitely, we tell each other everything,” she replies.
“Do you think Joshua Stanton killed your sister Miss Marx?”
She shakes her head. “No, definitely not. He didn’t do this. He has been framed for a murder he didn’t commit.” Her eyes go to the jury. “He is suffering enough. Please don’t make him suffer anymore,” she pleads. She starts to cry and nervously retrieves a tissue from her pocket.
“Are you still living with Mr Stanton?” Vincenzo asks.
“Yes,” she sniffles. “His parents, my mother and Natasha’s, my friend and Cameron, Joshua’s brother, are all staying there at the moment. We are trying to support each other through this terrible time,” she replies.
“But Joshua is not there, is he?” Vin asks.
She shakes her head.
“No, he is in prison for another person’s crime,” she replies in a loud clear voice.
“That is all, Miss Marx. I call to the stand Max Carter.”