“And you know Mr Stanton?”
“Only what Natasha had told me,” he replies as his eyes flick nervously to Joshua.
“What did she tell you?”
“She told me that he was playing her and that he drove her crazy. She never knew where she stood with him.”
“When Natasha started seeing him did she change at all?” the prosecutor asks.
“Yes.”
“How so?”
“She was crying all the time, nervous, unsettled at work,” Simon replies.
“Did this bother you?” the prosecutor asks.
“Yes.”
“How long did this go on for?”
He hesitates as his eyes flick to Bridget.
“For a few months, during which time he was caught with a stripper and Natasha believed it was for her own good.”
The prosecutor frowns. “So he began to brainwash her in effect.”
“Yes I believe so.”
“Then what happened?” the prosecutor asks.
“Um, they told Natasha’s parents about their relationship and her father died of a heart attack.”
“Objection,” Vincenzo calls. “He had an existing heart problem.”
“Overruled,” the judge calls.
“Natasha slipped into a deep depression and was on heavy medication. She didn’t get out of bed for months,” Simon replies.
“And where was Joshua Stanton at this time?” the prosecutor asks.
“I believe he was in LA sleeping with one of his staff and taking cocaine,” Simon replies.
The gallery gasp and Cameron inhales deeply as his stress levels hit a crescendo.
“Did Miss Marx find out about this other woman?” the prosecutor asks.
“Yes.”
“Did Mr Stanton tell her of his infidelities?”
“No.”
“Who told her?”
“Amelie Richards, the other woman,” Simon replies.
“I see. Tell me how Natasha handled this?” the prosecutor asks.
“She was devastated and became reclusive.”
Joshua’s head drops in shame. God, what must be going through his head right now?
“But Joshua came back didn’t he?” the prosecutor asks.
“Yes.”
“And what happened?”
“He started to pursue her again,” Simon replies.
“That’s right, in fact you saw him out one night didn’t you?”
“Yes,” Simon replies.
“Tell us about that night.”
“Natasha and I had been out for dinner and then went onto the Ivy, a nightclub in Sydney. Joshua turned up and was watching and frightening her so we went to the dance floor to escape him.” He swallows nervously, his eyes flicking to Joshua. “Natasha was very drunk and we were dancing and he stormed out onto the dancefloor and grabbed her aggressively by the arm and started screaming at her.”
“What did you do?” the prosecutor frowns.
“I told him to back off.”
“And what did he say.”
“He asked me if I was trying to get myself murdered,” Simon replies.
The gallery gasp.
“And what happened then?” the prosecutor asks.
“He carried her kicking and screaming out of the nightclub over his shoulder.”
“How frightening,” the prosecutor replies. “How was Natasha after that attack?
“Reserved, she never mentioned him again in fear of what I would say to her.”
“Mr Wells, you are a psychologist are you not?”
“Yes.”