After another set of questions which is more likely just repeating every single thing, Kang's attorney walk back to his seat and they let me off of the witness stand. I walk back to the audience section and sit between Jisoo and Chaeyoung. I don't know if I did well but Jisoo's attorney gave me a thumbs up. Right now the whole court room is dead silent while the judge is taking down a couple of notes. They need to call up the next witness but it seems like they're still processing my deliberation.
"Who's the next witness?" Bambam ask and since the whole court room is silent his voice echoes around the room which he realized immediately "oh sorry man" he said towards the judge like they're just casual and close friends
"What is wrong with you" Jackson whispers and stand up to bow down formally to the judge but Irene immediately hit his back so he can just sit back down. I won't be surprised if we'll get kicked out of the court room. "What? I'm apologizing properly" he whispers once again
"Let's bring in the next witness" the judge says cutting all the commotion. I look around to see if someone is standing up to be the next witness. Instead of someone from the audience the door open up and Cory walks in. She's outside all this time? She walk straight towards the witness stand and smile towards our side. Jennie's attorney stand up once more when the judge asked her to start questioning the next witness.
"Please identify yourself, your relationship with the petitioner or the respondent" she says after Cory sit down
"I'm Cory, I've been living on the same apartment building and apartment floor with both Jennie and Kang" she said, she's very calm, her voice isn't shaking nor does she look uncomfortable "I also look after Ella when they're both at work. I'm basically close towards their family"
"Are you equally close to the both of them?" She ask
"Not necessarily.. I've talked with Kang a few times since he doesn't really go out often except for work or something else. I'm more close to Jennie since she visits me in my apartment and talk to me more often." Jennie's attorney nodded
"Cory is a kind lady" Chaeyoung says in a low tone but since we're sitting right next to each other, I can clearly hear her "she gives me baked goods everytime we are here" ofcourse food is a way to a person's heart especially her heart
"Cory, are you aware of the abuse that is happening in their apartment?" The attorney ask
"At first, I notice that Jennie is sometimes in pain and I'm worried since I am also a mom. I asked her about it but the first time she said it's nothing but she started opening up to me. I wanted to help her but I don't think I can do much for her"
"Are you also close to Lisa?"
"Yes, she's living next to my apartment. She is a really kind girl ever since she moved here. I am just glad that someone was able to help Jennie when Lisa came." she said
"Do you know about their relationship?"
"I recall that they weren't on good terms when Lisa arrived, it is most probably the break up they had after Jennie moved here in LA. I notice it somehow and to be honest, it may sound wrong because of the circumstances but I am glad that Jennie found happiness again. I have never seen her smile as wide as she does when she's with Lisa. I also see how comfortable she is towards her that I only saw during the start of Kang and Jennie's marriage."
"Cory, let's recall what happened a few weeks ago. You were at your apartment and called Lisa because you heard something from Jennie and Kang's apartment?"
"I did, I was talking to my daughter over the phone at my apartment and heard a couple of thuds from their apartment. I wouldn't have find it alarming if it is from someone else's apartment but since I am aware of their relationship I immediately called Lisa"
"Why not the police?" Jennie's attorney is now asking questions that the other party might ask her. It is actually better cause Kang's attorney likes to intimidate the witness so the question seems harder than it actually is.
"I don't think they will be of any help. They will most likely knock on their door and tell Kang what was reported. Kang is a smart guy so I do know that he has a lot of excuses under his sleeves. When we were the one who knocked on their door that day, Kang tried to give excuses and make it sound like it's nothing."
"Objection your honor" Kang's attorney says
"I have an evidence" Cory interrupted which caught the judge's attention. She nod her head towards Jennie's attorney and she pull up a flashdrive from her coat pocket. "Lisa didn't answer her phone as she was probably busy with work when I heard the thud. As I have said I was on facetime with my daughter that night after calling Lisa" the attorney walk further to hand over the flashdrive so they can present it infront of everyone "I was aware that recording someone can be considered as illegal if it has no consent from the people involved. This recording however was made from my personal video call with my daughter. She normally record our facetime when her kids are sleeping and she wanted to show or send my regards to my grandchildren. I happen to bring my phone with me when we went over to their apartment. Since our whole facetime was recorded it caught a couple of scenes from there" she explains.
They pull up the video and it indeed started with her talking to her daughter about the kids so she is telling the truth. 5 minutes into the video she look up like she heard something as she told her daughter "hang on" as she tried listening carefully. Her daughter ask what's wrong and she keep saying that she's not sure. She then walk out of her apartment with her phone with her.
"Mom where are you going?" Her daughter ask over the phone
"I'm just waiting for someone, I think Jennie's in trouble" she said, her daughter probably knows Jennie
"Jennie? Do you want me to call the cop for her?" Her daughter ask but she shake her head no as she stand there. She probably forgot that she's on a video call since her camera is blocked by her shirt. That's probably the time I arrived at the apartment and saw her outside her door holding onto her phone. I didn't even know that she was on facetime with her daughter. "Mom, you still there?" Her daughter ask cause she's the only one we can see from the recorded facetime
"Hey, I didn't know you called" that was my voice. The judge seem to recognize it as well cause he turn to look at me. Then our conversation that night continues until we reached the door. The video also caught the audio of when we're talking to Kang until we barge in their apartment. Cory's phone started shaking as she's probably walking fast towards Jennie. She probably hold on to Jennie since the phone turn around and it shows a glimpse of Jennie laying down in pain as the camera was blocked by something again. It wasn't really much but if the video was paused you will definitely see Jennie's face from Cory's camera. The voice of Kang can also be heard clearly so that is also a solid evidence.
I look towards Jennie and she's facing down with her eyes closed probably not wanting to see herself curled up on the floor like that. I switch my gaze towards Kang who's sitting there like he's trying to hold back his anger. I look at the people around me and they're either very invested on the video or very mad like Irene who's glaring at the video like it's happening right infront of her eyes.
"Was the video enough?" Jisoo ask her attorney who's sitting behind us
"It is a huge help"
"How's the win rate?" I ask
"Very high.. but the custody part, I am not too sure yet"
