Jordan is furious with Olivia for ruining his defense and insinuating that Asher might have been violent. Asher demands to be put on the stand despite Jordan’s protests. On the stand, Asher lovingly describes Lily, confessing that she’s the first girl he ever loved. He explains what their last disagreement was about and how Lily stopped talking to him afterward. Jordan paints Lily as a liar who kept things from Asher, including the truth about her father; however, Asher unexpectedly reveals that Lily told him the truth about being trans but that he didn’t care and loved her anyway.

During Gina’s cross-examination, Asher claims he found out about Lily being trans a month before her death, after the first time they had sex. Gina tries to insinuate that Asher was angry about Lily having deceived him and killed her because of it. In a redirect, Jordan asks Asher what he did after processing the truth about Lily: “‘I told her it didn’t matter,’ Asher says. ‘I said I loved who she was […] not what she was’” (372). Judge Byers dismisses court after Asher’s testimony.

The remainder of the trial is postponed until the following week, as Judge Byers falls ill. Asher refuses to talk to Olivia, angry with her for not trusting him.