The courtroom was a cauldron of tension as Day 12 of Wilson v. Karev and Stevens began. The world had been riveted by the ongoing trial, tuning in every day for what had become an international spectacle. Outside, reporters swarmed the courthouse, shouting questions and speculating on what fresh chaos would erupt inside. Inside, the air was thick with anticipation, the weight of the personal vendettas and professional reputations at stake pressing down on everyone present.

Jo Wilson sat at the plaintiff's table, her face calm but her knuckles white as she gripped the edge of the table. Beside her, Annalise Keating prepared her notes, her sharp eyes scanning the room. Across the courtroom, Alex Karev was tense, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. Connor Walsh sat next to him, flipping through papers and speaking to him in low tones. Izzie Stevens sat on Alex's other side, her face pale and her eyes darting nervously around the room.

Judge Martha Wallace entered, her face a mask of no-nonsense authority. She banged her gavel hard, silencing the buzz of whispers and murmurs from the gallery. "Court is now in session. Let me remind everyone that this is a legal proceeding, not a tabloid free-for-all. I expect decorum and professionalism from both sides today."

Connor Walsh rose smoothly, his usual smirk in place. "Thank you, Your Honor. The defense would like to call Dr. Alex Karev to the stand."

Alex stood, adjusted his tie, and walked to the witness stand. He was sworn in, his face set in a mask of defiance. He sat down, and Connor began pacing slowly in front of him, his tone conversational but calculated.

"Dr. Karev, over the past eleven days, we've heard a great deal about your alleged faults and shortcomings. Today, I want to address a different perspective—one that hasn't been discussed in this courtroom yet. Can you tell us about your experiences working with Dr. Jo Wilson at Grey Sloan Memorial?"

Alex exhaled sharply, glancing briefly at Jo before turning back to Connor. "Jo is a talented surgeon, no doubt about it. But she's… ambitious. And not always in the best way. She doesn't care who she steps on to get what she wants."

Connor nodded, his expression sympathetic. "Can you give us an example?"

Alex hesitated, then leaned forward slightly, his tone growing sharper. "She had a way of getting under Meredith Grey's skin. Meredith is one of the best surgeons in the world, and Jo couldn't handle being in her shadow. She'd make snide comments, second-guess her decisions, and push boundaries. There were times Meredith came to me, pissed off, saying Jo was trying to sabotage her."

Jo's head snapped up at this, her eyes blazing. Annalise placed a calming hand on her arm, but Jo didn't look away from Alex, her anger palpable.

Connor continued, his tone soothing but pointed. "So, you're saying Dr. Wilson's ambition sometimes caused friction with her colleagues, even to the point of disrupting the work environment?"

Alex nodded firmly. "Exactly. It wasn't just Meredith. Jo always needed to be the center of attention, the one getting praise. If she wasn't, she'd find a way to shift the focus back to herself. It's narcissistic, honestly."

Jo couldn't hold back any longer. She stood abruptly, her voice shaking with fury. "Are you kidding me, Alex? You're seriously trying to paint me as some power-hungry narcissist? Coming from the guy who abandoned his wife in the middle of the night to chase after his ex?"

Judge Wallace banged her gavel furiously. "Dr. Wilson, sit down immediately! You will address the court through your counsel, not the defendant!"

Jo sat down reluctantly, but her eyes never left Alex, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. Annalise leaned over and whispered something to her, but Jo shook her head, too furious to listen.

Connor, unfazed, turned back to Alex. "Dr. Karev, how did this behavior affect your relationship with Dr. Wilson?"

Alex's expression darkened. "It made it impossible to have a real partnership. Everything was always about her—her career, her ambitions, her ego. She didn't care about supporting me or working as a team. It was exhausting."

Annalise stood abruptly, her voice slicing through the tension in the room. "Objection, Your Honor. This testimony is purely speculative and irrelevant to the legal claims at hand."

Judge Wallace sighed, clearly tired of the back-and-forth. "Sustained. Mr. Walsh, keep your questions focused."

Connor nodded, stepping back slightly. "No further questions, Your Honor."

Annalise immediately rose, her presence commanding as she approached the witness stand. Her tone was cold and cutting. "Dr. Karev, you've just accused my client of being narcissistic and disruptive in her professional and personal life. Would you say you're an unbiased judge of her character?"

Alex glared at her. "I'm telling the truth."

Annalise smirked faintly, her eyes narrowing. "The truth, or your version of it? Let's talk about your own behavior, Dr. Karev. Would you describe abandoning your wife without warning as the action of a mature, selfless individual?"

Connor jumped to his feet. "Objection, argumentative!"

Judge Wallace waved him off. "Overruled. Answer the question, Dr. Karev."

Alex's jaw tightened. "I did what I had to do."

Annalise stepped closer, her tone growing sharper. "What you had to do? Or what was easiest for you? You left my client to pick up the pieces of her life while you ran off to play house with Dr. Stevens."

Alex's face reddened, but he didn't respond. Annalise turned back to the jury, her voice ringing with conviction. "Dr. Karev wants you to believe that my client is the problem, that she's difficult and selfish. But what we see here is a man who projects his own flaws onto the people around him to avoid taking accountability."

Jo, emboldened by Annalise's words, stood again, this time with a deliberate calm. "And while we're on the subject of accountability, Alex, let's talk about who you remind me of. Paul Sadler."

The courtroom fell silent at the name, the weight of the accusation hanging in the air. Alex's face twisted in shock and anger. "Don't you dare compare me to him."

Jo's voice rose, her anger finally boiling over. "Why not? He was manipulative, controlling, and always made me feel like I was the problem—just like you."

Judge Wallace banged her gavel repeatedly. "Dr. Wilson, enough! You are dangerously close to being held in contempt."

Jo sat down, her chest heaving with emotion, but she didn't look away from Alex. He glared back at her, his face a mask of fury.

The tension in the room was thick as Judge Wallace addressed the court. "This trial has devolved into a personal vendetta, and I will not allow it to continue unchecked. Both parties are warned: focus on the legal matters at hand, or face the consequences. Court is adjourned for the day."

As the gavel fell, the courtroom buzzed with murmurs. Reporters outside scrambled to capture the latest twist, while Jo and Annalise left the room with their heads held high. Across the room, Alex sat with his fists clenched, Izzie beside him, looking as though she wished she were anywhere else.

The world watched, captivated, as the trial spiraled further into chaos, with each day promising more revelations and confrontations. Day 12 had left no doubt: this battle was far from over.