Latin dancer Gaynor Fairweather yesterday testified that she loved and supported her husband, Mirko Saccani.
But she told the High Court this did not mean she would lie and pretend he had never sworn at Mimi Monica Wong, a wealthy banker who is suing the couple for the return of $62 million in tuition fees.
The court was told that Mr Saccani had cursed Ms Wong, head of HSBC's private banking in Asia, on August 25, 2004, in front of more than 50 dancers at a practice session at the Li Hua Restaurant in Causeway Bay.
Ms Wong had agreed to pay Ms Fairweather and Mr Saccani $120 million for an eight-year teaching contract, from 2004 to 2012. She is now claiming back $62 million she paid in advance because, as she has alleged, Mr Saccani had embarrassed and insulted her.
'To me, she's everything. To me, she's very special. I love Monica,' said Ms Fairweather yesterday, adding that she had devoted her time and a lot of 'love and care' to Ms Wong. 'One day she's my pupil; one day she became my life; and one day she said she doesn't want to be my life [any longer].'
She said Ms Wong had shocked her by taking away all the 'love and work' that she and Mr Saccani had devoted to her.
'It's very unfair,' said Ms Fairweather.
