Talk about a courtroom drama! Cardi B is spilling the tea on a 2018 alleged assault, all while revealing she was secretly pregnant at the time. She’s firmly denied touching the security guard who’s suing her for millions. What really happened behind closed doors during her early stardom?

Global music sensation Cardi B recently took the stand, adamantly denying allegations that she physically assaulted a security guard during a heated altercation in 2018. The high-profile civil lawsuit centers on claims made by a former building security guard who alleges the rapper, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, scratched her face with a fingernail and spat on her, an incident Cardi B vehemently disputes in her compelling court testimony.

The alleged confrontation occurred outside an obstetrician’s office in February 2018, a period during which Cardi B was navigating the early stages of her first pregnancy, a detail she was meticulously keeping private. According to the security guard’s legal filing, the incident resulted in a facial injury requiring cosmetic surgery, leaving her humiliated and traumatized, and ultimately led to her losing her job. The security guard is reportedly seeking substantial damages, including medical expenses and compensation for emotional distress.

During her testimony in a Los Angeles County courtroom, Cardi B provided her account of the events, stating unequivocally, “She couldn’t get a scratch from me because I didn’t touch her.” The Grammy-winning artist explained that she was in Los Angeles for promotional work when she encountered the security guard, who she claims appeared to be filming her and speaking her name into a phone, sparking fears that her then-secret pregnancy would be exposed to the public.

The rapper delved into the profound reasons behind her desire for privacy regarding her pregnancy. Still in the “freshman year” of her stardom following the massive success of “Bodak Yellow,” she was acutely conscious of public perception and felt immense pressure. More critically, Cardi B emphasized her deeply held belief in treasuring privacy on all medical matters, particularly something as “sacred as a pregnancy,” viewing it as profoundly personal.

A significant portion of the ongoing court proceedings has focused on the physicality of the alleged assault, specifically scrutinizing the elaborate acrylic nails adorned with rhinestones that Cardi B was wearing at the time. The defense aims to demonstrate that such nails could not have inflicted the type of damage claimed by the plaintiff, challenging the core of the security guard’s allegations through detailed examination.

The plaintiff’s testimony earlier in the celebrity trial painted a picture of severe emotional and physical suffering, culminating in a request for damages that include not only medical expenses and lost wages but also punitive damages. While a specific total amount was not initially stated in the lawsuit, Cardi B revealed from the stand that the security guard is “suing me for $24 million,” underscoring the magnitude of the legal battle.

Crucially, a key witness, Tierra Malcolm, a receptionist from the doctor’s office, provided testimony that largely corroborated Cardi B’s version of events. Malcolm recounted hearing a commotion but witnessed no physical altercation. She later discovered a scratch on her own face, which she attributed to the security guard, as her back was to Cardi B during the confrontation, lending weight to the rapper’s defense.

This civil dispute unfolds in a relatively quiet courthouse in Alhambra, California, a locale where trials involving such prominent celebrity figures are exceptionally rare, drawing unusual attention to the proceedings. The trial has paused for the remainder of the week and is slated to resume and conclude next week, promising further developments in this closely watched entertainment news story.