NC TikTok star testifies in trial accusing her of alienation of affection
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Jury heard witnesses portray Montague marriage as conflict-prone and volatile.
- Sides presented differing versions on if Akira gave permission to Timothy to date Kennard.
- Videos of Kennard showed her recounting sexual intimacy with Timothy.
Akira Montague’s alienation of affection lawsuit against North Carolina TikTok star Brenay Kennard continued in front of a Durham County jury Friday with Kennard’s witnesses — several of them family members of her husband, Timothy Montague — portraying Timothy and Akira’s marriage as prone to conflict.
Akira Montague is suing Kennard for $3.5 million in damages, accusing Kennard of stealing her then husband, Timothy Montague, and flaunting the alleged affair on social media.
Kennard has over 3 million followers on TikTok who tune into her “get ready with me” videos, cooking and makeup tutorials and food reviews known as mukbangs. The trial has drawn significant attention from fans and detractors of the lifestyle influencer. Kennard lives in the Pitt County town of Winterville.
Kennard also testified Friday. Here are key themes from day four of the trial:
Timothy’s family describes a troubled marriage
Timothy’s sister, Imani Montague, testified the “environment was always hostile” when she lived with Timothy and Akira. Imani was attending Meredith College but testified that she had to drop out because of the stress of the Montagues’ marriage.
Tameka Green, Timothy’s mother, testified that Timothy and Akira played with each other often, but “when it was bad, it was bad.” She recalled a conversation where she told Akira she and Timothy could not shout at each other at the same time during an argument.
Both Green and Imani Montague recalled a time Timothy Montague came home with candle wax on his shirt. Timothy testified Thursday that Akira Montague swept her arm at the objects on a table while the candle was lit, flinging the candle onto his shirt.
Green’s testimony affirmed Timothy Montague’s claim that he had to marry Akira Montague within 60 to 90 days in order for the two to live together at Green’s place. When the two said “I do” at the wedding, Green cried, feeling the couple was too young and the marriage was likely to fail. Imani Montague said the couple had a playful relationship — but neither knew how to make a marriage work.
“I think that my brother was a terrible husband,” Imani Montague said.
Finishing his testimony from Thursday, Timothy Montague doubled down on the lack of rapport between Akira and him.
“Anybody who was close to us was referee all the time,” Timothy Montague said.
Plaintiff’s cross-examination argues Timothy and Akira had much love and affection
As Akira Montague’s attorney, Robonetta Jones, cross-examined Kennard’s witnesses, she pointed to several texts and photos meant to show the love and affection Akira and Timothy Montague had for each other. The evidence included:
- Several texts in which Timothy called Akira “baby” and told her he loved her.
- Jones asked Timothy if his testimony was that he and Akira stopped being intimate — to which Timothy said yes. Jones then showed several “sexts” where Timothy and Akira reminisce on sexual acts from the previous night. The sexts appeared to be on dates after January 2024 — when Timothy testified Akira discussed separation and granted him permission to pursue a relationship with Kennard. Timothy and Akira officially separated on March 5, 2024.
- Photos of Timothy and Akira on vacation together.
- Photos of Timothy and Akira smiling together, embracing each other and kissing one another on the cheek.
- Jones also asked Timothy to confirm that he texted Akira’s mother, Veneta Sydnor, to plan a surprise birthday party for Akira.
Kennard’s witnesses questioned if the texts between Timothy and Akira were real, claiming the display did not look authentic. The witnesses also denied that the photos demonstrated love and affection.
“Do you not smile in pictures?” Timothy Montague asked Jones.
Did Akira allow Timothy and Kennard to be together?
When Kennard testified, she said she had no idea Akira Montague was uncomfortable with the relationship between Kennard and Timothy Montague. (Kennard started living with the Montagues intermittently in December 2023 due to marital issues with her ex-husband, Devon Mayo.)
Kennard testified that she relied on Timothy Montague to tell her if Akira Montague objected to her being around Timothy — and Timothy never said Akira was uncomfortable.
Akira’s attorney pointed to three texts where Akira indicated she was uncomfortable with Timothy and Kennard being together — including one on Jan. 26, 2024, in which Akira wrote, “Brenay has to leave. By noon.”
Timothy testified those texts came after previous texts from Akira indicating she wanted to separate. A text from the plaintiff’s exhibit appeared to show Akira agreeing to a divorce by the end of the couple’s lease in January 2024.
Kennard testified that she recalled a conversation with Akira Montague where Akira said she “wouldn’t even mind” if Kennard and Timothy Montague got together. She then called Timothy down, yelling “Tim, I found your wife.”
Kennard shown in videos recounting sexual intimacy with Timothy
Akira’s attorney brought forward a February 2024 video of Kennard talking to the camera and appearing to refer to Timothy Montague. In the video, Kennard:
- Said she could not wait to become “Mrs. Montague.”
- Expressed her desire to have multiple children with Timothy.
- Said “Words cannot express how much I love you” and “I’m so happy we’re doing this again.”
- Expressed her enjoyment of multiple sexual acts.
Timothy Montague testified Kennard was referring to their past relationship in 2014 and not the present. Kennard testified that she was drunk when she recorded the video and other videos the prosecution referred to, including one where Kennard was “twerking” on Montague in the bathroom.
“I’m not proud of those videos,” Kennard said.
Kennard is the last witness, but her testimony will continue Monday. The trial is expected to conclude then.
NC TikTok star’s alienation of affection case
Here are previous stories from the case.
This story was originally published November 7, 2025 at 10:01 PM with the headline "NC TikTok star testifies in trial accusing her of alienation of affection."
.jpg)