A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 115

Starla's words were like knives now. No matter what he said, she found a way to cut him. Fairfax stopped trying to argue and instead reached out to gently stroke her hair. “Don’t worry. Petal Villa will be back in your name.”

“When?” she challenged.

“I’ll have Gabriel handle it immediately.”

He could see it clearly now: she was done tolerating his family. If he didn't get her things back, this cold war of snide remarks would never end. All Fairfax wanted was to go back to the peaceful days when she was compliant and sweet, so he found himself willing to agree to almost anything she demanded.

After a few more placating words, he retreated to the kitchen. This time, he didn't dare make her anything too rich. He looked up simple, nourishing recipes online, determined to make something himself. But just as he started, a call came through to Starla’s phone. It was Xenia.

“If you promise to stay away from Herbert,” Xenia hissed through the phone, “I’ll give Petal Villa back to you.”

Starla clicked her tongue. “Already trying to claim your territory? Does Herbert even give a damn about you?

“Starla, don’t you dare go too far!” Xenia shrieked, her temper flaring.

She was determined to marry Herbert. She couldn't stand the thought of Starla having any connection to him.

“You’re nothing, yet you act like you have some claim on him. How pathetic,” Starla retorted coolly.

“Do you want Petal Villa back or not?” Xenia demanded, infuriated by Starla's new, thorny demeanor. She missed the old, timid Starla and couldn't fathom what had caused this transformation.

“You can keep it,” Starla said with a shrug in her voice. “But you won’t be living in it.”

“They have to get a divorce,” Xenia declared. “We can’t have a woman like that in our family, no matter what.”

“You think I don’t want them to divorce?” Darleen scoffed.

Everyone wanted them to divorce. Starla herself had made a public spectacle of it all over Marina City. Yet, not only were they still married, but now she was demanding them return her assets too. What on earth was she playing at?

...

Meanwhile, Brinley had developed a high fever after her stunt in the water, and to make matters worse, Gabriel had shown up with papers for her to sign, transferring her assets back to Starla. She was practically vibrating with fury.

Diana, the Yelchin family maid assigned to her, dabbed her forehead with a cool cloth. “Brinley, please, you have to stop crying.”