A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 120

The irony was almost laughable. It was supposed to be her marital home with Fairfax, yet for years, she had been living in a house legally owned by his sister. Fairfax didn't mind, of course; it was his family. But for Xenia to now use both Herbert and the house as leverage was a deliberate, spiteful move designed to humiliate her.

Starla’s lips curved into a wry smile. She stood up and walked to the storage room. There, she found what she was looking for: a can of gasoline for the lawnmower.

...

After leaving Petal Villa, Molly couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. Starla’s behavior had been strange, and she tried calling Fairfax to warn him, but the call went straight to voicemail. Deciding she couldn't waste any more time, she hurried to the supermarket, intending to buy the vinegar and get back as quickly as possible.

At that moment, Fairfax was on his way to the hospital. On a sudden impulse, he dialed Herbert’s number. This time, Herbert actually answered.

“She won’t be coming into work for a while,” Fairfax said without preamble. “She’s going to be at home, resting and preparing for pregnancy.”

He stressed the last three words, a clear territorial claim.

On the other end of the line, Herbert, a man who rarely showed emotion, actually chuckled. “And you think she would still have a child with you?”

“She’s my wife. Who else would she have a child with?” Fairfax retorted, his long-simmering resentment over Herbert's relationship with Starla finally boiling over. He was trying to push Herbert out of their lives for good.

“You two will get a divorce,” Herbert stated, not as a prediction, but as a fact.

The word ‘divorce’ was like a spark to a powder keg, threatening to shatter Fairfax’s already frayed composure.

“Herbert, don’t push your luck!” he snarled. To hear him say it once was bad enough, but to state it with such certainty was an infuriating challenge. Was he planning to do something to make it happen?

In his office, Herbert sat impassively, a picture of cold authority in his dark suit and silver tie. The gold-rimmed glasses he wore did little to soften his sharp features, instead adding a layer of calculating intensity to his gaze. He took a drag from his cigarette, unfazed by Fairfax’s rage.

Garret worked for Starla’s brother. Fairfax had no idea what kind of hornet’s nest he had kicked. After years of arrogant self-assurance, it was time for him to pay the price.

Rudolf placed a file on the desk. “There’s one more thing,” he said. “Petal Villa is on fire.”

Herbert’s hand, holding the cigarette, paused mid-air. His cold eyes were unreadable, but then, a slow, meaningful smile spread across his lips. “She did it?”

“Yes, sir,” Rudolf confirmed.

“Her temper… it’s quite something,” Herbert murmured, a rare note of amusement in his voice as he tapped the ash into the tray.

Rudolf, catching the rare hint of emotion, watched his boss for a moment before agreeing. “Indeed. Ms. Lansbury has quite the personality.”