A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 123

When Xenia heard the news later, she was at the hospital with Brinley. The moment she took the call, she exploded. "How could it just catch fire out of nowhere? Was it Starla? Did she do this?"

The question hung in the air, and Starla's words from their last phone call echoed in Xenia's mind: You can keep it, but you won’t be living in it. The taunt had been so biting.

Suddenly, a wave of realization washed over Xenia, feeling like a physical blow. It was Starla. It had to be her.

Furious, Xenia immediately tried to call Starla, but the call wouldn't go through. She had to borrow someone else's phone to finally get through.

Before Starla could speak, Xenia roared into the phone, "Did you do it?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me. You set fire to Petal Villa, didn't you? Starla, have you lost your mind?"

Xenia had already suspected Starla was behind the fire at Harriet's Vista Bay mansion. Now, with Petal Villa also ablaze, her suspicion hardened into certainty.

"You've got some nerve, crossing me like this," Xenia seethed. "I have to ask, where are you getting this audacity to pull something like this again and again? Do you think my brother will protect you? Let me tell you, after this, Harriet won't let you get away with it, and Fairfax won't be able to save you!"

Xenia was losing her mind. She genuinely loved Petal Villa, and her refusal to return it was more about spiting Starla than anything else. But now...

'Wouldn't dare?' A few days ago, they were sure she wouldn't dare do anything. But after everything she'd pulled recently, was there anything she ‘wouldn't’ dare to do?

"Aren't you afraid I'll call the police?" Xenia snarled. Petal Villa was legally in her name. If she reported it, the police would investigate the cause of the fire. Arson was a serious crime.

"Then do it," Starla challenged. "Let everyone in Marina City see how the marital home for the Yelchin family's son is actually registered under their daughter's name. But then again, you probably don't care much about the family's reputation, do you? After all, what reputation is left to protect?"

Xenia fell silent, her face turning pale with fury. Before Xenia could retort, Starla continued, "It will also show everyone just how 'capable' the Yelchin daughter is, hoarding her brother's marital home. After a scandal like that, who would dare marry into your family? They'd be marrying a tyrant, not a wife."

Xenia scoffed. "Oh, please. You think everyone is like you, bringing nothing to the table? You grew up in an orphanage; marrying you brought the Yelchins nothing. If Fairfax had married into another prominent family, the benefits would have been immeasurable." Her tone dripped with contempt for Starla.