A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 143

Brinley's number flashed on the screen again, and Starla felt a surge of irritation just looking at it. But since it concerned Darleen, Fairfax answered the call.

“Faraday, when will you get here? I’m so scared…”

Brinley’s voice was a torrent of helpless, desperate sobs. To anyone who didn't know the situation, it would sound like her own mother was the one in the operating room. Still, after all the years Darleen had doted on her, perhaps this display of emotion was deserved.

“About half an hour,” Fairfax replied, his foot pressing the accelerator until the car was nearing its limit.

Starla felt a wave of nausea. She hadn't eaten lunch yet, and her body, still weak, was starting to protest. These days, she had to eat the moment hunger struck.

“Please… please hurry…” Brinley managed to say before they exchanged a few more words and hung up.

Fairfax’s lips were a thin, hard line, his deep eyes as cold as ice. It was impossible to guess what he was thinking. Neither of them spoke for the rest of the drive, the silence stretching until they pulled up to the hospital.

The moment they got out of the car, Fairfax grabbed Starla’s hand and started pulling her toward the elevators. She tried to wrench her hand free.

“Let go.”

“You forced my hand, Starla,” he said, his voice low.

He hadn’t wanted to put her through more turmoil, but she was being too difficult. He’d had to lie about agreeing to a divorce just to get her to come out with him today. How could he possibly let her go now? The second he did, she’d vanish without a trace, and with Herbert lurking in the background like a vulture, Fairfax wished he could just tie her to his side and never let her out of his sight.

“I’m hungry. I need to get something to eat,” she insisted.

Fairfax shot his sister a look so cold it froze the words in her throat, but Xenia’s resentment simmered.

“Mom can’t stand her,” she couldn't help but add. “Did you bring her here to push Mom over the edge? She’s in surgery right now! We have no idea what’s wrong with her. Do you really think she's in any condition to be provoked?”

Xenia resembled Darleen, and her sharp, accusatory tone was eerily similar to her mother’s. She kept glaring at Starla, making sure her hostility was unmistakable.

Starla, however, simply examined her perfectly manicured nails, an act of deliberate nonchalance designed to infuriate. Then, just as Xenia finished her tirade, Starla turned to Fairfax and added fuel to the fire. “I’m not going to put up with this.”

She had never been one to tolerate disrespect, even during her time with the Yelchin family. Back then, she had been focused on her career and let things slide.

But now that Fairfax was forcing her into their company again, she was making her stance perfectly clear. Darleen might be in a fragile state, but Starla wouldn’t be walking on eggshells for anyone.