A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 144

Her words sent Xenia into another rage. “You see, Fairfax? It’s not me who’s picking a fight. If she stays here, she’ll be the death of our mom!”

Fairfax glanced at Starla, who didn’t even bother to look at Xenia. She continued to idly pick at her nails, a picture of casual defiance that sent a clear message: she wasn't joking.

Fairfax felt a headache coming on. Just then, Brinley, who had been quiet, stepped in.

“Starla, no matter what, Mom is in a very critical condition today. As the younger generation, we should be more accommodating.”

She said it with a pained expression, hating Starla with every fiber of her being but playing the part of the perfect, understanding sister-in-law. It was a calculated move, meant to create a stark contrast between her own grace and Starla’s insolence in Fairfax's eyes, to show him who was truly fit to be the matriarch of the Yelchin family.

Starla let out a short, sharp laugh. “She’s not giving you any grief, so of course you can afford to be accommodating.”

“You—”

“Me? Should I accommodate you by letting you threaten everyone with jumping off a bridge every time I stand up for myself? You’re the one who needs to learn some tolerance!”

The past few days had been a circus of Brinley’s making—threats of suicide, faked bouts of depression, all of it. And every time she had one of her episodes, everyone demanded that Starla back down and not provoke her.

Brinley’s face stiffened at the accusation.

Starla pressed on, “You exploited me, and I’m wrong for demanding what’s rightfully mine? Is that it? Or should I just shut up and let you walk all over me?”

“I… I didn’t…”

“You didn’t? Then why did so many of the gifts Fairfax gave me end up in your name?”

Starla raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes as she met Xenia’s hate-filled glare.

“If you ever dare to disrespect her again,” Fairfax continued, his voice dangerously low, “you will be cut off from everything this family has to offer.”

The threat was potent; Fairfax controlled the entire Yelchin empire. If he cut Xenia off, she would have nothing.

Pain and fury warred on Xenia’s face. “You’d do this to your own sister… for a woman?”

“The credit cards I haven’t canceled yet? Consider them gone,” Fairfax said, his tone turning even deadlier.

At that, all of Xenia’s fight seemed to drain out of her. The threat worked. In the face of losing everything, self-preservation always won.