A Widow's Poison, A Wife's Rebellion novel Chapter 20

Tanya shoved the phone in front of Fairfax’s face. He took the phone and read the message.

After a moment, he looked up at Tanya. “What’s wrong with this?”

“What?” Tanya sputtered, incredulous. “You’re asking me what’s wrong with it? Hello? Fairfax, did you fail English? This is a blatant provocation, and you’re asking me what’s wrong?”

Furious, Tanya snatched the phone back. “Here, let me spell it out for you.”

She was livid. Was he truly that dense? Brinley was practically spitting in Starla’s face, and he didn’t see a problem with it.

Tanya glared at the screen, ready to read the message aloud. “Listen up: Starla, it’s all my… fault?!”

Wait. That wasn’t what it said a moment ago.

Tanya looked closer and realized Brinley had retracted the original message and sent a new one: [Starla, it’s all my fault. Blame everything on me. I just can’t accept that Faraday is gone. Please don’t fight with Fairfax because of me. He really loves you.]

Reading the new message, Tanya felt a wave of defeat wash over her. She tossed the phone back to Starla. “See for yourself.”

Starla picked it up and read the text. A deeply ironic smile touched her lips. This was Brinley’s specialty—a master manipulator who had fooled everyone for years while married to Faraday, playing one role to their faces and another behind their backs.

Fairfax looked at Starla, his expression serious, then turned to Tanya. “Could you give us a minute, please?”

Tanya shot him a venomous glare before turning to Starla. “I’ll go find you something good to eat.”

Starla’s appetite had been decent, and Tanya wanted to keep her strength up.

“I just don’t want our family to be torn apart like this,” he said, his voice tight with frustration. “Besides, Brinley had nothing to do with it. It was my mistake. I…”

Your mistake?” Starla cut in. “In that case, should I just sue you both?”

“You…” His expression darkened further.

“And for the record,” Starla added, her voice dripping with contempt, “Brinley and I are not family. Don’t disgust me by lumping us together.”

The word ‘disgust’ made his jaw clench. Before he could respond, his phone rang. It was Darleen again. He answered it. “Mom.”

“Fairfax, Brinley had a terrible shock today, and she’s not doing well at all. She woke up right after you left. You need to come back, quickly.”